Today is Saturday, half day work and I left office @ 12:30 pm little early than usual, I stopped at Dehiwala junction for my luhar prayers, after offering prayers I got a call from my sister where she wanted me to buy her a Pakistani buriyani parcel, I bought two parcels and had my lunch with my sister, lunch was really delicious.
Time is 3 pm; time to take little nap...as I lied on the bed... and again I got a call from my friend who is an Indian, Tamil nadu, trichi; he asked me to come to Bambalapity Majestic City (a shopping mall) for a consultation regarding his personal issues, well... I was really lazy to get up from the bed... and then I thought for a while... I needed to buy a multiple USB hub for my new lap top at Unity Plaza right next to Majestic City, so I told my friend, ok I will be there by half an hour.
As I reached Bambalapitiya, I heard the adhan (call for prayers), I asked my friend to spare 15 min, I quickly rushed to Bamabalapity Mosque which is walking distance from Majestic City.
After prayers were over I went back to Majestic City where my friend took me to KFC, each had a nice cup of coffee with French fries, then my friend began to tell his personal story to me and I gave him some blah... blah... advices... I saw some smiles were flourishing on his face, I said to myself ...seem to be my magic words are working... mmm... I'm not that bad in counselling, thank God, I need to soon start up a consultation service company ;-)
After managing to make my friend smile, I said to him that I need to buy a USB Hub, he said tomorrow is our thaipongal festival... I've got to buy some new cloths...since tomorrow is a Sunday, I said, fine, we both can go shopping... first I bought my USB Hub at Unity Plaza and then again we walked back to Majestic City and walked into Hameedia (a textile), my friend was looking for a shirt, he was looking... looking... looking and looking... one hour passed... time is 6:15 pm, time for magrib prayers, I excused my friend and rushed to mosque; finished my prayers and returned back to Hameedia, guess what? Thank God, my friend has at last chosen a shirt... phewww....
After finish shopping we both decided to have a little walk along the marine drive which is a road parallel to galle road ; you can experience the beautiful view of Indian ocean in the west of Colombo, as we are about to leave Majestic City shopping mall my friend grinning and said ... call for nature... I said... ok, I will wait at the south wing gate of the building.
As I was waiting, suddenly I turned to my right and I saw a lady seated who was begging with a one year old baby in her laps, some pedestrians gave her some coins some ignored her.
Dealing with beggars, I had some personal and strict rules, I help beggars only who are disabled or weak or sick or too old, other than that I don't help beggars who are able to work and live, specially I don't like to help people who are using babies for their begging; even if they are disable, sick nor too old, because If I help these beggars I will be ruining those babies' live.
So I stood firm with my rules, The lady with the baby who was begging saw me standing near the exit, she raised her hands and asked for money, well... rule is a rule... I turned my face from her; little while later I heard a baby's crying voice, I knew it is the baby who was in the beggar's lap, I was strong not to turn my face towards the beggar, the cry became more and more... so I turned and looked at the baby, the baby's face was wet with tears, well... I said to myself... Aadhil you are a strong person, let not sympathies over come your rules... I have a nephew at the same age of that baby... so I'm used to hearing such loud cries... five min passed... still the baby kept crying... I was wondering, why that lady is not attending on that baby, I've seen my little nephew crying but not for such long time... so I thought of giving little attention towards the baby and again I turned and look at the baby, the baby too saw me.. the baby started crawling from mother's lap towards me, well... to be honest... I really felt little sympathy toward the baby, yet I said to myself, come on Aadhil... If you help this lady... you will encourage her to use this baby for begging and you will be ruining this baby's future.. so again I turned my face away from them, but ... I realized something different in the baby the way he crawls, again I took a close look at the baby, he was not crawling as normal babies does, he was seated and pushing his body with his two hands, I zoomed my eyes towards his legs, I saw one of baby's legs were disabled... he had a hard time moving and his cry never stopped in pain on the rough surface; I couldn't take my eyes away from that baby and I suddenly realized my eyes were filled with tears, quickly I took a hundred rupees and kept in the lady's hand and left the place immediately; because I couldn't keep looking at that scene for no longer.
As I left my friend joined me, he asked me; why are you sad lookingI smiled at him and remained silent, while walking I started thinking...
All praised to God, who has given me beautiful limps, eyes, ears and providing meals time to time, and who has given me a roof to sleep under it, I prayed to God while walking, My lord, facilitate that baby with comfort and facilitate me with comfort, you are the most merciful the most gracious, and the following Quran verse came into my memory
"Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere" [Quran 2:155]
This life is a test, some are born poor, some are born rich, some are born with good health, some are born with illness, I said to myself, after all...we all are going to die one day and we are living in this world for a short time.. this life is mixed with Good and Bad, the suffering in the world is not permanent likewise the enjoyment of the world life is not permanent as well...
My heart got convinced and I turned to my friend and asked.. how is your masters studies going... and we had a nice time walking along the marine drive while enjoying the evening cold breeze blowing from the Indian ocean...
