Living with Spirit

A ferry was standing at the New York seashore, the one that carries people to the Statue of Liberty. However, to board the ferry, one first had to buy a ticket. Since it was the weekend, there was a huge crowd, and the ferry was packed to capacity. People standing in line were waiting for the second and third ferries under the scorching sun, holding Coke, burgers, juice, and movie cameras in their hands.

In this crowd, not only young people and children were present, but elderly individuals were also clearly visible. To entertain the people standing in line, a Black man was performing tricks. Music was playing, and as he performed, he collected money from people. However, he did not force anyone to give him money.

Ships, boats, and ferries were parked along the shore. From a distance, the Statue of Liberty could be seen, and on the other side of the sea, tall buildings appeared—these were the downtown Manhattan buildings of New York. At the front of the line, pictures of the Statue of Liberty and various places in America were being sold on carts. Nearby, benches were laid out where people sat, waiting for the long queue to move so they could eventually stand in line to buy ferry tickets.

The sunlight was intense, but because of the sea, a breeze was also blowing. Even so, the Americans were in a miserable state. Their faces had turned red. Men and women were wearing vests and shorts. The weather felt similar to April in our country, yet they were unable to tolerate the heat. I kept thinking that if these people were to visit a tourist spot in Pakistan during June or July at noon, what would become of them?

I had moved away from the crowd and was sitting on a bench when my eyes fell on another scene. An elderly man, dressed neatly in trousers, a shirt, and a tie, was dancing to the music. He was so frail that he could barely lift his feet in rhythm with the music. Upon moving closer, I realized that he was a beggar. A box was placed on his table. As people passed by to buy tickets for the Statue of Liberty, they dropped a few cents into his box.

To beg, he was working tirelessly. He was such a dignified beggar—he was not asking anyone directly for money, nor was he calling out for charity in the name of God. He had left it entirely to people’s choice: if they wished, they could offer charity.

Again and again, the thought troubled me that even when people beg there, they have to work for it. They beg due to helplessness. And then there is our country, where strong and able-bodied people choose begging over honest labor. Young women hold small children in their arms and cry out, “Give something in God’s name; may your son remain safe.”

They say, “Madam, go for Hajj; may your husband live long.” Even after hearing so many prayers, if one does not give them anything, they begin to curse, saying whatever comes to their mouths. Out of fear of these curses, people end up giving them something. If you suggest that they work instead, they make countless excuses: “How can I work with such a small child?” or “My husband is blind—who will cook food for him?”

After hearing such statements, one feels no need to say anything further.

Anyway, the discussion returns to the ferry standing at the shore and the people boarding it. They had been standing in line for hours. There was a strong desire for life within them. They capture and enjoy every single moment. They think only about today, not about what will happen years later. They live life carefree, unconcerned about the future.