IN A FEW MOMENTS...

By:Umm Sa'ad

 It was late evening, darkness had surrounded the place, houses had shut their doors and the fog, dense, was looming about the old worn streetlights that flickered in the bloody red sky.

The road, accident-prone was empty, except for few cars that drove about cautiously in the blinding streets of Shire city. I walked slowly on the foot path, hanging a bag on my shoulder, fists jammed in my pockets, trying to puff out air in order to feel warm. The weather was very cold.

Near the zebra crossing, I stopped and looked at the sky, I couldn’t see it, and there was silence, no sound of groaning cars or meow-ing cats, everything seemed lifeless. It was like a dream, I remembered the abominable lulled condition of my house. There had been a quarrel between Mum and Dad. Brother had left the house for higher studies but then he wasn’t in good terms with dad. Dad was still angry; he didn’t let anyone contact my brother. We had no news of him.

My mother tried to and that was the root of the entire feud. I felt my heart heavy. It was just few days back that we had dined together, on the same table, just few days back we had gone for a long trip to India, just few days back we had laughed together, lived together in our moderate but love filled and paradise home but now…what happened?

Our house was cut to pieces. Brother no more at home, Dad rarely returned home from office, Mom usually in the kitchen or in her room…and where was I in the midst of this condition, I didn’t know.

I myself preferred to stay inside. If I am late in coming back home, no one cares, these days. Earlier, I was to be home before 10, but after all this no one knows when I come and when I go. At that time, I was irritated because of the restrictions but now I realize how it feels, not to be cared for, by anyone. I looked at my watch. It was nearly midnight. I thought of so many things on my way home, but it was when I was crossing the road that I heard the sound of a speeding car...........

I didn't know where I was; I just couldn't open my eyes. I felt a severe pain in my back...a killing pain. It was hard to breathe.

I could feel tears running down my eyes, my whole body ached. I couldn't remember anything that had happened. I just felt my lips moving. I was saying something but I didn't know what. I could feel a soft hand on my cheeks...and then...a voice...someone was weeping by me...crying...Mom...I could hear her, it was my mother and then...my father's voice...but it sounded strange...his voice was trembling as he said... I didn't know what...but I felt both of them were crying.

I thought maybe brother came back and they all made up that is why they were crying. How wonderful it must be? But why couldn't I get up. I wanted to see how it felt to be building up again, but I couldn't. A single movement gave me such a pain; I felt I had no backbone. After a while, I think, I fell asleep because it was already midnight when I had last looked at my watch. I felt safe. I was at home; Mum and Dad were by my side maybe even brother.

Later when I got up, I was in a strange place that I later recognized as a hospital. I remember the first thing I did was yawning. I usually do that after getting up from a long sleep. I felt extremely hungry and would have eaten anything but I was an NBM. The nurse explained me, that I met an accident when a speeding car dashed me down.

I think I had lost a bit of memory too because I could remember nothing about the accident. I remembered everything till hearing the car...nothing else. I wanted to jump at my Mum when I saw her...but I didn't...I couldn't; my back pained so hard, I felt myself falling unconscious. It was then that they informed me I would be crippled for life. I said nothing. I didn't cry, my mother did. Perhaps, I felt nothing, I could, of course do nothing. I just was quite; I starred at her for a long time as she wept helplessly.

It was only when she controlled herself and looked at me straight in the eyes that I felt my heart heavy, my eyes teared and I cried, bawling like a baby, I could do nothing else. It was just that we never know when our dreams get shattered, but then, I saw, father and brother enter the room together, slight smile on their faces. They had made up, I knew then...yes they had...my family was complete again.

The days to come were wonderful. My mother told me that I, during the 15 days course of my unconsciousness had repeated a few sentences very often :-

When love comes, it comes from the heart
What comes from heart goes straight to the heart
Come to me! Let's join together
I bet we can live happily forever 

I was much affected by this Para of a poem, which I read the day of the accident.

I now study in a disables hostel'. They say maybe I'll be able to walk someday. Some kids there can't see the outer world. I thank lord at least I can move around on my wheel chair.

Perhaps I'll never be able to go to the club again...maybe, I will never play basketball or roam around till late at night in the silent streets of Shire city but at least we are together and that is enough.

It's only when we lose a precious thing we realize it's value. Life is precious...but far important is family love and value. The world is big...very big. There are many ways that a person can take up to spend his life. To live alone and do what you will is wonderful but to be at home is different...to see at the end of the day the smiling face of your mother s different.

It is the family that strengthens the Islamic society, those aiming at shattering islam naturally aim at shattering the society, breaking the love between it’s various components. To yield a generation strong and fearless requires the effort of a family… efforts of a mother and father who let every minor dispute dissolve for the sake of a happy house…then…every major will be a minor and every minor nothing. This life is a challenge we have to search for happiness, to get happiness...eternal happiness