A Winter Morning in Karachi..

Karachi, the NYC of Pakistan, a bustling metropolis with a pace of its own. If you want to survive here, you have to go with the flow or risk being left behind. Every day, we get up and rush against the time, only to wake up the next day to do it all over again. Anyone, who has been a citizen of this sprawling, alive 24/7 city, knows all too well that Karachi doesn’t give you time; you need to take some out yourself.

 And, when you sit down and think about it, that really isn’t such a bad idea! It’s okay to let go, once in a while, pull the brakes, park to the side and let the others rush ahead of you. We are not machines after all! And so, if you ask me, what perfect time will it be to do that than on a cool winter Karachi morning? Here is how I would probably plan such a break out.

 For me, the ideal day would start with sharing a cup of coffee with a friend as early as 8 in the morning. Just making small talk, discussing nothing in particular, checking out the people walking up to the counter and sharing maybe a chocolate mousse cake on the side. A total 180 degree change from that everyday routine of gulping down of coffee with one hand while brushing your hair with the other, eyes continuously flicking towards the clock up on the wall, to make sure you are ready before time. It’s true, when you are leading as busy a life as mine, these tiny little pleasures can make all the difference in the world!

Maybe that relaxed little rendezvous with a friend in the coffee shop would then be followed be a long, relaxed, solitary walk in a park. No jogging, nothing fast, and absolutely no music! Just strolling down the pathways, looking at the trees, listening to the birds, and breathing in that fresh morning air as much as I can. Believe me, nature is the best spiritual healer you can find out there! Even better than music! It can take away the toll, the stress, leaving you as fresh as itself.

Maybe after that walk, I’ll choose a shady little bench, take out my bottle of juice, and take in the world around me. I’ll feel the cold morning breeze against my face, listen to the rush of traffic far away on the main road, smile at the little kids running towards the swing to get the first turn and try to catch the squirrels running beneath my seat.

 I’ll probably spend the whole of my morning there. And then when my watch finally tells me it’s 1, I’ll let out a satisfied little sigh, get up from the bench, smile at the whole world in general and then ready myself up to get busy again!