Shedding some light..

I'm at a loss for words for what to write today. Having survived a spell of more than 24 hours of electricity failure, I am so dizzy - my head is spinning. That too just after two days of a 12 hour breakdown. Not that we live in a rural area, this is supposedly one of the down town areas of the city and the city itself is a business hub. But it pains me to see this is the  state of things in our beloved country; electricity is a basic necessity in this era and corruption is throwing our country backwards at a fast pace.

It has so happened that despite the so called " load- shedding" which is the norm in Pakistan, at least twice a week we find such electricity disruptions which last hours together, ironically the load shedding still pursues. I find the " shedding" part is more than the "loading". Since September is called the "Second Summer" of Pakistan, we are undergoing a heat wave and the kids are a sight to be seen. Though I've brought them up to be mostly adaptable to situations but this is something I can't even help feeling myself. Though it is a fact that summer temperatures are higher in the Middle East, air conditioners are a norm from car to offices to schools to shops & malls to homes, you name it. So though living in an Asian country, we are as unused to heat as any westerner. 

Here in pak ,we've put up an a/c but it serves only the purpose of a decoration item since the voltage is so low, and complains fall on deaf ears. The electricity failures also cause the UPS's to fail, due to their being not able to charge. A UPS is an alternate which is used during load shedding so that at least the fan is working; its full form is "Uninterrupted power supply" and here.. it is "interrupted" all the time.

Back to the kiddos' reactions, my daughter( blogname: Munchkin) is the one who suppresses her feelings while my son ( blogname : Cocopops: ) is more vocal. While answering a homework question with his Laala (my sister has arrived to keep us company for some time, while we are adjusting to our new lives), he was to tell five things he had done in his holidays. Since it was the weekend when the breakdown happened, Cocopops thought the qs. was about the weekend holidays. Well, the answer about the 5 activities: 

"1. I waited for the electricity to be restored..

2. I inquired about the electricity.

3. I cried for the electricity.

4. I prayed for the electricity.

5. I kept on crying for the electricity "! 

Then, after the laughing subsided, he was made to understand that the question was about the summer vacations' activities, again he went "During the summers I was is a UAE which a country which always has light...... =) " We had to coax him out of that " electric mode" and get a suitable answer :) . 

Getting the electricity back was bliss...... Munchkin had, after all, thought may be it will never come back again......the sound of the fan rotating was music to her ears! 

To get the kids' mind off this ordeal (they were much shaken ) and of course heat, Laala devised a trivia game of countries, questions like which is the biggest country, which is the smallest .....etc.......with Laala asking and adding to their knowledge, Cocopops  innocently asks " Laala what is Pakistan the biggest in?" . While Laala thinks, he answers himself saying excitedly, " I know, I know.....the unhappiest!" 

It was humurous and sad at the same time, how the situation here is projecting itself to be the image of Pakistan for the little ones. It breaks my heart to see the feelings in their eyes. I can vividly remember the picture, when we as kids used to visit with our parents every summer. How excited we used to be, excited to visit our cousins and pre-planning what we'll all do, when we arrive here. It was never a high-profile lifestyle here, comparing to from where we came but the environment was much better and safer than it is now. It's getting hopeless day- by- day. 

The ordeal also teaches a lesson of thankfulness. I really thank ALLAH SWT for letting me be brought up in a safe and sound place where I enjoyed the luxuries of life growing up. I pray to ALLAH SWT for the same for my kids and every kid living here. None of them should go through this. The things that are considered basic necessities in the countries like where I have lived, are a luxury here. Living here has made me realize about the things that we take for granted, never once thinking of the deprived, who yearn for even a drop of water. 

Let's all thank THE ALMIGHTY  for the blessings HE has benevolently bestowed upon us and pray for the deprived, May ALLAH make their life easier and bless them with happiness .

Thanks a lot for reading..........Hope you are blessed with health & happiness always.