A Journey from Lakki Marwat to Lahore — A Life Lesson in Time Management

Introduction: A Simple Plan Turned into a Long Struggle

Time is one of the most valuable things in life. But we often learn its true importance only when we lose it. I never thought that starting my journey just 30 minutes late could turn a 6-hour trip into a 36-hour test of patience, endurance, and willpower. My journey from Lakki Marwat to Lahore was not just about travel—it became a deep life lesson in the importance of punctuality.

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Missed the First Bus—and a Chain of Problems Began

It was a cold morning in Lakki Marwat. I left home in a rush at 9:30 AM, hoping to catch the 10 AM bus to Lahore. My bag was packed, and my mind was excited about reaching the city on time. But as fate would have it, I reached the bus terminal only to find that the bus had already left.

I was filled with panic and confusion. What now? People at the terminal advised me to travel to Mianwali, around 150 kilometers away, where I might find another bus to Lahore. It seemed like the only option, so I didn’t waste any more time.

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A Tiring Ride to Mianwali—Only to Face More Disappointment

I boarded a local coach, but it wasn’t smooth. The journey was bumpy, the coach stopped often, and time felt like it was slipping through my fingers. I reached Mianwali around 2:30 PM—only to find out that the next bus to Lahore had left half an hour earlier, at 2 PM.

My heart sank again. I was tired and frustrated, but there was no time to rest. The only advice I got was to go further to Sargodha, about 130 kilometers away, and try my luck again.

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Sargodha: A Place of Hope and Cold Waiting

After offering a quick prayer for ease, I took another coach to Sargodha. The journey was painfully slow. The coach would stop frequently, and the cold weather made it worse. I reached Sargodha around 8 PM, exhausted and hungry.

I had a quick meal and rushed to the bus terminal. Another disappointment awaited me—the next bus to Lahore wouldn’t leave until midnight. I had no choice but to wait. Sitting there in the cold, I kept reminding myself: “This too shall pass.”

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Midnight Bus and Motorway Woes

At midnight, the bus finally left. I thought the worst was over. But 50 kilometers into the journey, we were stopped by motorway police. Due to heavy fog, the motorway was closed. The officer told us it wouldn’t open until morning.

We had to wait inside the bus in the freezing cold. I couldn’t sleep a wink. The hours crawled by. Finally, around 8 AM, the fog cleared and the motorway reopened. The journey resumed—but traffic was awful. We moved slowly, and it took us until 9 PM to reach Lahore.

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A Final Hurdle in Lahore

I thought I had finally reached my destination. But I was wrong. I needed to get to Shalmi, and the best way was via the Metro Bus. I reached the Metro station at 10:15 PM, only to find that it had closed at 9 PM.

That was the moment I felt like crying. The frustration of the past two days came crashing down. But once again, I chose patience. I rented a cheap hotel room for the night. But I was so stressed and tired that I couldn’t sleep well.

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The Final Push—and a Lesson I’ll Never Forget

The next morning, I got up early, said my prayer, and reached the Metro station by 7:30 AM. It was already crowded. After waiting for a long time and squeezing into a packed bus, I finally reached Shalmi.

This journey tested every part of me—my energy, patience, and mental strength. All because I left home just 30 minutes late.

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Conclusion: Time Is Priceless

What should have been a simple 6-hour journey turned into a 36-hour marathon of waiting, worrying, and wandering. All of it because I wasn’t on time.

That day, I learned a hard truth: time waits for no one. If you don’t respect time, it won’t respect you. But if you value every minute, time can become your strongest ally.

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