MOST of our problems are collective in nature rather than individual. One is we hasten ourselves while carryingout any duty, errand or responsibility. We are in a constant mode of road rage. Overtaking vehicles the wrong way, thrusting our own vehicle through narrow straits, avoiding U-turns, not using pedestrian bridges, and driving on the wrong side of the road are all indications of our constant state of hurry and scurry.

We overstay needlessly at homes, hangouts and markets before recklessly driving on roads risking our lives as well as others around to reach the next target. If we just make up our mind to leave our place a little earlier to allow for traffic jams and rush, we will put ourselves in a state of cool and calm mind. This way we can avoid unwanted tension and have a safe journey.

We become itchy while standing in queues to pay utility bills or to submit admission forms, but forget our shortage of time when we answer a phone call or come across some acquaintance on the road. We jump our turn at hair saloons, but we are never in a hurry before the mirror.

Even if we have time and space to accomplish a duty or activity, we let the deadline or cut-off date approach as we have become habitual of doing things at the eleventh hour. We will be recorded in anthropological history as ‘a hurry-scurry generation’.

Perhaps in this age of supersonic technology and 5G digitalism, we have undergone some kind of morphosis by default into a running humanoid machine. We have lost our poise and composure. We have to learn that to have peace of mind in the chaos of life is a skill that can be learnt by metacognition.

M. Nadeem Nadir
Kasur

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2023