Pain, what pains us? Is the affliction of a malady or our unpreparedness pain? Our undeveloped, limited capacity to face situations? The more we know, the more ready we are and less we suffer: Nature of the malady does not change nor is it that its intensity lessens but we feel it less because we grow an understanding that has a wider encompass than the size of the pain and we are able to absorb it without being consumed by it. Unfortunately, the path to developing this understanding, what is also in 'bee in the bonnet' circles referred to as 'wisdom', is through encounters with a lot of pain. Almost like a rock in a ferocious river is rounded after centuries of erosion. Then, it simply lets the water pass over it without showing resistance and while it may still be eroded but the process slows down and the rock becomes a part of that universe of pain and changes the discourse where it ceases to be about pain.
Haven't written in a while and those following my blog would know by now that whenever something disturbing on the world scene happens, I stop writing. Its an irony because usually writers provide solace through their writings while I, lose all power of expression when I am disturbed. And then what is there to write? Follow any newspaper from around the world and there is only one message that you get: Pakistan is rapidly slipping into an abyss! I was born in the 70s and have grown up in the 90s, I have vague recollection of the 80s even though I was not old enough to understand what life under Zia's martial law was like but I have seen relay race of power between Benazir and Nawaz Sharif in the 90s but never in our history have we been so unsafe. Where every person big or small, significant or otherwise, powerful or weak, rich or poor is exposed equally to this invisible enemy. Call it what you might, Taliban, extremist, jihadi, Al Qaeda, seperatist, a murderer by any name is ...
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