Not a Hero. No.

'Thank you' is said within a breath. Even less than a second. It's simple, basic manner and one of the few magic words that could make a difference. But its purpose is more often than not, neglected. I can't remember the last time I said those two words to my parents. Maybe I'm still angry. Maybe I'm still awkward. Regardless, we all utter and hear the same phrase here and there for each day. So, 'Thank you' gets boring. It becomes meaningless.

That's not, however, the case in UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). When someone there thanks you, it bears a different meaning. Because each and every one of them goes through much harder battle than you do.

I would always remember a one, fine day when a Pakistani refugee spoke to me in Urdu: "Thank you so much. You are an angel. I would always pray to Allah for your blessing. And when my children would ever make it to Malaysia, I would tell them to pray to Allah for you, too." I, like the rest of the world, find gratitude as a mere courtesy but that moment kept me in silence for a while. Within split seconds, my mind whirled like a vortex. In my 24 years of living, I have never been bothered about religion. And here it was, on that day, I just found out that someone, a complete stranger, is willing to pray for me when I, my self am not even willing to pray.

So, thank you.