I am highlighting this as my very first entry in Mama Kat’s Writer’s workshop. In this week’s prompt I chose “What’s Broken”.
My topic gives me some creeps since it is a very sensitive issue. But I am just here because I care and because this is “What’s Broken”.
Here we go.
Last week, 9th of October 2012, morning, I was glued on CNN when it showed a heart – breaking news about a 14- year old Pakistani girl who got shot in the head. 14 years old… yeah, whom in her youth stood up and bravely voiced out their rights to Education in behalf of all the girls in Pakistan against the Taliban. With a courageous heart, she pursued and was willful enough to be heard and to prove that women must also have a place in their society.
Read the full coverage of the story
I looked intently at Malala’s face flashed on the T.V. screen. She looks pretty, with innocent yet hopeful deep set of eyes. I felt a sudden out-pour of sympathy for her primarily, and then I thought about her family and dear friends and all the women in Pakistan while she was being wheeled down to the hospital eyes closed, head bleeding and fighting for her life. Broken. Her dreams, legacy, youth, are all at stake now. The people in her side are all broken.
When I was 14, I remember, I never worry about things to fight for except studying for the tests, a terror teacher, competing for a trophy in a school sports fest or to keep up in the honor roll for class achievers and other personal stuff. Not as big as fighting for whatever right I am completely deprived of.
I guess I am lucky and for that, I am thankful. And thinking what happened to Malala, it is an experience that she will forever remember and the scar on her head will always be a reminder of her courage. I never had that courage, and if I were on her shoes, I would have never done what she had done- an act of valor. Having that heart filled with courage at a young age is truly amazing and not everyone possesses that.
Right now, the world who cares is wishing for her speed – up recovery. I wish that this tragic event will teach us all a lesson that we will be here once, and while we are here, we claim our freedom to preserve and promote life and so we will ALL enjoy the benefits of being ALIVE. I wish that the broken pieces will still be fixed, and I wish that broken hearts will be healed..
