PAF Museum - Elevated Spirits

"My existence, with all that I have revealed and hidden concerning it, appears to me like an atom in the sigh of a small child, a moment that trembles in a void stretching from Creation to Eternity." (Kahlil Jibran)
Unkempt, bearded, smelly, weird are the first impressions I picked of a certain Sohail; one of the main volunteers’ spearheading earth quake relief work at the PAF museum. Little did I know that over the course of next few days he will leave an indelible mark on my personality. I have always been a great fan of the human spirit especially the resilience aspect of it. The initial few days at the PAF museum witnessed fanaticism and blind faith to just assist people in putting relief goods aboard planes and trucks. We were the same people who lined up cars in long queues waiting for their turn to park cars without any audible traces of honks in the air. Men, women, children being shoved and jostled; all in good spirit and the amazing temperament people showed at times made me feel like a foreigner amongst them. I tell you forget about whining about missing out on the lunar eclipse that occurred once a century if you are the sardonic sort and if there was ever a chance of feeling good about being a Pakistani this was it!
Back to Mr. Sohail. Entrepreneurs I have noticed live a life of whims and generally are decisively opinioned about what they feel about issues surrounding them. There less self-conscious and bring a certain child like exuberance to their every day work. Mr. Sohail is a small furniture manufacturer in Liaqatabad, in his mid thirties and has put all his business at a standstill owing to his participation in the relief efforts. What makes his effort grander is this is the peak time where he procures his wood from abroad before the wedding season kicks in and he chose to put in this time here at the PAF museum 24/7. Eyes are windows to the soul and Sohail’s eyes were deep pensive ones that could draw holes through you when he spoke passionately about living for today. I could not help think about a training session I attended few weeks ago where the trainer spoke of radiating positive energy and here there was this guy who did not know any other way.
It is always good to meet such people who can elevate you to a greater level of understanding of existence and break shackles of the ordinary lives we live where one day is no different from the other.
"It was but yesterday I thought myself a fragment quivering without rhythm in the sphere of life.
Now I know that I am the sphere, and all life in rhythmic fragments moves within me." (Kahlil Jibran)