Respect is Responsibility

I often used to take a stroll in the evening time. Once, at 7:00 pm, I went out of my hostel for that routine. Instead of trousers at that time, I had worn shorts. The walk was always around Peshawar university but before I get there I had to go through such an area where Pathans are inhabited. That day the environment there seemed quite different to me as all they were gazing at me. They all were staring so dreadfully that I became panicky and confused also. At first, I thought that I may have made any blunder somewhere, but as far as I remember I had never done anything like this. Their hate-filled looks were constantly at me as I was any dangerous felon. The whole environment was looking much odd and strange. Was I looking any suspicious person to them? …… don’t know. I went into a strange dilemma.

But anyway, I  proceeded to ignore them. This act of mine made them tempestuous and a guy with a big beard and an afghani cap tilted on his head approached me and without any greeting prayer asked, “ tum Chitral me b aise kapleon me  chalet ho I answered a little nervously: ‘g janab, lekin kyu?”
Pathan: “mara tamiz karo hamara awraten yehan pe hain”
I advocating myself stated that my clothes were not that much bad as they considered. I had a T-SHIRT and short, covering down to my knee and didn’t look bad from any angle. Well, it’s up to the mentality of everyone. He again responded in anger and many more Pathans gathered there to inspect what was going on. So, in such a situation a backtalk with Pathans could result in destruction. Instead of fighting for myself, I thought it better to escape that situation assuring them not to wear such dresses again.
Pathan: “mara tamiz karo hamara awraten yehan pe hain” I advocating myself stated that my clothes were not that much bad as they considered. I had a T-SHIRT and short, covering down to my knee and didn’t look bad from any angle. Well, it’s up to the mentality of everyone. He again responded in anger and many more Pathans gathered there to inspect what was going on. So, in such a situation a backtalk with Pathans could result in destruction. Instead of fighting for myself, I thought it better to escape that situation assuring them not to wear such dresses again.

And as I came into my room, I sat down to chew over it and because of having egocentric nature I was ashamed of myself as I didn’t defend myself but tried to become positive and finally got the conclusion that I was wrong. Because it was against their way of living, it was harming their culture and it was harming their privacy.

The purpose of jotting down this incident is to tell that where ever we go as a stranger we should try to adapt ourselves to the customs of the people and behave as they do. Here I don’t mean to do that thing which are prohibited in our culture or religion but at least beware of perpetrating such actions which are proved to be harmful to the dwellers of that particular place.

Having a love for oneself in one’s heart is no any small matter, and this is only possible when we start out to value others and respect everyone . And this, I consider, is the antidote to take a place in someone’s heart.

What we do could be right for us but the same could be verboten in others’ eyes. keeping all these in mind we should act. And this way we can have love from them and can feel more comfortable with them and such behavior can also lead us to expand our horizons.

As said, “while in Rome, do as the Romans do”.