Let's celebrate the number that attest to us being survivors!

I am one of those women who don't mind telling people their real age because I don't believe this age of mine is some dark secret that ought to remain hidden for some distorted reason. On the contrary, I believe in celebrating my real age rather than cherishing those moments when people assume me to be younger because age isn't just another unimportant number to me. It's so much more for it's a reminder of the fact that I survived so many years of my life whilst other weren't as lucky. A reality that I am proud of and grateful for because in all those years that I survived, I discovered different meanings of life.

However, the most important or rather the primal meaning of life, is "survival of the fittest". As trite as it may sound, it really is the biggest reality of life, which I discovered through one of Allama Iqbal's poetry (shayari) during my adolescence. The couplet of Iqbal from Bal e Jibreel was:

Taken from iqbalurdu.blogspot.com

"Taqdeer Ke Qazi Ka Ye Fatwa Hai Azal Se
 "It is the eternal decree of the Judge sitting in Judgement on destinies-
Hai Jurm-e-Zaeefi Ki Saza Marg-e-Mafajat!"
That weakness is a crime punishable by death!" 

In this couplet, the poet isn't just referring to weak physical strength rather is alluding to weak social status, moral values, character, strength of mind, will power, defense, persuasion and an overall weakness that renders one incapable of standing on his own two feet. Eventually leading to death where death isn't just a separation of soul from the body for that’s more of a solace; rather it's the bitter death of our aspirations, our wishes, our voices, our will power, our determination, our hopes and our humanity.  It's one of the many couplets that I love because it beautifully sums up the raw reality of life- survival of the fittest- a phrase all of us have heard once in our lives. All our lives we have come across countless instances where the weak gets to be silenced for eternity because his only crime was his weakness. Sometimes, it's a powerful person whilst other times it's a powerful moment that successfully crushes the weak underneath his feet to be mixed with the dirt on his shoes. Our weakness doesn't just cost us our life but the lives of our loved ones too because the punishment of weakness is death. Whose and which aspect of death was never specified in the unfair decree that has governed our lives all along. Clearly, every day is a battle against: hunger (of food and of soul); weakness (of body and of character) and predators (we and others). Everyone wages a different and difficult war each day be it against temptations, insecurities, raging emotions or simply procrastination. But all of these skirmishes and full fledged wars leaves deep scars on both the body and soul that I like to call the aging signs. So, every single day counts for it proclaims our survival.

Therefore, I relish my real age because it is a potent reminder of the years I've survived the hardships that life threw at me and the weak moments that could have been punishable by death. I don't care about the judgmental looks, unsolicited advices and the taunts that are hurled my way once people realize I'm not as young as I look because my age is my badge for overall fitness which I proudly wear for I've earned it. And not one aspect of this aging process am I ashamed of because it signifies that I was fit hence I survived and whilst surviving I got fitter.