Articles Posted under writings
Global Tragedies
What next?
Dear victims of violence, natural disasters, hate, crimes and ignorance - you will not be forgotten.
Amen.
Passed!
So I passed my G2 road test (2nd out of 3 steps to becoming a fully licensed driver in the wierd Canadian graduated driving license system) in the very first attempt, yes, very first! To be quite honest, I'm still in shock, and even more shocked was my entire family. Ecstatic of course, but quite surprised to say the least, especially considering I'd only had a handful of weeks' experience of driving. This post however, will be focusing on the reaction of one specific family member : the Dad.
With reference to the driving test, Dad was almost certainly equipped with his "don't worry sweetie, it's only your first try, besides you've only drive a car for 10 odd hours of your life' speech, only to be left speechless with the "I passed!' phone call. Dads tend to find it the hardest to accept that their 'little girls' have finally grown up. Especially coming from a society that recognizes its women as 'mature' and 'capable of making decisions' only once they are married (for the most part), it's a constant tussle between father and daughter to prove their worth.
Mothers have always been better with coming to terms with their children growing up too fast, and despite the fact that the maternal bond with a child is one of the strongest ties, they seem to know exactly when it's time to let go. With Dads, its not so much the case - daddy's little girl will always be his little girl, from the time she's a toddler right up to when she's raising little girls of her own. For us daughters, dads are certainly a lot more than just a credit card; they're our buddies, cheerleaders, pillars of support and voice of reason in times of need. The good thing with dads is that emotions don't confuddle their judgement; moms hold the Oscar for dramatic reactions. (I love you mom)
I suppose it all starts in the tummy - mothers carry their children for 9 months before the tiny tots are introduced to the world. Whether mom likes it or not, she has to be prepared for parenthood, she has to be ready to take on this new life growing in her. With the paternal unit, I feel it's more a question of timing - they're ready to a parent long after they've already become one. And when the time comes, those tiny tots have grown up and well, 'don't need you to tell me what to do with my life'.
With all the hype of Mother's Day around, I thought it would be nice to give an ode to Dad. Dad, if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that you'd make a great Dad.
Graduation
It's a strange feeling, being a fresh graduate. After 4 years of all nighters, sky-high stress levels, good grades, bad grades, making totally avoidable mistakes, and not really studying as much as I should have, I can't say I'm entirely glad it's over. University or college life is like a cocoon - you're in a place where you can be recognized and you have a place in your own little world. Nobody can really discredit you for messing up, because hey, you're still a 'college kid' - you're meant to mess up. At the same time, you learn so much (outside the classroom, that is, if you ever even attended class) along the way - burning your study table with the iron within a few hours of moving into the dorms, finding mice running up your dorm room walls, earthquakes, bitchy girls and bitchy-er boys - there's a pot-pourri of experiences that will certainly leave you a whole lot wiser than you were in highschool.
And then, you graduate. There's the headache of looking for a decent job or cheap graduate school to apply to. In some cases, you're looking forward to another couple of years of loan repayments. Entering the work force isn't easy - especially if you haven't had any previous experience in your field. The key, just like in college, is to pretend that you know everything. Hold your head up high and don't let anyone make you feel any less smart that you seem to be. Seriously, it works!
Hurrah! Don't you just heart being a graduate?
Harsh realities
Each and every member of the LUMS community, or shall I say network, both locally and internationally located, has been discussing the recent tragedy that took place right within the famous cubby hole of red bricks. A young man's life was lost, a family thrown into misery and friends shocked to say the least.
Suicide is not an alien concept, at least not to this society. But for it to take place within the comforts of one's own campus, and to happen to a student, the boy next door with a promising future raises issues at all levels. The first is, of course, who can we point fingers at? Was it the victim himself? Or his friends who couldn't provide him the support he needed? Or are the institution's policies too harsh? Can we blame his parents for pressurizing their child with extremely high expectations? Or is it the society, which shuns away any hint of remotely 'abnormal' behaviour and instead of providing a stable network of support resources for the emotionally instable, further demoralizes and stigmatizes them? The real question is, is there a possibility that the blame rests on our shoulders? After all, each and every one of us is as much a part of this society as this young student was, and we are all equally responsible for shaping the norms, expectations and behaviours of the environment we live in.
The reason why this incident has come as such a shock is that it happened in the backdrop of a 'bubble' - a haven created by and for the able and the capable of Pakistan. But who defines being 'able' and 'capable'? And if it is defined, does that definition apply across the board? Is that not discrimination in itself? What if that definition were to change with time?
Sadly, even with substantial support networks in the most advanced of societies, suicide rates remain shockingly high. This tragic event has brought to light many other attempted suicide cases within the campus - my fear is that one boy's actions will generate a dominoe effect amongst all those experiencing depression. Suicide is an easy-out, and it should never be the way out. Even if life's downs may want to just make you run away from it all, taking your own life should certainly not be in the cards. Life has been given to us as a gift, and gifts should never be turned away; they should be cherished and valued and taken care of.
Let us be reminded that these are some of the harsh realities of life - don't waste time thinking 'wow, i never thought it would happen to me', because life is as unpredictable as unpredictable gets and chances are, what you least expect can come knocking on your door. The person next to you is just as likely to be suffering from a severe mental illness as someone sitting in a mental institution. There is nothing wrong with having problems, the key is to have flexible, non discriminatory policies and sufficient coping resources to guide us through them.
May we all learn from this lesson. I pray and hope that all those who have been affected by this event find their peace.
Inbox (6)
Happy day, my highly awaited package is finally here! On a whim, I went on a book-ordering rampage courtesy Amazon. I gotta tell you, I actually felt my eyes light up while opening up the package.
You'll be hearing a lot about the following list from me over the next few weeks (or possibly days):
- Eat Pray Love (Elizabeth Gilbert)
- Three Cups Of Tea (Greg Mortenson)
- Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriela Garcia Marquez)
- Inheritance of Loss (Kiran Desai)
- The Pakistani Bride (Bapsi Sidhwa)
- Hello, Cupcake! (Karen Tack & Alan Richardson)
Anyone have any insightful reviews to offer?
