Every day I meet people who feel trapped or feel like they are living in a cage. Whether it is a cage of family expectations or family responsibilities or simply just a cage of their own overwhelming thoughts.
These cages are the lies; unspoken conversations going around us all the time, who we are supposed to be, what we are supposed to do, what career path we are supposed to take, what we are supposed to look like and what we should be striving for. These are the images and messages that we see on TV, in magazines, on social media, during conversations with work colleagues or even in a class discussion. It is a lie that makes us believe that happiness is found by following the footsteps of others.
We forget that everybody’s destination is different. To get to our destination we need to make our own paths. It may be their truth, but for us it is nothing more than a lie. It may be their happiness, but for us it is nothing more than a cage. Therefore, these lies are extremely dangerous. Why? Because we make decisions, every day, based on these lies. We must break free to create the lives that we truly desire. We must uncage ourselves to make the decision that will guarantee OUR happiness, which will be OUR truth, and not just a lie incorporated by the society. Once we uncover these lies, it is unbelievable what we can achieve.
RIMSHA RIZVI,
Lahore, December 14.