Listening to my children's stories, rants, complaints or even rage is always my priority. And then it become the story of my life or the story that makes up my experience in life. If I look back in my storage of stories, it is brimming with wonderful, colorful, sad, happy, frustrating stories.. it will make such beautiful book. I don't remember all the stories because as time goes by these stories got hidden away, being pushed down below to accommodate new stories. But some stories remain visible and being remembered forever. Even sad horrible stories, you remember, because it leaves a scar in your heart. And these stories can become good reminders for your life. It becomes the source of good advice that you can give to your children in case they go through the same experience.
My children are now collecting their own life stories. I don't have much to offer them in terms of materials but I have a lot of stories, advice, and experience to share with them when they need. And i hope these then make up their own life, if i were to go early, before they are ready and when they still need me (just like me when I lost my parents at tender age), I hope these stories and advice will remain with them when they need me the most. I hope my words will soothe them, will dry their tears and will make them strong and smart to face whatever they face in their lives. I truly hope so!
This year I heard most heartbreaking stories from my children. Exam failures, job failures, relationship failures. Every child has his/her own struggles and hurdles that he/she has to face and go through. It breaks my heart every time this happens. I wish I can go through it for them, but hey... I HAVE gone through it before. I have gone through all of it. I have even gone through loss of my parents at their age. So yeah.. what else is there. I hope they don't have to go through that so soon. But all these experience are the ones that grow them, makes them who they are, nurture them to become a better and stronger person. Isn't it?
I see their growth in every failure, let alone success. I see their growth in every struggle. Alhamdulillah, Allah's plans are the BEST as I see the goodness in every occasion. Yes it was painful for a while, but difficult path always lead to beautiful place. You just have to endure it, preserve, and march ahead.
I say the same prayer every time and I will say it over and over again. I pray that Allah will take care of my children, lead them to the right path, not to stray away for Allah's path. I pray for their success duniyya and akhirah. I pray that they will stay steadfast in their lives, no matter how life turns out for them, no matter how bad or how good. There's hikmah in everything that happens in our lives. Tawakkal 'alallah.
