A Greeting, A Journey and A Memory – 4 November 2025
At
twenty five, Tahir was a hardworking boy fighting the battles of life every day
labor work, studies, responsibilities, and dreams all tied together. But today
it felt different. He had a ticket from Karachi to Mian Channu, and a strange
peace filled his heart.
The
whistle blew, and the train began moving. Tahir settled into his window seat,
peering out at the world blurring past him as the train left behind the noise
of the city.
A little
while later, at one of the stations, something happened that would remain
etched in his memory forever.
The
compartment door opened and a girl
stepped inside.
She held
a book in her hand, the dupatta rustling softly with the breeze. Her face
carried an expression of calmness, and her eyes shone brightly with quiet
confidence. She walked forward and sat directly across from Tahir.
"Is
this seat empty?" she asked.
“Yes, it
is,” answered Tahir.
The
train started moving once again. She spoke after a few moments of silence.
“Where
are you travelling?”
“To Mian
Channu. And you?”
“I’m
going to Shujaabad, to my aunt’s house.”
Just a
few simple sentences, and a story began that would end not in a book, but in a
heart.
Her name
was Husna. Her voice was soft and her tone peaceful. As the journey wore on,
they shared stories. Tahir told her how he balanced labor work with his
education; Husna said she worked as a primary school teacher in Shujaabad.
It was a
long journey, but the time flew as if the minutes had wings. Every station,
every turn of the wheels brought new conversations and shared laughter. Husna's
smile felt like a soothing balm, healing wounds Tahir had never spoken about.
The
train passed through the fields, trees, villages and small stations. Then
suddenly Husna spoke in a soft tone:
"Sometimes,
a stranger feels more familiar than the people we have known for years."
Tahir
smiled and replied,
"Maybe
the people we least expect are the ones who touch our hearts the most."
The bond
grew quietly, naturally, and beautifully. Husna made many subtle efforts to
take the conversation deeper to express something hidden; but Tahir, despite
feeling something strong in his heart, maintained silence. Words refused to
come out.
Finally,
when the train reached the Shujaabad Station, evening colors had spread over
the sky. In orange and gold, the sunsetcolored everything, giving the moment a
bittersweet feeling.
Husna
picked up her bag, adjusted her dupatta, and walked toward the door. Before
stepping off, she turned back. For a moment, their eyes met eyes that spoke louder than words.
Softly
she said,
“Goodbye,
Tahir Abbas. Perhaps someday we shall meet again.”
And all
Tahir could say was:
“Allah
Hafiz…”
The
train finally came to a stop. Husna got off. She disappeared in the crowd and Tahir stood staring from the window,
frozen in that moment. He knew this day 4 November 2025 was one he would never forget. The train
restarted, but his heart stayed at that station. Whispering softly to himself:
“I wish I had said something… maybe she would have stayed.” Her parting
greetings sounding in his heart were like an incomplete sentence. The journey
ended but the feeling remained.
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