Fighting Against Conformity

This time of quarantine is best for bringing changes in the norms and standards having firm roots within everyone’s mind. The society in which we dwell is comprised of us only. So to begin a good transformation in it, we need to bring changes within us.

When all you have is compliance with unkind rules there is still magic possible even at places restricted with cliché of life.

Pablo Neruda’s poem, Keeping Quiet, is conveying a perfect message for practice to be done at the moment. The message of self-introspection of everything happened till now whether in your life or in the world will help to make this suffering phase of all of us to go through easily. Just as you scroll through the news feed on Facebook and Instagram consuming all the updates of everyone’s life and actions around the world, scroll through your life. You cannot understand others unless you understand yourself.

Probably, you don’t watch a flower grow due to the long period of time it takes to bloom. It goes through different seasons yet it stands there until its life span is complete. Whatever good and bad happened was a part of the phases that let you grew in as a person. Give a thought on your life before death gives a thought on you. It is okay to feel scary to start something afresh after stepping back. It is okay to hesitate before bringing a change. However, it is not okay to not try. Start by reconnecting with people by asking – what’s your story?

Break the strings

When the cliché goes on –
What do you want to be?
As an adult where do you see?
The job you want to race after dawn.
When the cliché goes on –
What do you want to do?
After the merry wind of school,
The course you want to join in.
When the cliché goes on –
Who do you want?
As a partner to walk with
The paths life will take you to.
Just break the strings there!
End being a marionette!
Start asking that one question.
So repeat after me, “What’s your story?”
The story of yours.
The story of mine.
To make best of our purpose
And know ourselves better.

Nabiha Fatima is a student pursuing B.Com Honors from Jamia Millia Islamia.