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When a plant spoke

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Mahfooz Ahmad Bakshi
I’m sick of exams that Life is taking from me, Life is hard, I have no luck was the words I often murmur about.
One day I reached in the middle of a devastated desert, exhausted and hopeless, all I was able to see was red sand and just sand burning all around, there were no trees and obviously it’s not possible that any desert can have trees but it’s not impossible also as I have seen many kinds of plants and trees that can grow in devastated places but the strange thing about the desert in which I was caged and lost in was that it had no trees, possibly no shade all around not even a small plant.
It was like a wonderland that no would wonder about! Being hopeless as well as helpless in such a terribly grave place I was wandering from here to there, north to south wandering around was the only thing I was compelled to do by my life. After crossing so many dunes I fell down, at that point I was unable to stand because my external parts were totally lifeless. Absolutely motionless and had nothing helpful that I can at least strive for. At that movement I thought that the Life is ruthless for me. Even though I wanted to Groan but it was of no use, nobody was going to hear me out, I couldn’t even open my eyes then day by day I was getting piteous and my bones intricate. Situations were quite negative thoughts provoking, decided to suicide then suddenly I barely opened my eyes and what I saw was jaw dropping and I was puzzled, nope I didn’t saw water, neither do I saw any human. My eyes had a glimpse at the lush green, lively, enthusiastic, healthy and naturally beautiful plant which was actually a small plant. Wasn’t it rare? I knew that the plant can’t help me to get out of the horrific Situation but it actually gave coolness to my eyes.
An amazing and attractive miracle it was indeed but not more than what was going to happen next.
The plant suddenly called my name calmly, on hearing this I thought that I have lost my mind and besides I hadn’t heard anyone talking since the day I was caged there so for this purpose my mind started creating illusions. “I’m talking to you Mr” the plant spoke, then I woke up somehow and found out it was the plant speaking!
“Who are you” I asked
Plant: I’m Mr Hope.
Me: You are a plant, how can you talk?
Mr Hope: I know that you are surprised but knowing about me is not that much important for you right now, I heard that you want to end your life?
It was not an ordinary plant, speaking, and even reading the mind was its talent!
“I am stuck in this deadly desert for so many days and I have no one here, alone and devastated, begging for even a single drop of water, so taking my life may be the best Choice I would ever have,” I said to the plant innocently.
Mr Hope: Even though you didn’t tell me but I know that you have left your hometown where people used to bully you, discourage you and tease you, you tried to escape but you stuck in here, in your life you are failing because you are making the wrong choice that you shouldn’t. Instead of learning you are still stick to your wrong choice and you are even not willing to live.
Me ( aggressively) : So now you have read my Biography and you are saying such words politely but Mr Hope you are not suffering as I am that’s why you are trying to deliver your boring lecture”
Mr Hope: Haha I don’t want to tell you but I have to, do you think that maintaining good health here is easy? I’m living here alone, and to be honest I have been in the situation in which you are in right now, I have faced the same problems, anyway do you want to get out of here?
Me (requesting): Yes I do want to escape from this phase of life but please tell how did you overcome the deadly phase of your life?
Mr Hope: I didn’t lose my Hope, as simple as that.
Me: Can you please elaborate!
Mr Hope: You came here, crossed miles of this desert but you fell here and thought someone will come and help you, when no one seemed to come you thought about suicide, actually you do not have heard the proper definition of life. Remember “If you are almost dead but your hopes are alive, you are alive and if you are alive but your hopes are dead, you are dead”
Me: What according to you is the meaning of life?
Mr Hope: Life is like a game where crossing a forest full of poisonous and hungry animals is the aim and we humans are the players who have to cross the jungle anyhow, those who dared to cross have lived the life and “Those who fear to dare will be killed by just a scream of a dear”
Me: okay so……….
“Mr Hope interrupted and said with a loud and energetic tone
Stand up, don’t lose hope, you can survive, it’s a test that you have to pass, you are going to see the green lands, Life is taking exams from you. Life wants to select you for the best, you can’t stay here like that, stand up, walk, and find the way to get out of this situation, wake up, you can do it” then the plant suddenly disappeared, I tried as hard as I could at that time to investigate who and where did the plant escape to but I failed, failing was my job in my life but I didn’t know that from that day I’m gonna change. It was a turning point,
Those words spoken by a plant brought me back on the track and I felt quite enthusiastic, he motivated me and guess what? I managed to stand up and fortunately when I stood up and decided to never give up I felt like someone poured a bucket of water on my head suddenly which helped me to defeat the harsh temperature of the desert, I looked towards the sky, took a long breath and ran away to face more difficulties knowing that after difficulties I’m going to live a real life.
I kept going, I faced the harsh problems. I fell so many times that made me wounded, those wounds were painful. I suffered enough and the pain was compelling me to give up. I remembered the motivational words that a plant spoke which helped me to get victorious whenever I was about to give up.
It took me years to reach my desired place and now finally I am living under the blue sky and on the green grass right now but I know this could be only possible because of the encouragement of that plant whose name was Mr Hope. Yes he really deserves the name because he gave me Hope, he motivated me, he gave life to my hopes and I really want to see that plant again but God blessed me with a park full of plants and trees. Everyday watering the plants is my hobby and I love it.
We really owe so many things to trees but instead of planting plants my fellow human beings are indulged in deforestation, they earn by cutting down life giving trees which hurts me so much, human being should stop murdering such beautiful and kind creation of God.
[Fainna maAAa alAAusri yusran, Inna maAAa alAAusri yusran “”” (Holy Quran)]
(The author is a poet and a columnist)


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