The Lingering Scars | A Tale of the Wounds of Relationships

During the celebration, I met an old woman who recognized me. She approached me and sat next to me. She seemed extremely fortunate to see me and said that she had been wanting to meet me for quite some time.

I asked her how she was doing, and she replied, Thanks to Allah, I am doing well. You know how difficult life can be for a woman in poverty. She continued by telling me that she has been witnessing the ups and downs of life for the past fifteen years, and how children grow up so fast. Money was always tight, and the children were so young back then. She was also young at the time, and it is when a tragedy strikes, one realizes the importance of things. She has three brothers, one sister, and a widowed mother. Her mother's contentment gives her courage, but her close relatives do not seem to care that she is now a widow and left without any support.

Whether it is a matter of family honor or not, do not expect anything because this world is such that meaning lies in what is demanded. Help instead. The husband is the roof of the house. And if the roof falls off the house, imagine the plight of a woman. Our society only worships the rising sun. I did not remarry for the sake of my children, which in a way was good. 

Otherwise, my children would not have excelled in good positions today. I have a son and a daughter, and it is now time for their marriage. When I was very distressed and wanted my siblings to help me, they sometimes met me as strangers. Today, when my children have grown up, my son is taking care of everything well and they ask about my well-being. If you have a home and facilities, then I would say that those comforts cannot reduce your grief. Humans have to bear their own pain.

I heard their conversation and responded. We should thank God that all comforts were available. If you did not have a means of livelihood, you could not estimate the number of difficulties you would face. Right now, everything is available to you, and your siblings do not have to do any small jobs for you. I confidently say that in this era, nobody would help you if you did not have a source of income. Nobody was obliged to help you financially, and now they know that you do not need any assistance, and they greet you with good wishes. Otherwise, your life could have become destitute.

I responded to their conversation with gratitude. It is fortunate that in the past, neighbors would help each other even if they were not related by blood. However, nowadays, whether it is a blood relation or not, people do not inquire about each other's difficulties. Therefore, do not expect much from this world, where meaning is lost and people only go where the pull is. 

Even if there is no blood relation, some people in our society have a high level of integrity and empathy for each other. Hearing my words, tears came to their eyes, and I did not want them to cry on a happy occasion, so I changed the subject. I was getting angry at people like them, but it is a time of chaos. However, when a person is in trouble, they need to be comforted until their problems are resolved. Life is short, and we should try to alleviate the pain of others as much as possible.