Last week, Umar feel ill... Alhumdulillah nothing major... a little cold, followed by a mild ear infection and a little congestion. As I said, nothing major, but enough to turn my FTM (first-time-mom) forces into overdrive! (Does this FTM craziness last until the next one comes along?!). I really went crazy... stressing over work, getting teary-eyed at every sneeze, following doctor's orders to the T about monitoring his temperature every 4 hours... Oh it was a crazy 2-3 days (I guess you could give me the benefit of doubt, considering I had 3 sleepless nights followed by the craziest schedule at work yet).
We get so caught up in the little issues that we face, that we forget to look at the bigger picture and realise that these teeny tiny little problems can barely be categorised as trials and tribulations. A few weeks ago, the story of a little boy Zealen was very much the hot topic on my birth board. (A birth board is an online community forum where mothers who have babies the same month get together). During her pregnancy, Zealen's mother was told that the baby would be born with some heart defects, and that he would need surgery in a few years. While he grew achieving milestones at a normal pace in spite of being born premature, his health deteriorated and he needed to have surgery much earlier, around when he was 9 months or so old. He was put on what is known as a 'Berlin Heart'- an artificial device to replace the heart. The pictures I saw were painful. His parents set up a Facebook page and would put up not just daily but very regular updates- including when the little angel passed away, his funeral information, etc. Reading all those posts and updates put me at a loss for words, as to how these parents (also First-Time-parents, I must add) got the strength and patience to accept such major trials that their tiny little angel went through. I cannot even begin to fathom what they must have been going through, and may Allah protect our families that we shouldn't go through such a trying time.
As humans, we are born ungrateful. When we have a piece of paper, we yearn for a book. When we have a book, we look at the ones who have a collection. When we have a collection, we envy those who own a library. We never look back; we are always looking ahead to see what we are missing now, not what we missed earlier. Our biggest dissatisfaction stems from such little and not-so-little desires and wants. In such moments, we need to sit back, clear our minds, and get some perspective. Don't have an electronic tablet? Think of the children who use blackboard slates in their so-called 'schools'. Craving for the new iPhone 5? How about the boy down the street who has never even held a basic telephone in his life? Drooling after the new collection of bags Chanel is showcasing? The price tag one bag carries could dress up an entire slum.
Of course, we cannot be saints (and I don't claim to be even close to one... I've been dreaming about a Louis Vuitton a little too much lately!). But at times of depression, or when we see someone who's just got something we really wanted, we should look at our own selves and our lives, and see how much our God has blessed us with, and that if we begin to give thanks, our days would not be enough.
So say an extra prayer of thanks to God tonight, and give your children an extra kiss tonight. You don't know how many people out there would give anything to trade places with you.
Love !
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