• Login
  • Register
Annam Lodhi
  • Articles
    • Dawn
    • Digital Rights Monitor
      • Media For Transparency
    • Dunya
    • Eureka Street
    • Features
    • Global Voices
    • International
    • Khabaristan Times
    • Laaltain
    • MMfD
    • Pakistan Today
      • The Dependent
    • Parhlo
    • Soch
    • TechJuice
    • The Diplomat
    • The Friday Times
    • Tribune
  • Blog
    • Fragments
    • Pressers
    • Scorning Corner
      • Rants
    • Tummy Driven
  • Research
  • Videos
    • Parhlo Live
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Annam Lodhi
No Result
View All Result

Lumber of Thought

by Annam Lodhi
11/13/2016
0
Home All
275
SHARES
2.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

On my recent visit to Azad Kashmir, I imagined that the people there lived a peaceful life.

What a feeling would it be to wake up to such scenic visuals every day, a wonderful life it looked.
While on the hike, I saw a man carrying a huge bulk of lumber on his back.
“How can he carry that weight on his back,” I exclaimed rather loudly.
“It is lighter than the weight of my responsibilities,” he remarked with grief.
I was stunned for a moment; men here do not usually talk directly to foreign women. I started a conversation with him. He lived in the Kail village, with his wife and two kids.
The elder one, a girl was in eighth grade and the boy in the third, both of them beautiful Kashmiri kids.
So what was the burden? What worried him?
“My children watch the TV, listen to the radio, they feel trapped by the poverty and simplicity of our town,” he expressed, “My daughter is a very obedient girl, but I see her singing and dancing with her friends. I know she wants more with her life. A life maybe I cannot give her or permit her for.”
“My son too wishes to fly in the sky. Just like that hero in blue and red clothes. He aspires to be a pilot,” he smiles with pride, “I do not tell them to stop dreaming but I cannot tell them the truth also.”
“The burden of my thoughts makes it easier to carry this weight every day, dear daughter,” he puts the lumber down and gets back to work.

Photography: ShahZaib Wahlah (Lahore)
Literature: Annam Lodhi (Karachi)


Originally Published on The Dialogue Page

Tags: Azad KashmirKashmirLumberPakistanpovertyThought
Previous Post

The world face palms on Trumps win

Next Post

The Dirham

Annam Lodhi

Annam Lodhi

Next Post

The Dirham

Comments 0

  1. iok says:
    5 years ago

    Reblogged this on Insight on Kashmir and commented:

    An inspiration that runs through every single word in this anecdotal narration, compels the reader to not only consume it but relish and be thankful to a delicate soul who put this whole saga of human conflict in few words.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You can reach Annam Lodhi on the following handles or email her at annamklodhi(at)gmail(dot)com

Powered By WIMA

No Result
View All Result
  • Articles
    • Dawn
    • Digital Rights Monitor
      • Media For Transparency
    • Dunya
    • Eureka Street
    • Features
    • Global Voices
    • International
    • Khabaristan Times
    • Laaltain
    • MMfD
    • Pakistan Today
      • The Dependent
    • Parhlo
    • Soch
    • TechJuice
    • The Diplomat
    • The Friday Times
    • Tribune
  • Blog
    • Fragments
    • Pressers
    • Scorning Corner
      • Rants
    • Tummy Driven
  • Research
  • Videos
    • Parhlo Live

Powered By WIMA

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In