The Day Time Stood Still: A Journey Through Memory and Meaning
— A Narrative Essay by Faraz Parvez, pen name of Professor Dr. Arshad Afzal
Understanding the Narrative Essay
A narrative essay is more than a mere retelling of events—it is a literary tapestry woven from memory, emotion, and insight. It follows the arc of a traditional story: setting, characters, conflict, climax, and resolution. Yet its power lies in its personal voice and the meaning behind the moment.
Unlike analytical or argumentative essays, narrative essays don’t aim to prove a point with logic alone—they aim to connect, to stir, and to leave a mark. When done well, they resonate with the reader like the echo of a song long remembered.
The Day Time Stood Still
By Faraz Parvez
It was a Monday that bore the markings of indifference—grey clouds above, cold coffee in hand, the mechanical chatter of the city leaking through my window. There was nothing extraordinary about it—no celebrations, no deadlines, no disasters. Just the dull consistency of a routine that had outlived its purpose.
I left home with my coat barely on, hoping the morning air might jolt some life into the day. My feet led me to the familiar path of the city park—a patch of green fighting bravely against the encroaching concrete. People passed by in hurried silence, eyes glued to screens, souls tethered to schedules.
That’s when I saw him.
A small boy, no older than eight or nine, crouched on the pavement, staring intently at a broken wristwatch. It lay cracked and still, its glass fractured like the remnants of a forgotten memory. The boy was not crying. He was not fidgeting. He wasn’t even touching it. He simply watched.
Something about the stillness of the scene pulled me in. I walked closer, unsure of what I would say or why I even felt compelled to speak.
“Did you drop this?” I asked gently.
He shook his head. “No. It stopped at 8:13.”
There was a silence before I found the courage to ask, “What happened at 8:13?”
He didn’t look at me. “My dad left… and he never came back.”
There are moments in life when time doesn’t just slow—it freezes. This was one of them.
I sat beside him. The world around us seemed to pause. The honking, the sirens, the rustling of newspapers—all faded. There was only the boy, the broken watch, and the gaping void between memory and meaning.
He told me stories. Of a father who made pancakes like they were sacred rituals. Of bedtime tales that were more magic than fiction. Of promises etched into pinky fingers and paper planes.
Then one morning, like a gust of wind before the rain, the man vanished. And all that was left was a broken wristwatch—stuck in time.
I listened. Not as a teacher, not as a writer, but as a human being who had, in different ways, known loss. Perhaps that’s what narrative is—a bridge between souls.
When I finally stood up to leave, I asked him, “Do you want me to fix the watch?”
He shook his head again. “No. If time starts again… I might forget.”
I walked home slowly, haunted and humbled. That day, I learned that narrative doesn’t reside in grand adventures—it lives in the quiet corners of broken things, in the stillness of a child’s gaze, and in the timelessness of unspoken grief.
Tips for Writing a Narrative Essay
- Start with a strong hook: Use emotion, mystery, or a vivid scene to pull the reader in immediately.
- Develop a clear structure: Even if it’s a memory, build it like a story with a beginning, middle, and end.
- Use sensory details: Let readers see, hear, smell, and feel the world you’re describing.
- Be vulnerable: The best narratives come from real emotion. Let readers walk in your shoes.
- Reflect: Don’t just recount—conclude with what the experience meant to you.
Closing Thought
Narrative essays remind us that our lives are full of stories—stories worth telling, worth hearing, and worth feeling. They are windows into the soul, moments frozen in ink, and timeless echoes of the human experience.
For more essays, literary narratives, and deep dives into the art of writing, follow us at:
Blog: farazparvez1.blogspot.com
Email: arshadafzal2001@gmail.com
Twitter (X): @DrArshadAfzal1
Stay connected. Tomorrow, we explore the magical realm of descriptive essays.
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