Words Munira E.
Header Credits Ruqaiya K. (@rkphotography53)
The seeds have been sown,
the saplings are grown,
and Rain decides to take its break.
He sits back in his chair,
Rocks back and forth softly amidst wild air,
and shuts his eyes after months end.
Whilst the wind calms,
Sun opens its arms,
and smiles at the worn ground beneath.
The seeds have been sown,
the saplings are grown,
and behind droplet covered glasses they wait.
The grey turns to yellow,
summer’s green meadow,
appears through the white twined gates.
With canvas in eyes,
with faces in guise,
the people step out onto the palette.
The seeds have been sown,
the saplings have grown,
at days end, the time-marked dawn arises.
Even the sun in all its glory, when covered by clouds, ceases to shine its best. The dark clouds of 2020 have been unyielding, one after another almost like a test, set to break us down in any way possible. We are lucky that we have our Imaan to remind us of our fortunes but, for many, it has been a tough task to see the so-called ‘silver lining’ of the issues taking over the globe, namely Covid-19.
That is why, this year more than ever, summer has held a special sense of promise. The promise of new beginnings, promise of rejoicing, and, most undoubtedly, the promise of light at the end of the tunnel.
When the day comes and the rain finally decides it is time for him to rest, there is no doubt that there will be beauty in what he will have left behind, but are we ready for it?
We have patiently waited for the sunny days to arrive, when the plants will be lush with colours and the trees vibrant with fruit. However, with the inevitable strains on our mental and physical wellbeing, we have been waiting for that day with no preparation. We have been staring out of the windows of our storm-washed lives, hoping for better days, with no idea what better days means for us going forward.
Yes, there are a few things we are certain of. We have new-found appreciation for things that we took for granted. Our jobs, our incomes, our public transport systems, our healthcare systems, key-workers…
So now, when and if the world returns to normal, should we return to normal? Splurging our hard-earned money on mindless shopping and holidays abroad, paying no attention to the office cleaner, ignoring the calls of those less fortunate?
Of course not.
From this tsunami, the saplings of our knowledge have grown. We know better now. So, when the sun finally comes out and gives us that much needed warmth, we will not rush to make hasty decisions but rather we will step out into the rays and let them light the way for us. Slowly and surely. We will appreciate the time that the rain has taken to reset the world for us, to clear things that were blocking our way and to shift the clouds so that the sun can shine through.
For many of us we will not know what to do with this long-awaited freedom, whether to return to the hustle of that grey routine that we had trapped ourselves in or make some challenging changes? Some of us have grown to love the peace our shelters bring in those inevitable stormy days. Some of us itching to return to a life with an abundance of social connectivity.
But, isn’t that what makes the summer of 2020 so beautiful? It is a palette of colours waiting for us to print on to the permanent canvas that is our lives. This is the time we always yearn for, the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.
Even though each of us have individual journeys that we must now face, one thing that connects us all is that this summer is our chance at redemption. After all, I think (re)solutions should not be made at the end of the year; they should be made at the end of an incredible lesson.
Then, when the rain awakes from its slumber
and those clouds once again hover,
our silver lining will forever remain,
this summer.
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