The Joys of Motherhood

(Guest Post by Sana H. from the blog http://hsisters.wordpress.com. Click on the title above^ to be taken to the original post, inshaAllah)

It seems like just yesterday that you were born. To see you and hold you for the first time was beyond magical. It seemed unreal. A certain calm fell over me for the coming months. And so began the joys of motherhood. It felt like an honor to be the shepherd of something so perfect. An honor Allah has bestowed on me. An honor Allah specifically chose for me. He chose for me to step up to the plate and play my part in caring for His slave. Whether rain or shine, in sickness or health, with full energy or tired out of my mind. I was chosen to play this part for a very long time. It’s no longer about me anymore if you’re hungry. It’s no longer about me anymore if you’re sleepy. It’s not longer about me anymore if you want me to play with you. It’s no longer about me anymore. With a prayer on my lips I must roll up my sleeves and be ready for you. And the joys fall in my lap endlessly. The smiles and laughter and the hearty giggles. The tiny teeth and tiny toes. The double cheeks and tickle-me tummy. The scrunch-up nosey and pulling my glasses. The licking my face to give me a kissy. All things to be treasured and remembered. Especially when things aren’t going so good. 

 And when you have one of those days where nothing seems to be going your way and the diaper changing becomes a battle. You have to take a moment to settle. Instead of becoming angry and muttering something bad, I need to reflect and look back. The things going wrong in my life today are not the little one’s problem to be handed to them. It certainly isn’t a good enough reason to take away from them their beloved mother’s mental presence. Our problems and issues are entirely our own and they will still be here tomorrow. But the time we have chosen to dwell on them and neglect the needs of our children will not be returned to us. This is their time when they can’t get to sleep or are hungry or whiney or just want to play. It’s their time and they’ve done nothing wrong so when they want us, they deserve only us. This is to be remembered during those times of chaos when it seems like I can’t get a handle on life. This is a reminder to me to stop and care for my baby. How well I respond today will define how easily they confide in me tomorrow. This isn’t to diminish the hardships of life. Because they are very real. This is simply to put into perspective the life of the little one who depends solely on you and the joys they bring to our lives.

This is my reminder that I’m a shepherd and I will be questioned about my flock. They have committed no wrong against their Creator while I have committed many wrongs. During questioning of their life as children, they will go free and I will have to stay and answer for my actions. They will bear witness for us as good parents or neglectful ones. As much as we get caught up in our day to day lives, our babies and the experiences they bring are beyond all this. Our babies are our gifts. Our babies are still Allah’s. We must make a conscious effort everyday to juggle life but we must not do it at their expense. All of our efforts are being counted and by giving our children their deserved time, we are insha Allah securing a grand future for them (and ourselves). They will not be with us always and will slowly stop depending on us. When those days approach, we will be reminded of their childhood and be reminded of the joys of motherhood.

 May Allah keep them guided on the straight path and not leave them even for the blink of an eye. May He set all of their affairs straight in this life and the hereafter. May He give them patience and a grateful, kind and soft heart. May He forgive them all of their sins and give them Jannat-ul-Firdous. May He never give them Hell. May He give them ease in the grave and on the Day of Judgment. May He make all of us be amongst those whom we all love in Jannah. Ameen.

---------

Ameen, ameen, ameen!