By Shakila Haseen
It was a crisp, cool winter afternoon here in New York City when I caught sight of this lonely sparrow resting on the skeleton of a once-blooming green tree in my neighborhood. The gloominess of the scene abruptly made me wonder if the sparrow was also noticing the absence of the leaves, like I am.
The frosty, grey day brings me back memories of my sunny, humid Dhaka, the city that barely gets cold or desolate. I shudder from the chilly wind and instantly recall how the scorching sun back in Dhaka would make me muggy, and I would grumble through the day, “etto groom keno?” (Why is it so hot?). Every time I was out on the streets, I would get drenched in sweat and be constantly seeking shade under a tree, but it was a rare find. It was no surprise that there were barely any trees to give us shade or provide shelter to birds and animals. Mass cutting of trees due to urbanization snatched the greenery out of the city. Also, thanks to global warming, the temperature in Dhaka soared to the point that it felt even hard to breathe in that atmosphere. The summer heatwaves used to be a nightmare for me!
Even though now I am thousands of miles away from my country and no longer terrified of summer heatwaves, I still feel for my city that is melting every day. Every phone call, every photograph from home depicts how terribly hot it is there. As a result, I feel guilty enjoying cool weather while people back home are suffocating from the heat.
I believe if trees were planted simultaneously, it could save the city from these unbearable living conditions. Therefore, I decided to do my part by planting at least one tree to celebrate special occasions or milestones. As the first step, two trees were planted to celebrate my son’s birthday this year. Having a big family means many birthdays to celebrate and many more trees to be planted!
I hope my story can encourage others to work toward a greener world, and that we can create a lush land where trees are flourishing and birds like this sparrow are merrily chirping while kids play under the shade of the trees.
Shakila is a passionate storyteller and an educator by profession. She loves capturing the mundane, fleeting moments of our busy lives. Everything around her – the nature, the hustle and bustle of the city, and the art all around – inspires her. Living in the moment is her mantra.