The Nation Joins me to Walk

Photo from Google 

Many people voiced that they ‘join the nation to walk’ during its first ever pedestrian day observed last Tuesday. I saw many walking; government officials, private entrepreneurs, monks, students, and people; old and young. The nation, for the first time, saw its interior zone of capital city without private vehicles but only buses and a few taxis. Some people who have never walked to their office in their entire tenure walked (probably forcibly) that day. Some excitedly joined the nation to experience themselves the joy (or hardship) of walking.

I was watching from a corner of the world I resided and rejoicing what the nation was doing. People said they are joining the nation to ‘walk’ but I was rejoicing at the thought that the nation is joining me to ‘walk’.

What excitement do I derive from walking than those old memories of my difficulties? It simply seems I have 'over-walked'. Being born and brought up in a remote place, with no roads, I have walked for days, seasons, years and decades. As a child I pulled behind my father. As a man I led the horses and crossed mountains to get a pinch of salt. And in the process, I have lost all the zest of walking that today I just wish to sit in a car, like any other officers, and reach my place soon to complete the works on time. Walking (a tortoise’s pace) has wasted my life and delayed my work. And this waste and delay has brought me no promises for my future. And the saddest part is that my wasted time cannot be retrieved.

So there is no new reason of joy that I can pursue when the nation goes to 'walk'. Rather I find myself caught as an innocent culprit of carbon emission although I have never contributed to it. I must say I grew green and clean. I have never reddened the world. And this, walking, is not at all an exciting a news for me.

But there is one hope that I raise today. Henceforth, I will have many companions who will join me to walk. I will no more be left behind alone. I will no more be embarrassed to walk in the city. My self-esteem will no more be low. The nation is doing for the first time what I have done all my life. And for the first time my nation is accompanying me. Therefore, at least on Tuesdays, when she joins me to walk, I will be equivalent to Dashos.