Today We Are All Pashtuns
By Saud Anwar
Via email
As the horrific situation arising from the internally displaced people unfolds it is hard for any one with a compassionate heart to remain focused on his/her work.
As we see the number of people leaving their homes mount at an alarming pace we are seized of the realization that numbers alone do not matter. These people have had to make some very difficult choices. Choices that most of us cannot even dream of making.
There is a story associated with every single one of the 1.5 million people who have been displaced. While they bring a few things with them to the unknown destinations that they move to, there are many things that they leave behind.
I learnt about a family which had to leave a child with polio behind and take the healthy children with it. Likewise, there were people who had left the elderly behind as the latter could not survive the harsh conditions of travel. Children left their books and toys behind and were content on carrying food and medicines only.
Most, if not all of these people, a few months ago could not have even have dreamed of being in this situation or making the difficult choices and forced to live with them. Their challenge does not end here. Going and moving to another place where the best case scenario is just a tent, with less than adequate food, and unclean water is a grim prospect. There is little hope of returning home soon.
May I ask the readers what they would do if they are asked to leave their home at 10 to 20 minutes notice. What would you take and what would you leave behind? Who will you take if you cannot take everyone? How would you feel if you lost every worldly thing, your lifelong possessions? What do you expect from your friends and family at such a critical time?
At every moment in our lives we undergo tests in our lives. Some people are tested by being given blessings, and some are tested by having the blessings taken away from them. The latter are expected to seek only help from the main and Only source, our Beloved. The ones who have the blessing are required to go out and help the ones in need. So my dear friends the choice before us today is: What are we willing to leave behind and what are we willing to give?
Today, we are all Pashtuns - the people who are unfailingly willing to sacrifice everything and anything for their guests and for the honor of their friends and families. A people whose example of hospitality remains unparalleled. Today we have to show that we have learnt the tradition and values of hospitality from our Pashtun brothers and will exercise them to the best of our ability.
