The Art Of Forgiving The Unforgivable

I am thankful to be able to read because to read is to dream with my eyes open. I am thankful for the ability to create stories out of thin air.

I came by the world of books because my grandfather was a writer. He taught me that to find my purpose, I must know how others achieved theirs. To learn is to be free and the best thing I did this year was to teach another how to write their name and read.

Kings governed their vast kingdoms by making sure their viziers were learned men. Though I was surely not governing a state, my grandfather insisted that governing yourself isn't much different. One must have a strong character, a hunger for knowledge and humility; Gratefulness will soon follow.

Harry Potter and the order of phoenix was my first book. Harry is my childhood best friend; I saw him grow up into a man that believed in himself and protected his friends. A feeling of strength poured out of me when Harry was being brave despite the terrifying sight of Salazar Slytherin staring him down. Umbridge was still the worst villain by far for me. The pink in her wardrobe made me want to throw away every piece of pink clothing in my closet. Strangely, I'd take up Salazar Slytherin, that big ole' nasty snake over Umbridge any day.

I shed tears when Sirius was taken away and felt my own heart splitting open as Harry felt his second father die. I laughed and cried with them as I grew up with Hermione and Ron right by my side. My favorite evenings were when I was snuggled with a book, my cat on my lap and a cup of coffee. This year I had plenty of those days after the lockdown.

I can understand what I am reading and appreciate the art of writing. This is a privilege many people, like my grandmother, were deprived of.

We as women are told we feel too deeply but also punished for not doing so. The society demand sacrifices; our time and our bodies, then tell us to be thankful for the opportunity to give. I am NOT thankful for these thinly veiled words of containment, but I am thankful for the brave women who surround me. They taught me to be confident in my power, the power of being a woman and the ability to become a superwoman. My best friend Sarah and my grandmother are one them

Married at the age of 14, my grandmother left her home to be with my grandfather. Her days were spent cooking and raising her children. Only 7 years ago, she started to learn to read after thinking it was too late for her to learn now. Truth is, we can learn anything we want no matter our age if we have the will for it. After years of convincing from my brother and me, she finally gave in and embarked on the journey of learning. The first thing she wrote was the name of her child who passed away during the Indo-Pak independence war.

''Read to me, Bakhtawar.'' She would say whenever she got mail. The 12-year-old me would diligently unwrap the sweet-smelling envelope to spill words of a long-lost friend my grandmother had loved in Pakistan. After the independence when the sub-continent was cracked into pieces, people lost their families, and were separated from their friends. The riots raged on, with many people losing lives to hatred on both sides.

I am thankful for my country. I am free to practice my religion and vote. I can go to the mosque and pray when I feel like it, without fear of retaliation from my neighbors and jealous enemies at the borders.

Countless people lost loved ones to Covid-19 this year. 2020 was filled with good-byes as the covid-19 pandemic raged on. Heartless politicians were very late in the shut-down when the pandemic was spreading across the cities like wild-fire. USA was one of the countries with the highest death rates.

I am thankful to be alive, to be healthy and to have my parents by my side. I hope others who have experienced joblessness, mental health issues and a deteriorating health find strength and wellness, and may their worries vanish this Thanksgiving. We must remember to not be unkind, to hold on to what makes us human. Thank the janitors when you pass by them for their services; They are putting themselves at risk to keep the area clean.

With rising death rates and mass-panic our healthcare workers kept our country upright; They wore their masks for hours in scorching heat in Pakistan and in USA they had to re-use their PPEs because of shortages. Despite our government letting them down, they fought on. Bravely they worked long hours to take care of patients who were struggling to breath, despite the risk to their own persons. People had to isolate themselves in the weak moments of illness to protect the ones they love. I am so thankful to my loved ones and my friends who took the time out to video chat. They kept me sane during the isolation of lock-down.

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for our healthcare workers and for food on the table. I am privileged to have a fridge full of healthy food and can enjoy it with my family hence I have a duty to make sure others can do so too. Though we will not be visiting our grandparents this Thanksgiving, to keep them safe from Covid-19, we will be video-chatting with them, thanks to technology.

The particulars of Autumn settled over the city and mismatched leaves bore into our backyards. My parents told me to wait until the trees have shed their burdens, and then pick them up. I didn't listen, pre-maturely I slaved over our garden. I was meticulous and didn't leave a single leaf; But when I woke up, the backyard was full again. This Autumn taught me patience, to bid my time and wait for the opportune moment. I am thankful for the lesson.

Before the lockdown, it had been a long time since last I stared out of a window without purpose and watched a tree sapling hit my window as the wind hurled them against each other. I watched a squirrel burrow out of a tree that had been its home, climb up our balcony and nibble on a left-over toast. I didn't know our backyard was so beautiful.

The world was going so fast I had forgotten I could paint. It was liberating to pick up a paintbrush and let loose on a blank piece of paper after a long time. I did not have to worry about running against the clock to finish the myriad of never-ending tasks. The painting wasn’t anything to write home about. The ink went everywhere; it littered the floor my clothes and my hands were full of rainbow hues. However, when I was done, I felt the calm that comes with being able to speak after being silent for a long time.

The ink went everywhere; it littered the floor my clothes and my hands were full of rainbow hues. However, when I was done, I felt the calm that comes with being able to speak after being silent for a long time.

So yes; I am thankful for the world coming to a halt down because it taught me to look out of the window and appreciate being alive. I am feeling and enjoying my life and nobody is going to stop me from being the best version of myself now.

I hope that in 2021 we would be able to get a stronger footing over this pandemic. I hope we continue to exhibit strength and courage in the face of an unseen illness.