The Street Light
by
M. Noman Saleem
There she was again, drifting along the road. Oblivious of her surroundings, riddled by her own thoughts…
The spot was getting nearer with every step she took, the place where she’d sit every day and ponder over her endless streams of thoughts. She could see it now, an old wooden bench, just like her soul. Its sight summoned a spring in her walk as if her soul craved for that bench, as it was the place where her soul could set itself free, where she was not bound to the limitations of her physical body. But it was not only her soul that yearned for this bench, her body demanded some rest as well, for this bench was located right in the middle of the path she took from her home to school and vice versa.
She threw herself on the bench and took a deep breath. Closed her eyes and dropped her head backward, letting it hang, letting it free. As if she was letting her soul and mind free. She was different. She was never like her peers, never could make any friends, and never understood the fashions and norms of her society. All she had was herself. She’d sit on that bench every day coming back from her school and try to unwind the tangled and twisted strands of her soul. The thought that was bugging her this time, which was entangled in the deepest and darkest corners of her mind, was a question. “What is my purpose?”
She sat there for a few minutes, catching her breath. Then, the process of the dialogue with herself began. Slowly and gradually, she started to unwind the entangled threads of her thoughts, to uncover her soul and give it a voice to speak.
“My dear Alana, why do you bother yourself with such questions? You are way too young to be worrying about such things. You should try to hang out with your class-fellows, have fun, enjoy your youth while it lasts” Soul started mellow, as usual.
“You know I don’t want any of that. I am not made for such things.” Alana replied in a calm manner, without any countenance.
“Then what are you made for, my dear Alana?”
“That is what I want to know too. I am not up to par in making social connections. I get awkward around people. I lack the ability to make friends. I enjoy the company of older people, or should I say older souls.”
“Why do you think you are like that?”
“We have discussed all of these before, you know exactly why!” Alana frowned.
“Yes, we have but just for the sake of conversation, would you be so kind to repeat it?’
“Urgh! Alright, I guess I don’t have anything else to do anyway. I lack all of these qualities because I think differently. I like different things. I behave in a different way. My mind is free of conformities. My mind is free, that is why I am better at doing things than most of the people around me. Sometimes, it can be frustrating for others. They see me as a freak, as someone who cannot be approached. As someone who cannot be understood. No one really stands up for other people anymore. It’s hard to find people, who’d take such liberties for someone else. Who’d guide others, others who are different from them. Hold their hand and enlighten their dark paths”
Alana opened her eyes and between the trees, her eyes met the sky, it was turning dim.
“Evening!” She thought, never realizing how much time had gone by. She felt frustrated, she still did not have her answer.
Annoyed, she complained, “You are awfully quiet today!”
“What do you want to know?” Soul replied.
“I told you, I want to know my purpose. What am I supposed to do?”
“My dear Alana, I believe you have already answered that question.”
“What?!” Alana exclaimed. “What do you mean?”
Lost in her thoughts, she had not realized the darkness that surrounded her. All of a sudden, she heard a clank and buzzing to follow. A sharp light blinded her eyes for a few seconds. The street light beside her bench lightened up. She kept gazing into the light for some seconds before looking away from irritation.
It took Alana some time to see things around. She saw herself surrounded by the light. It almost made her feel special as if the light was guiding her, helping her. She could see the road quite clearly, even when all else was dark. For a moment, she felt beholden to a mere street light, for just being there for her.
“The street light” –Soul interrupted Alana’s pondering– “is not here for you. You found it. In fact, it was here all those times when you came and sat here for hours, talking to me. This is the first time you have noticed it. You are surrounded by many such traffic lights in your life. You just need to recognize them and realize their help. No one can become who they are on their own, we all are helped by someone in every stage of our lives. People who think they can do everything by themselves, tend to fall prey to the corruption of mind that devours them of all sanity.”
Alana felt her mind unraveling. She felt like that street light has enlightened not only her surroundings but her mind too. She could see everything now. She got up slowly and stood facing the light, looking directly at it. She could see flies, playing with each other, trying to touch the light. She smiled.
“And that is my purpose. To be the light in someone’s life. To spread as much light as I can. To bring people together. To spread joy and happiness and guide others using what I have acquired, with the help of lights like such in the course of my whole life. To stand up for people who are left alone and abandoned. Just like how I want someone to stand up for me.
You were right. I did answer my question…”
Her mind was peaceful now. She slowly started taking steps towards her home. She could notice things around her now.
