You know how they say you must face the rain to see the rainbow? Well, I really hope that that's true – Because, honestly, I'm sick of all the overflowing gutters in Karachi.
Ha! So did you think I was going to delve deep into my oh-so-pitiful life? Well, think again. I'm listening to Mandy Moore's "Few Days Down," there isn't a power outage, and my computer isn't freezing repeatedly - Which gives me every reason to be happy [for once!], and forget my lovesick life for a moment or two. Besides, I'm not really in the mood for the fathomless sort of cry-cry-again writing. So here we go.
The rains. They're fun, you know. A whole load of it. I mean, living in Karachi, you don't get to see leaves drinking water [unless it's a present from an overflown "tanky" from the floor above] until June and July hit the calendar. So that makes any and all rains, provided that they don't ruin my house, welcome for me. But, this year, I've seen the sort of rains which, according to my mother, Karachi hasn't seen in the past twenty years.
It seems more to be raining stones and pebbles and dust and dirt and what not than water. Really. You know this Maulvi at my father's office. He was going around chiding all the men the next day, going, "You men should have stood up to offer prayers. Azanain denay ke liay khara ho jana chahiya tha foran.” And It’s not a joke. The rain really was that bad, at least in my part of the world. One of my sister’s dear, dear friends has her whole neighbourhood in absolute ruins.
I wonder why this is happening and, after quite a lot of it [wondering, that is], I have come to two conclusions: a) God is really angry at Karachiites for they’re oh-so-awesome lifestyle choices and, b) Global warming is taking over literally everywhere. Environmental degradation is at its peak, so knock off all the noble speeches, people, and get doing something. Darn everyone’s “nobler instincts.” No, I don’t really mean that last sentence. What I mean to say is that, today, practically everybody seems to be ready to do anything to help Mother Nature flourish. But does anybody do anything in reality? Three guesses as to the answer. And, yes, I’m being sarcastic.
We’re just sitting here, staring at our computer screens, and thinking, “Things will turn out alright.” Well, we’re not being serious enough about this because, apparently, things AREN’T turning out alright. Researchers have declared that, at the rate icecaps are melting thanks to global warming, Manhattan, Bangladesh and Maldives are certain to go underwater if things continue to head the way they’re going right now. And, ma dears, I hope you aren’t forgetting that Bangladesh isn’t that far off from Pakistan and India. It will be us next.
Well, we need to stop thinking everything will turn out fine. Optimism is definitely a good thing, I totally agree, but bring your optimism down just a little, or you won’t be able to do anything for this on-the-verge-of-sinking world. We really are teetering on the rims of a disaster, and we need to get our priorities right. Don’t throw wrappers around, don’t smoke all the time [it contributes to this thing that’s termed inside or room pollution, if you don’t know] and do your little bit. It’s time to turn up your sleeves and plant some more trees. I’m sure the earth’s longing to be coloured green, but not with more green houses. Crayons, then, maybe?
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06-28-2007 12:06 PM