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Ayesha Nayyer 9.5

Formatting?

From materialism to gratitude

Once I was materialistic; now I am grateful. Once all I cared about was prioritizing

money, possessions and self-image over everything with a desire , eager to fit in and

enjoy the experience with my peers. Now I have freed myself from the emotional and

financial burden of a materialistic lifestyle, instead learned to value experiences over

possessions and assets. Before I always used to sheepishly compare our standard of

living with that of to others and constantly be a victim of an inferiority-complex, but now I

have learned that gratitude is one of the key ingredients to a happy life.

I remember a time when my parents wanted to gift me a toy for passing my exams with

flying colours. “I AM GOING TO GET A NEW KITCHEN SET!” exclaimed 9-year-old me.

Buckled up in the car, we headed out to the world-famous Toys R Us. Strolling through

the toy store, my eyes wandered around and at the shelves lined up high with toys from

vividly-colored race cars to barbie dolls wearing delicate silk garments. Chatter, laughter

and cries of youngsters echoed in the store. Nonetheless, I couldn’t distract myself from

my mission i.e., get the best kitchen set, better than the one my friends had. Eventually, lo

and behold, in all its glory was the most beautiful kitchen set ever, equipped with a mini

fridge, a sink that actually worked like the real one, scrumptious looking food. I knew it

was the one. However, my mood quickly changed into one that of disappointment once I

saw the hefty price sticker stuck at bottom. It ticked me off. Why couldn’t I have it when

others could?
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As I grew older, I wanted more things, bigger and better. How the millionaires I saw on

YouTube could choose one from so many of their premium, flashy cars and how our

modest 3-bedroom apartment was a peasant’s house compared to their magnificent

mansions with beautiful high arched windows, decorated with grand chandeliers, vast

lush-green gardens and walk in closets larger than my living room. I was deeply

unsatisfied with the life I was living thinking about how my life would be better if I owned

certain things I didn’t have. Belonging to a middle-class family with limited resources

meant you couldn’t have everything at your fingertips. Thus, one of the first thing that

went on my bucket list was becoming a filthy rich millionaire, if not a billionaire. How

hard could it be? Having more wealth meant having lavish possessions, expensive

enough to even earn praise and leave everyone in awe. I craved the attention and the

validation that came along with it.

With summer vacations right around the corner, my parents decided a road trip to

Riyadh would be the perfect way to spend the free time on our hands. We drove along

long asphalt roads with nothing to see but the perennial brown deserts. Frankly, it bored

me out. All I could think about was how my friend would be parasailing in Dubai and go

to the world’s largest shopping mall the next day. Mustering up courage, I asked my

father, “when will we go abroad? To an extravagant city like Dubai, just like Fatimah’s

family went for the holiday?” and all I got as an answer was, “one day maybe, we can’t

afford it right now but for the moment, be grateful for this.” With an annoyed expression,

I came back to my seat, crossed my arms and became quiet but couldn’t stop thinking

about why we just simply can’t earn more money and live the life the way we want?

Afterall, what is the harm in wanting the best for yourself and your loved ones?
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One day as I was coming back from shopping, utterly exhausted from walking around

and bargaining with the stubborn shopkeepers, still unhappy because one of the shirts I

wanted wasn’t available in my size, I witnessed a life changing experience. A mother

and her two children sitting barefoot on the footpath wearing shabby, old clothes. The

younger one, barely a year old took his first steps and fell while both the elder sister and

the mother laughed out in delight. Sitting in the center of bustling roads in the scorching

Karachi heat with nothing else to accompany them, the sheer happiness on their faces

surprised me. On one hand I, who was going to step into an air-conditioned car, holding

plenty of shopping bags full of branded clothes, someone who had access to all

necessities and to an extent wants, still was discontent but that family with nothing had

faces beaming with joy. In that single moment, I realized how all my life I had focused

on acquiring possessions rather than experiences and it left me baffled at my own

stupidity.

Now I am grateful. Gratitude involves appreciating the good things in our lives, from the

beauty of autumn leaves, to eating a delicious freshly cooked meal to sleeping on a

comfortable bed with a roof on top of our heads as well as recognizing the other people

that made these things possible in the first place. Gratitude helps us enjoy the good in

our life instead of taking it for granted and longing for what’s next.

This is why now; my goal of utmost importance is to be grateful for everything and be

empathetic to those who are less privileged than me. Before, even though I used to feel

great gratification whenever I acquired a material possession I had been yearning for, it

was fleeting. It was a matter of time before I would look at the same object and not get

the same reaction. Now as I pass by those same mansions, I still admire their grand
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architecture but observe at how barren they look. The overpriced branded bags remind

me of how that money can be used to feed the unfortunate instead.

Going on another road trip yet again, to Gwadar this time, all of us settled in the car.

The highway was full of twists and turns, the view of the sea shadowed by the

mountains standing tall in the sky with their jagged rocky peaks. I was mesmerized by

the enchanting view. With everyone except my father sleeping in the car, the peace

and quiet led me into thinking of the time I bought a 25-rupee coloring book for 100

rupees on purpose from a child vendor. How I can never forget his utter surprise and

gentle smile; how the memory of it never fails to make me smile. My father looking at

me through the rear-view mirror asked me ‘What is making you smile like that? And to

that I grinned even more and replied, “You once told me to be grateful, now I am.”

When I look at how once I was compared to how I am now, I see a person who saved

herself from going into a downward spiral of materialism- where unrealistic expectations

of attaining happiness through material goods are set and where the successful people

are only those who have accumulated the most wealth. I have developed into a person

who is a lot less insecure than before, who treasures experiences over things and loves

to give to others than keep for herself.

You have a facility for narrative construction: A simple yet engaging narrative written in

lucid prose. I wish the second half could be extended a little more.
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