I’m writing this to share the best lesson of my life, which I learned in October 2024. This experience brought a moment of self-reflection. It’s about my recent visit to Turkey, which could have been a regrettable investment if I hadn’t had this experience. After all, we often pay outrageously to gain knowledge and redefine ourselves.
Well, it was the last night at Istanbul’s popular tourist spot, Taksim Square. Although I had visited this place many times during my stay, I went again, intending to sit alone, think about the past, and plan for the future—in short, it was a time for myself. However, I am not an intellectual, so my reflection didn’t go as planned. But nature (my favorite teacher) had a lesson for me.
Since it was my last night in Turkey and I still had some Turkish currency left, I decided to spend it, as it would be useless to me later in Pakistan. I had already bought gifts for my loved ones (sorry if I missed yours). Now it was time to share gifts with the “Angels” who always stay by my side and bring blessings into my life. Among the many foreigners, there were also poor migrant families with children from Syria, Egypt, and other neighboring countries. I noticed a father and his son (a little boy) selling drinks there and the father constantly scolding his child.
Eventually, I decided to buy candies and chocolates to distribute among these cute kids, believing it would be a gift to my “Angels”—and I did just that. Nothing could be more heartwarming than seeing the joy on the children’s faces from this small gesture. Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring myself to offer chocolates to the boy being scolded by his father, thinking his father might misinterpret my kindness.
Besides, I had no desire to be shouted at by anyone in Turkey, especially when I already had a few people belonging to Pak-Army, who could do that well enough. 😊
Everything was going smoothly until I came across a flower shop where I found white roses (Angels’ favorite—mine too). A French couple next to me was dealing with the shop owner—an elderly but charming and kind-looking man. Honestly, he had an amazing smile as he spoke with the couple, but they didn’t buy anything, and suddenly, his smile faded. Then he looked at me with a renewed smile and asked, “What do you want?”
- I replied, “How much for a single white rose?”
- He said, “200 Lira” (Turkish currency).
Unfortunately, I had already spent most of my local currency at the candy shop and only had 70 Lira left. So, I had to apologize, as I didn’t have enough money to buy that white rose. I left the shop and walked to the nearest bench to rest. When I sat down, I noticed the shop owner (uncle) looking at me. It was as if he still had hope or perhaps a sense of duty—I’m not sure, but there was so much in his pitiful expression.
Finally, I couldn’t hold back, so I went to an ATM, withdrew Turkish currency using my credit card, and bought two white roses instead of one. Now, the man seemed content, and I walked off to find some beautiful girls to offer the roses to… wait, not in that way! I was looking for some adorable little girls (my “angels”), and I found two young sisters and handed a rose to each of them.
Conclusion: If I develop hope in someone, then I’m responsible for meeting their expectations—even if it’s conditional. The condition, in my case, is that I must be in a position to comply with their hopes. That’s why I always prioritize myself professionally to make my position stronger. The more successful I become, the better I can contribute. But my resolution for 2025 is: “Don’t create false hope, and don’t let anyone down if you’ve already committed to them and given them hope.”
Happy New Year 2025 In Advance To Every Reader
- Author: Aleem Qureshi