Yay we do, yay we do. A big trip has started (two weeks ago) we arrived in Karachi Pakistan. The second time around for myself and first for Baby Sophie (I guess we can start calling him Toddler Sophie). As soon as we landed my anxiety started to kick as I pushed my way through the masses of people trying to get my luggage. My "Mother Bear" instinct set in as someone pushed passed me almost hitting Toddler Sophie, I proceeded to yell at her, "Hey can you not see the baby you jerk, have some manners". She completely ignored me and quickly realized, we are not in America anymore. As we drove home the thick smog cloud hovered over us as I watched small children on the street without much clothing or shoes also stare back with curiosity in their eyes. The first few days I followed Toddler Sophie like a shadow, lurking behind him watching to make sure we wasn't hurting himself or others. I must admit I gave Boo Thang a heck of time since I was having some time adjusting with the pace of things. You see things move slower, even in the hustle and bustle of the most densely populated city in Pakistan, people move slow but at the same time want you to get out of there way (strange). After the week passed my mind became at ease. While there is much poverty and having helpers at everyone's houses is a foreign concept to me, I have come to acknowledge I am not better or worse but rather the same. Interacting with some of the "help" (some people say servants here, I kid you not, totally not acceptable but I am basically keeping mum unless shit gets really out of line) I realize we find comfort in the same things, one being food and the other babies. There is always common ground when you talk about the love of food (generally). In the meantime of my own first world problem episodes the news in the background plays of children being killed in blasts, child soldiers, abductions and lives being taken in tragic ways while graphic images are displayed to make us "feel" something or rather shock value and ratings. I can't help but hug Toddler Sophie a bit tighter and kiss him a bit longer and on the inside cry for all the other mothers who no longer have that privilege. While I myself grew up in poverty and inner city violence the magnitude of it and in your "faceness" is all to unreal in this part of the world but in actuality, Real. Today the person who comes and cleans my in laws home was hungry and we gave her some leftovers and as I walk in the kitchen I notice her rub her impregnated belly which seemed due to more hunger. I quickly grabbed some frozen nuggets and fried them up and left a plate for her on the counter. I remember as a child feeling hungry and my mother shoplifting some groceries as my brothers and I waited in the car. We waited there a while until the police came to get us and my Granny picked us up. My mother was arrested that day for stealing food for her hungry kids. As an adult I empathize with victims of violence and children being exploited and count my blessings everyday for being given the opportunity to provide for Toddler Sophie and attempt to keep him safe and protected but also understanding life is precious and can be taken away at any moment. While life may seem scary to live at times all we really have are these fleeting moments and interactions with those around us and hope that people in suffering can suffer less and do our small part in this life to make it more beautiful.
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