I boarded the plane and I wondered. In that moment of utter loneliness and helplessness a wave of emotion devoured me....
INTROSPECTION
I boarded the plane and I wondered. In that moment of utter loneliness and helplessness a wave of emotion devoured me. It took me by the arms, almost paralysing me. What if this is it? Is this the most of any emotion I’ll ever feel? What if adventure, sorrow, joy, moroseness, wistfulness can each be felt to a certain degree till they, too, start feeling repetitive and redundant. And here I was making sense of what felt like a fleeting moment, I was comforted by this thought. That even though I was finite, and my experiences limited, I hadn’t taken away anyone’s light. I hadn’t robbed them of their innocence. I could live without this guilt weighing me down. And as the plane lifted up, and the City of Lights became dimmer and smaller underneath me; I embraced the lessons of the past week.
How this city, once an epitome of ‘the new and attractive’, had exceeded beyond its means and boundaries. How it took each person of every background and kept them in its safe havens. How the smell of salt deeply engrossed in the sea breeze felt like forgiveness for all past grievances that were left without closure. The city that kept parts of the country’s greatest treasures and history like an island of hope separated from the ongoing white noise in the background. A buzz that feels so real and magnanimous, Karachi has something so electrifying in every beat and laughter. The people are non judgemental, lives are so practical and fast paced, the rest of the world remains to them like an oblivious dream.
And all the sorrows set each evening with the sun at the horizon of the rising tides. The sea that doesn’t seem to end in its depth and spread feels like an extension of all losses and tears. Each wave feels like a rush of past nostalgia and every crash reminds you of the moments that felt so surreal and out of the ordinary. Sand and rocks by the sides, carved immaculately by the pressuring water stay as a testament to change. A change that life asks of us every day, with a lesson in giving way and embracing the fast winds. And how therapeutic does the sound of the sea feel!
It teaches the power of stillness—that healing takes time and that nothing is permanent. Even those who cause pain must eventually fade away, just like a wave that retreats after crashing onto the shore.
The way nights in the city feel so alive, it is as if the city itself has a pulse—something almost tangible, created by people who believe in taking chances and moving forward, despite or perhaps because of their pasts.
And that’s the uniqueness of Karachi: it makes everyone feel whole despite the broken pieces. It puts the soul at ease. After years of battling demons and proving you belong, this city—its wind, the scent of nostalgia, and a perfectly curated past—welcomes you with open arms and whispers, ‘You’re finally home.’
