Feature

Beyond our imagination, but within their fate

Maliha Ahmed

I was sitting at Pizza Hut and eating my favorite BBC flavored pizza when my eyes fell on the restaurant's window. Across it was the usual view if Chittagong's busy, honking roads. I was about to look away when my eyes fell on a woman amongst the many pedestrians on the street. I recognized her as the beggar whom I usually encountered in one traffic signal or the other. At that time she was counting the day's earnings while simultaneously cooking with the help of a little bonfire that she made on the floor. Beside her, lying on some rags was her child at whom she looked every second or the other to check if he was still asleep. I noticed that she was continually talking and also banging a steel plate on the floor. After a moment's confusion it struck me that she was actually still begging to the passers by, some of who threw a coin or two. Being unable to stand anymore I looked away from the scene to my pizza towards which I had no more appetite……

I stepped out of my train and lifted out all my luggage on the platform. Within a moment or so five children ran to me and started offering themselves as my porter. When my dad hired one, the others ran away to find another family. While walking towards the exit I looked at my right hand side and found one of my little cousins carrying a fairy tale titled 'Cinderella'. Then I looked at my left hand side and found a boy of the same age as my cousin carrying, not a book but, unfortunately, my luggages.

Such everyday encounters in my life taught me that life is not led the same way by everyone, that happiness is not gained so easily by everyone. We, the people of the urban society, wake up every morning to find our hot and delicious breakfast ready at the table but never give a moment's thought to the uncertain and yet, the unbearable mornings of the underprivileged. We go to schools, colleges, universities but never imagine the life of those to whom education is a long lost dream. We want success that can touch the sky but never look down to watch people begging for a crumb of bread.

This is us. The educated and civilized mass which neglects the battle going on in front of their eyes, the battle to survive the harsh realities of poverty. We watch poor old ladies begging, we watch little boys and girls breaking bricks or polishing our shoes or carrying our luggages or working as our maids. We watch them walk on the path of drug addiction due to frustration and yet we are unable to give them a hand and show them a light of hope. Donating in organizations like MAAWS, BRAC etc can change to improve the life of many poor children. Even online donating is an option to help the needy. By taking out some time from our busy schedule, we could try and teach our home maids and ensure his or her education. Like these there are many such ways to do something, anything, for those who have nothing. It's no use being oblivious or commercial in this situation because our litle help can make a difference somewhere.

(Writer is a student of Bay View School)