What did u say? The Shepherd’s son, “A Diplomat?”

And when I touched that black smooth surface and saw my clear shadow in that Prado I was mesmerized somehow. I kept on touching the bumper over and over again for a long time and then a man sitting in the car choked me by his whisper “what do you want little chum?” I said “nothing sir” and kept on watching the car, then accruing my courage I dared to ask “may I ask you from where did you get this car?” he smiled and answered “I am a bureaucrat and Pakistani government has given me this car for my use” I asked abruptly “can I get this car too? And how shall I”? He said “for this purpose you have to study a lot.” I pondered something for a moment and then answered “I want to study but I am a shepherd’s son” that man had judged my dedication and love for study by the way I was talking” He replied softly “then buy a book of ABC and ‘Alif, bay, pey’ and learn it” he handed me some money to get books. Now there was a problem that who will teach? He told me that “go to any masjid nearby and ask the Imam to teach you. He will help you certainly”. I expressed my gratitude and tears came out of my eyes. I was hanging b/w the state of excitement and grief. He patted me on my shoulder and left. As he left the place I kept on watching that car which infused a new soul in me and forced me to keep my verves higher to have that car. That was the turning point of my life. I made up my mind and went to the market nearby and bought those books. That was end of my happiness and then I was back with my herd. I felt like my destiny is to near but I had not an even tinge of that, that how hard I shall have to strife. On my way to home, I kept on making plans that how to hide my books because if my father had seen my books he would definitely have torn them into pieces as there was no concept of education in my family and we never had a desire to acquire knowledge. But later I realized the importance of education. So I finally hid those books in my sweater and reached home by evening. I could not sleep whole night. I kept on thinking that how shall I meet the Imam? What will be his reaction? Then the next morning I went with my herd. I was keyed up and felt like flying in the sky with freedom. I was not being able to forget the car I wanted to get. I left my herd to graze in the pasture and went to the Masjid. An Imam was reciting Holy Quran. I stood by his side, fervently waiting for him to finish his Qiraah. When he was done I narrated my whole story. I was a 15 years naive boy and he showed his sympathies and promised to help me. He taught me my initial lesson as “Alif is an erect tree in the garden and Baay is the boat having a dot beneath to support it.” I thanked the Imam and joined my flock of sheep. I spent the whole day learning my lesson. Meanwhile two sheep escaped and I was haunted. I had an idea that how I would be treated by my father. So when he came to know about that, he battered me with a wooden stick. I got to many bruises on my whole body but I bear all that and did not tell the real story. Then days passed by and my three sheep ran away again. That was the day when my father pounded me to an unimaginable extent because he saw my books. He snatched those from me but I was contended because I already learned them whole heartedly. I could not stay back from acquiring knowledge and achieving my goal so I decided to leave my home. My despair situation is hard to be reported in few words but I was the only friend of mine except Allah Mighty. I mounted courage and left my home at mid night. Outbursts of tears were hard to be prevailed by laughter and smile. I walked on a lonely road for hours and reached a town. My feet got stabbing pain because I have been walking since 8 hours just to go away from my village not to be caught by any one. I sat on the foot path. I thought about my family and could not resist crying more and more. Then after several hours I was stable enough and was hungry. I got up and saw a tea hotel in the street. I asked the owner to give me something to eat in the name of Allah Almighty. He gave me a chapatti to eat. He inquired me from where do I belong and what do I do? I told my story truly to him. He offered me that if I shall wash dishes he will provide me shelter and food in return. I accepted the offer. Now I used to wash the dishes and in my spare time I  used to study. I gave matric exams and got A+ grade. My owner advised me to study further. He was an angel in disguise sent by Allah Almighty for me. Then I cleared my intermediate exams with A+ grade and after that I started preparing for B.A exams. I used to wash the dishes till evening, then go to teach some students tuition and at night I used to study. “Another triumph!”  I cleared my B.A with first division. One day my manger was praising me in front of his friend, so his friend advised me to appear in Civil Superior Services (CSS) exams. As he heard about my devotion, assiduousness and diligence for studies he helped me a lot in getting syllabus, books etc. I left the hotel job and joined a school as a teacher. Then after returning from school I used to study 12 hours a day and sleep hardly for 4-5 hours. Faith in Allah Almighty and my abilities, hardworking, willpower, optimism and confidence in whatever I was doing were the prime reasons of my success in life. I gave my CSS exams and when I got to know about my success I lost my mind. I did a prolong “Sajda e shukar” and thanked my Allah Mighty. I was allocated in foreign services. “Yes! I did it. I am selected…  I am a diplomat!” 

Friends! never under estimate yourself.  Allah Almighty has put some abilities in every person. There is a need to search that ability, work on it and polish it. Allah Mighty has given you everything. Don’t wait for opportunities to come but be the one to find them. Don’t let yourself knock down by others because you are what you are! Don’t let people become a hindrance in your way. I must suggest you to think positive to make your life positive. Carve your destinies the way you want them to be. Just do it to believe it. I narrated my whole struggle. Now it’s your turn. Good luck!

Note: This is a true story told by a trainee in Civil Services Academy but I personified it for you people. Never quit in life and keep on struggling till you reach your destiny. Failure may disappoint you sometimes but when life give you challenges don’t say “why me?” instead say “try me!”