A BEAST OF BURDEN

"A BEAST OF BURDEN"
BY AYESHA ZAHID

    Once upon a time a young enthusiastic university boy who has always saved his pocket money to invest in humanity. He was a very kind and pious person who has always believed that serving the humanity is more appreciable act in the eye of God. He uses to serve the poor and fed the hungry people. As time passed he got married and he was serving on a good post. He had children. He was very happily leading his life. His wife and his children were very happy with him but a pandemic COVID-19 heated the economy like a tsunami. 

    Many people lost their jobs and many businesses were closed. He was also among those who lost their jobs. After losing his job he was facing a financial crisis. His source of income was not left but his expenditures were the same. He has to submit his children school dues and he had to buy those luxuries to which his family was used to. In the starting months, he used his savings and he was successful to fulfill the necessities and the luxuries but as the lockdown lasted longer, it affected his financial as well as his mental health.

    He tried to negotiate with his family to cut down the expenses but his family didn’t understand him because they have become materialistic, After the whole scenario he understood very well that his wife and his children have always treated him like a money-making machine. His wife uses to scold him days in days out. The thing that has affected him the worst was that he was not able to save money monthly to serve the poor.

    These circumstances did not allow him to save money because he has to fulfill the necessities of his family who was only treating him like a beast of burden. This was the most destructing and devastating situation for his heart that broke it into pieces during his whole life he has always compromised on his self-necessities only to save for poor’s but the continuous scolding by his wife and financial pressure have made his mind and heart of stone even hi felt that his children are getting away from him.

    His personality has been completely changed now because he has realized that the world is materialistic even his family and his children have become materialistic like the world.  The true blood has turned white. The coronavirus has not only taken lives physically; it has also taken the mental lives of many people like this beast of burden. Now, society has made him stiff like a cliff. Once he realized one day when he went out that the world has made him materialistic like others too. His heart pounds, the air whistles through his lungs and he is not sure if he is going to make it.

    Near the ATM sits a man wearing dirty clothes, and there is a tin cup next to him. He does remember what he is supposed to do in this situation. He quickly walks past him and when he tells him in a cracked voice that he has not eaten anything in two days, he looks in the opposite direction, avoiding eye contact like a pro. There is nothing to be afraid of. it's like riding a bike; the body remembers everything and the heart that softened while he was alone will harden back up in no time.