On one bright morning, Ahmed was playing by the old creek with some of his friends, beaming with pure excitement and enthusiasm. He always loved to play by the creek, as it was his favourite spot. The place held significant importance for him, as the creek was surrounded by lush trees and greenery, where countless animals resided.

The meandering creek sparkled like tiny diamonds, with the heavenly scent of the lush green foliage majestically filling the surroundings. This was a ravishing sight for Ahmed, who along with his friends, had even built a makeshift hideout where they all would spend countless hours talking and playing.

Ahmed was a kind-hearted boy, but little did he know about the trouble he was causing for the environment and the creek he loved the most. Like any child, Ahmed would keep polluting the area by the creek where he played with his friends, without noticing that it was accumulating.

Ahmed would always think that it was the duty of the sweepers to take the trash away, and he and his friends never cared about how they littered anywhere they were. He also thought it was embarrassing to pick up trash in public and that it was the duty of garbage collectors.

Despite his parents’ clear warning, Ahmed acted defiant and didn’t care even a little bit for his surroundings.

Whenever there would be any type of charity work for cleanliness, Ahmed along with his friends would run away to the creek.

One sunny afternoon, right after school and lunch, Ahmed and his friends were heading to the creek again when, to their horror, they discovered that the creek and its surrounding were littered with plastic bottles, empty wrappers and even garbage bags stuffed to the brim.

Ahmed stood there, petrified, as his friend Ali screamed, “How could this have happened?”

Ahmed, standing in shock, recalled the times they had enjoyed the creek’s pleasant beauty and greenery. Over time, the trash they had carelessly thrown away had piled up and blocked the creek’s flow. He was truly saddened to realise that many other people had also started littering around, a contagious habit.

“We can’t let our home be destroyed,” Ahmed said with a spark of determination.

He immediately ran home to inform his parents about the crisis he was facing and asked for their help. Ahmed’s mother looked astonished but still refused to assist him due to his past behaviour.

“The homeowner has to clean their home, and you should do the same,” she replied.

He realised that he was responsible for the cleanliness of the creek, since it was a place he went to and used. Ahmed worked tirelessly with his friends, removing every single piece of trash from the area. Within a couple of days, the creek and its surroundings were sparkling clean, with fresh water flowing once again, as was the greenery surrounding it.

Ahmed understood the importance of a clean environment and vowed never to litter again. He learned a valuable lesson: the whole Earth is our home, and we should care for it just as we care for our own homes.

Ahmed found cleaning to be an engaging task and felt remorse for all the times he had littered, making the trash collectors’ jobs harder. On this day, Ahmed’s love for nature was born, and he committed to a continuous effort to keep his environment clean.

So, dear readers, just like Ahmed, we should also realise the importance of a clean environment and vow to keep our surroundings tidy. It’s not just our homes that should be clean, but also the roads, parks, and the city where we live and grow. Cleanliness is a virtue that should be practiced daily to maintain a healthy Earth for many years to come.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 16th, 2024