It is funny how people get so angry as soon as they put their vehicle on the road – here in Pakistan. This is one country where traffic rules are not obeyed. Things are a bit better in the metros but the conditions in the non-metro cities are too sad to mention. Not obeying traffic rules mean that everyone is in control of the traffic – this should technically make everyone happy, right?? But no, this brings a lot of stress to everyone’s mood, which is a contradiction – so my question is, why so serious?

Eons ago, I used to car pool with our neighbor’s son to my school. His mother used to take us there. She was an otherwise cool lady and I never witnessed her fighting with anyone but as soon as she would put her car on the road and people would honk constantly and not give way and what not, she used to get very angry. I used to sit at the back of the car and clearly remember laughing silently most of the time and feeling embarrassed at the other. She used to put down the window and yell at everyone – the rickshaw drivers, the bikers, car and bus driver. Whosoever would come her way was never spared from her wrath. She used to go crazy saying things like: “What is your bloody problem? Is this your father’s road? Can’t you see? Can’t you be in your lane? Why are you in such a hurry? Come!!! Come over me you fool – what’s the hurry???”

The last one used to leave me red for some time as some of those men would laugh back at us but this was something she had no control over. She would constantly keep the window down and hail out with her hands – imaginary pushing back everyone and making her way forward.

My ride to the school was surely an adventurous one – but she was not the only person who I have seen losing mind on the road. Driving here is very stressful. The roads are not to be blamed – people are!

The, otherwise, well-behaved, totally cool, ‘yes-boss, yes-boss’ kind of men and women fight over lanes and speed and what not. Those killing stares, verbal abuses, and insulting hand gestures are the rules of the game and I keep wondering, why?

Our mantra here is that whosoever is driving behind us and honking over unnecessarily is in a hurry which is totally uncalled for! The one who is in front of our car is very lazy and doesn’t value time and hence, driving very slow. It is us – and ultimately us, who are keeping the best track of time and moving with an ideal speed :/

Sadly, this is so untrue!

We get angry on the road because we know we are in power – power to change lanes, to be verbally and physically abusive, to teach a lesson. Anger is wise – it always knows when to unleash itself – it is the virtue of the might. You will never see the meek and the weak getting angry – those who have no control.

In a civilized society, for everyone to live and breath, it is important we make rules and take away power from the common man for matters like these. Otherwise, we all get sympathetic towards ourselves. We always find reasons to safeguard our interests. When we would know that the rules are in place and we have to obey them, silently we will be tamed and exhibit tolerance and somehow, would control anger. Because, when the mind knows it can’t – it becomes submissive and submission let go of anger.

I wish we become kind on the road – we forgo even if we find ourselves right. One of the cruel reality check on hitting mid-life is that we don’t know that we are here for a very short period of time and anger is not the key – kindness is… to live and to be remembered!

Happy Ramadan Folks, Eat well, pray hard and sleep tight 🙂

PS: It took me an hour or two to find a serious looking featured image of myself and this one came up with the flying colors – lol. Why do we smile in all pictures? I kept wondering while looking for a serious/grump-looking picture!