By Fatima Qayyum Abbasi

“AYESHA! Look, what have you done?” cried Sarah. Tears started to trickle down her cheeks as she sat on the footpath with one knee bruised.

Sarah was coming home after buying paper flags of Pakistan from a shop to decorate her house for August 14, but on the way, Ayesha, her friend, met her and pushed her playfully so Sarah fell down and got bruises on the knee.

Ayesha was Sarah’s classmate, best friend and also her neighbour, she was a naughty girl always making mischief, but Sarah loved her as their friendship bond was a strong one. Sometimes she hurt others due to her naughtiness but Sarah would try to make Ayesha realise her mistake and so Ayesha would ultimately understand and apologise afterwards.

Ayesha gave Sarah a hand while laughing. Sarah sobbed, her knee really hurt. She sobbed. “Look! What have… (sobbing)…. you … done?”

“Oh! I was just kidding,” Ayesha seemed sorry.

“Playing doesn’t mean that you hurt others…! And see where are you standing? You have treaded upon the flag of Pakistan!” Sarah exclaimed.

“Calm down! What’s the big deal?” replied Ayesha moving aside.

“Help me pick up the flags,” Sarah told her.

“No! Am I your servant?” Ayesha asked, still not fully realising her mistake.

Sarah collected the flags and tried to stand up straight. “No, you are not my servant Ayesha, but you do have a relation with our country, Pakistan. And this flag deserves some respect.”

Ayesha replied casually, “I do love Pakistan but this doesn’t mean that I should display love by decorating my house with flags and cuddling them day and night. It’s so childish!” she said teasingly.

“Ayesha, you are getting very rude here! If you love your country, then you should love its flag. It is a symbol of dignity and strength of a nation.” Sarah continued, “And as you say my love for flags is ‘in cuddling them’, then I would say you are insulting patriotism. Loving the national flag and giving it the respect it deserves is an action that stimulates your emotions and feelings for your country; you feel more connected!” “Patriotism and love doesn’t mean showing off or decorating homes with flags,” Ayesha countered.

“Look! Ayesha don’t you understand, a flag is the symbol of a country. No nation can be dignified without a flag. No movement can ever be destined without a flag. I display flags on my house because I love to see them flapping with the wind, their fluttering reminds me of the sacrifices of our forefathers. We are a free nation today just because of them! We enjoy freedom under this green flag and as a nation we are bound to respect the sacrifices of our forefathers. Don’t you respect this nation and the freedom we are enjoying today? Your words only mean that you just don’t care about our history or forefathers!”

Walking along with Sarah, Ayesha was silent. Sarah stopped and turned to Ayesha, “I don’t mean to give you a lecture. This is how I think of my country and my flag ... the beautiful flag with a crescent and a star!”

Ayesha smiled and said, “Sarah, you are so right! You know I love to hear people speak with patriotism, because these days no one speaks for this loving country and nation like you do. And mind you, I love my country as you do. It’s just that I enjoy teasing you too.”

They laughed as they headed back to the shop to buy more flags.