Never to be forgotten.

16th December 2014

I remember the time when I was a child and I used to go to school. Being the youngest sibling I had to go to school alone as all my elder sisters were in college. I remember how my mother used to fuss on me to wear an extra sweater in winters, how my father used to get annoyed on me for skipping a day, I remember my school days with my friends in corridors where we used to laugh and get punished as well. I remember my teachers and my principal. I remember those days.

And yesterday my school memories are tarnished forever because the only thing I can think of is 141 innocent lives taken in a school. Hundreds of tormented children who survived will always fear school. Their murdered friends and teachers will always haunt their memories. Those families will never be the same.

I imagine a child not wanting to get up on a cold morning of 16^th December 2014 in Peshawar. His mother urges him to get up or else he will be late for school. His mother prepares breakfast for him and our little hero gives final touch to his hair. He did not know this would be the last time he would be looking in the mirror, last time his mother serving him breakfast.

The first thing I did after listening to this news was call my mother. The child inside me made me do it. I wanted to reassure my mother that I am still there for her. I wanted to be reassured that she is still there for me. I thought of the chubby cheeks of my little nieces and nephews. How I treat them as my own kids and how we send them to school. I couldn't even imagine. I would gladly give my life before any harm comes in their way.

And then I thought of all the murdered children. They are ours as well. They say blood is thicker than water then we all are humans. Same blood flows in our veins. How can I ignore their brutal slaughter and go on with my life?

Work, events, occasions... nothing matters anymore. The only thing that matters is safety and smiles of my loved ones, the people of my country and any person out there in the world who even has an ounce of humanity left. 

#PeshawarAttack