Anam Tahir
“What’s the worry my dear child, what happened?” His mother opened the door to his room, finding him seated on the couch with an unattended book in his lap, his gaze fixed on the clock.
With a vacant expression, he reassured his mother, “Nothing, Mama! Just doing my homework.”
As he glanced at his mother, she noticed tears glistening in his eyes. Concerned, she moved closer and sat beside him.
” You look sad ! You’re crying, aren’t you?” she inquired with worry.
“it’s just that I don’t feel good at school, I don’t want to go school,” the child expressed sincerely avoiding an eye contact with his mother.
Surprised, she questioned, “But why? You’re in the best school. I’ve seen your classwork, your tests. You’re excelling, my dear.” She never expected her brilliant son saying a thing like that.
“But mama ! ” So much was there to tell, but he couldn’t say anything else.
Planting a kiss on the child’s forehead, she said, “Finish your homework, then we’ll go out.”
The little boy smiled__ he did but that wasn’t a child’s smile___ it was ambiguous and fake. He knew he had to show some excitement as per tradition___ so he did that. At 11, he understood that his mother tried to divert his attention from those painful thoughts that had haunted him for so long.
His mother left the room. Alone again, with his head down, he started writing in his notebook. Yet, in his mind, he once again counted the reasons he disliked the school___ A sentiment ! he could not articulate because no one____ literally no one___ tried to comprehend. He wondered was he truly a dear child, or a misunderstood soul lost in a bag full of books?
My sincere appreciation for the beautifully written piece by my all time favourite and a very critical soul, Ma’am Anum Tahir. Your ability to capture emotions and portray the complexities of a child’s experience at school is truly commendable. This scene beautifully captures the complexity of a child’s emotions and the struggle to express inner turmoil. The gap between academic success and emotional well-being is portrayed very well, highlighting the importance of understanding a child’s feelings beyond mere achievements. The portrayal of the child’s silent pain and the mother’s attempt to provide comfort gives a dense message to the society. The challenges young minds may face in the educational journey in these days are crucial to address and your attempt in this regard is appreciable.