The untouchable.
The man walks aimlessly amid the throngs of industrious people; nearly knocking against the pillars, tripping over stumps and getting rammed by the middling passerby. Trapped in the darkened world that had become a primal part of his life, didn’t anyone notice the state he is in? The flimsy stick that serves as his pair of eyes …As luck would have it, people are aware. They see him, yet they do not. Each one, anxiously, patiently, waiting for someone to become the savior to this man.
Why hasn’t someone helped him yet?
We’re all in this together, yet why are we all dying of loneliness?
And a soul emerges from the sea of people, takes the man by his arm, and guides him to his destination.
A duplication of this scenario repeats itself almost every week. People rushing to their destinations that they failed to take into account of their surroundings. The ones that do notice choose to look the other way. The compassion, extending aid to the needy, these simple gestures that take less than a miserable fraction of our 24hours have somehow rather died, withered away, lost in our pursuit for something more imperative than doing a good deed or scoring a brownie point.
Muslim women that witness the scene shake their heads in disappointment on the insensitivity reflected by the Muslim men. In contrast, why had they themselves held back in providing the assistance?
Could it be because the blind person, is a man?
9.40pm Malaysian Time
6 comments:
http://youvebeentagged.wordpress.com/2009/04/17/tag-no-10-inspirational-words/
http://youvebeentagged.wordpress.com/2009/04/26/tag-no-11-i-believe-that-i-can/
hope you add to the tag :)
salam aleykoum sister
is that kualalampour twin tower on the pics? are u living there ?
take care
As a woman, I would be conflicted about how to help him. He may be blind, but if I help him I might cross over the line of modesty in the process? That's a painful dilemma, because I am helpful by nature...
I think it IS because he's a man. There is a blind homeless lady Rose in Austin who walks the drag by University of Texas. As sisters, we always help her whether it's just to carry her bags, give her money, maybe some blankets.
Now in this case, we do this partly because her friend died after bing out when it was freezing one night. We don't want her to suffer the same fate.
I also think the compassion depends on location. At my location, it is university students, and they are much more in tune with the suffering of the homeless than older people. Maybe next to the Towers, there is less sympathy, and lots of tourists?
It kind of reminds me of New York City at that corner. Bustling, wall street style. Do you think that this is the problem?
Beautiful post sweetie. Love you!
Asma Ahsan :: If you don't mind, I'll fulfill it over the weekend. Thanks. :)
Flifla :: Wa'alaikumussalam Sis. You're right. It's the Suria KLCC [Kuala Lumpur City Centre]; Petronas Twin Towers. I stay about 20mins away from it. Take care! :)
Hajar Zamzam Ismail :: I feel that too ... the disapproving glares from the public ...
Lisa :: I can't say much on the location, because I see it happen almost everywhere. However, on most occasions, I rarely see a Muslim helping out. It's always the non-Muslims that offer the hand first, even when helping a disabled/elderly/sickly/pregnant Muslim.
Although I wrote the plight of a man, and women resisting to help him perhaps due to dilemma in keeping their modesty; the scenario also occur to people of the same gender. Aren't women supposed to have more compassion, yet why do I not see it reflected to the other women? Because they're not Muslims? Because they're of a different race? Because we chose to see them as different? Or we are just self-centered/obsessed? ...
If that is the case, then the concept of 'One Malaysia' is still a long way for us.
Nice reminder Hajar we need dat ...
Post a Comment