The other evening I was in an elevator with my cousin and he remarked, "Bhai, if Papa was alive today, he would have been mightily pleased with the humongous amount of money I have made."
And I thought is it really what his father would have wanted, or for that matter is it really what any parent would desire for their child?
In my prayers to God when I seek blessings for my 4 year young daughter, all I pray is for God to bless Kaynaat with confidence and courage, happiness and health, that she should feel alive as long as she lives.
But money, now what's that?
I mean, sure she should have just about enough of money so as to live with dignity and pride, and not be dependent on anyone except God, but beyond that money is pretty much useless. Money cannot buy good health, love, time, and sanity, so pray, what good is money?
Money cannot even buy me common sense or I surely would have bought one.
My cousin's father, may he forever rest in peace, left for his heavenly abode two decades ago at the age of 55 due to cardiac arrest when my cousin was 17, so I believe if et all his Papa was seeing him from heavens, he would rather be seeking a long life with good health for his son more than any amount of money.
But that's just my two cents, no one has to agree or disagree with it. I sing a song because I have the urge to sing one, not because I have an audience or that I am looking to be appreciated.
Reflecting upon my childhood every now and then, I realized long ago that although I had learned the importance of being responsible for myself in the absence of my parents (my dad had health issues, was in
and out of hospitals for most part of any given year, and my mother was busy taking care of him), but because I had missed the physical presence of a father figure, I never actually grew full in the self-confidence until much later in life.
So although I pamper Kaynaat as much as my Dad pampered me (sometimes even more since daughters deserve all the pampering they can get), yet I am honest in my endeavour to maintain good health so that she has more of me whenever she needs me. To be emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually fit is a conscious effort so that I can avoid passing my vacuum to her. I don't see her life as an extension to my life, she doesn't needs to live my dreams, but if possible, she should avoid the potholes I encountered.
Kaynaat tells me that she wants to grow up soon, so that like me she can read books and watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S (which according to her are the two things I do the most), to which I laugh off and tell her that she will find her own calling and interests as she grows up, which may not be the same as mine, so that she knows that it is alright for her to be different than me, than anyone else.
I trust my sole job as a parent is not to take decisions for her but only to be there for her as a safety net. Instead of following me, or the crowd, she should be able to celebrate her uniqueness. That is why I encourage her to make her own decisions, good or bad, so that she's able to trust herself and grows in self-confidence.
Life is a great teacher. Kaynaat will learn on her own just as I did. She will. Inshallah!
And I thought is it really what his father would have wanted, or for that matter is it really what any parent would desire for their child?
In my prayers to God when I seek blessings for my 4 year young daughter, all I pray is for God to bless Kaynaat with confidence and courage, happiness and health, that she should feel alive as long as she lives.
But money, now what's that?
I mean, sure she should have just about enough of money so as to live with dignity and pride, and not be dependent on anyone except God, but beyond that money is pretty much useless. Money cannot buy good health, love, time, and sanity, so pray, what good is money?
Money cannot even buy me common sense or I surely would have bought one.
My cousin's father, may he forever rest in peace, left for his heavenly abode two decades ago at the age of 55 due to cardiac arrest when my cousin was 17, so I believe if et all his Papa was seeing him from heavens, he would rather be seeking a long life with good health for his son more than any amount of money.
But that's just my two cents, no one has to agree or disagree with it. I sing a song because I have the urge to sing one, not because I have an audience or that I am looking to be appreciated.
Reflecting upon my childhood every now and then, I realized long ago that although I had learned the importance of being responsible for myself in the absence of my parents (my dad had health issues, was in
and out of hospitals for most part of any given year, and my mother was busy taking care of him), but because I had missed the physical presence of a father figure, I never actually grew full in the self-confidence until much later in life.
So although I pamper Kaynaat as much as my Dad pampered me (sometimes even more since daughters deserve all the pampering they can get), yet I am honest in my endeavour to maintain good health so that she has more of me whenever she needs me. To be emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually fit is a conscious effort so that I can avoid passing my vacuum to her. I don't see her life as an extension to my life, she doesn't needs to live my dreams, but if possible, she should avoid the potholes I encountered.
Kaynaat tells me that she wants to grow up soon, so that like me she can read books and watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S (which according to her are the two things I do the most), to which I laugh off and tell her that she will find her own calling and interests as she grows up, which may not be the same as mine, so that she knows that it is alright for her to be different than me, than anyone else.
I trust my sole job as a parent is not to take decisions for her but only to be there for her as a safety net. Instead of following me, or the crowd, she should be able to celebrate her uniqueness. That is why I encourage her to make her own decisions, good or bad, so that she's able to trust herself and grows in self-confidence.
Life is a great teacher. Kaynaat will learn on her own just as I did. She will. Inshallah!
