You give us those quiet, solitary moments when we think about ourselves, our dreams and our desires....
INTROSPECTION
Dear December,
Thank you for giving us this gentle breeze of cold air. Every year, whenever you arrive, we are blessed with warm, gentle sunlight in the mornings, a treat of dry fruits in the evenings, and the comfort of hiding under blankets at night. I admit that whenever you come, we are often caught up in completing pending work and making plans for the coming year, but I must say you bring a feeling of slowness to our fast-paced lives.
You give us those quiet, solitary moments when we think about ourselves, our dreams and our desires. I love this part of the year, when past memories and nostalgia surface most strongly. Sometimes they bring the refreshing warmth of happy moments from the past, and at other times, the sadness of remembering loved ones we have lost.
Dear December, you have been very special in my life since my childhood for many reasons. Firstly, it is the month in which my favourite leader, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, was born, and secondly, it reminds me of my carefree childhood days spent at my grandpa’s house during the winter holidays. My mornings were spent learning to write on a takhti under my grandpa’s guidance, while in the evenings all the children gathered around him, wrapped in blankets and eating peanuts. It was in those simple moments that I learnt some of my most valuable life lessons.
As I grew older, I truly realised how important those lessons were and how deeply they continue to shape who I am today. You are also the favourite month of writers and poets, as the cold, cosy nights give them the freedom to write in a quiet corner of the room, where stories come alive with ease. I, too, prefer to read my favourite books in December, as it allows me to dive into the creative world of reading with a hot cup of tea by my side. Dear December, you allow us to truly feel ourselves. You make us ask who we are and what we want to do in the coming year.
You give us permission to slow down and reflect on what we have learned and lost in life, and to think carefully about our hopes and goals for the future. Thank you, December, for giving us the freedom to think about ourselves and our goals. Yet, despite cherishing you as my favourite month, I also carry some of my most bitter memories within you.
It was on 16 December 2014 that the terrorist attack on APS in Peshawar left the entire nation, and indeed the world, shattered. You remind me of those innocent souls who were brutally taken away, with countless dreams still sparkling in their eyes. You have also witnessed the painful separation of East Pakistan and the political unrest of 1971, moments that remain deeply etched in our collective memory.
Dear December, I am writing to you as we move towards a new year, carrying new hopes and fresh dreams sparkling in our eyes. We will meet again next year, hopefully with many accomplishments and dreams fulfilled. Until then, all the best, and a very Happy New Year. In the end, I would like to quote Vivian Swift’s beautiful words about you: “December has the clarity, the simplicity and the silence you need for the fresh start of your life.”
