One morning

Lets me start this post with Bismillah.

This might not be the best story ever. But, it is just another story..

You will never know how hard one's life is, unless you're on one's shoes

The bus stopped at the King William road. The common route used by most buses to the city. I was walking slowly along the pavement until an elderly Australian couple, about 40s crossed in front of me. I stopped for a while. There was something special about them that touched my heart. I believed they were married. The husband isn’t seemed strong, buff or either an energetic man. He looked old, a bit of white hairs grew on top of his head and his stomach was beyond his chest. His face seemed clean, none messy white beard like many tramps that I sometimes encounter. He isn’t wearing any fancy clothes, just a simple old blue striped shirt to keep him warm in this freezing winter morning.

The wife was more alike her husband. She was an elderly woman, with black long hair tied to the back of her head. Her tummy was similar to her husband, yet more obvious with her tied black pants that matched with a simple old looking shirt, that I doubted sufficient to preserve all the heat. She was carrying a black handbag. There were black spots like dirt on left top of her forehead. What was so special about them then?

Right from the very beginning her husband was holding her hand firmly as they walked along, side by side. Like a loving couple on their first date. Yet, she was looking very upset. From a distance, I could tell all the sad stories just by looking at her.  She walked rather slowly than him as his hand stretched backward while leading the way. Each of them carried an empty shopping bag-a recycle bag that is usually made of light cloth that we used to carry books. While holding her hand, he stopped for a minute at every dustbin, checking for something. But I knew what they was looking for, cans, plastic bottles and papers that you could recycle and sell for $0.10 each. She willingly stopped and waited. But, she kept on looking to the ground. Up to the third bin, the bags were still empty.

I kept on looking at them from far.

I knew they were homeless: an old couple with no welcoming shelter to live every single day. It was unbearable to keep on looking at them, chiefly straight to her face. Deeply I knew their life was hard and my heart did share the same sorrow. Every single day, they had to go through the same hardship, the hunger and burden. I couldn’t imagine if they were my parents. Yet, too little I knew about them. How they ended up this way and what were they actually thinking.

Some might wish  they can fly far whenever they think they should. Away from these. 

Despite of all the external hardships that I saw, I knew she has something to be grateful about, loving husband and a caring companion. She knew, she would never go through that life alone. There was always someone, someone to put her shoulder on, someone to share the burden, someone who made her safe and someone to appreciate in her life. And for that reasons, she was lucky.

But if we reflect it to our life, nothing would be similar. Every night we sleep in a soft comfortable bed, if we are feeling cold, we simply cover ourselves with the thick blanket and enjoy the warmth. We rarely worry about foods or are in hunger. We stocks foods and snacks and swiftly grab one whenever we are feel like eating. We always feel satisfied with life.

We were blessed we thought.

But how often we say thankful to Him?

 Do we say Alhamdulillah when we have comfy bed whenever we were sleepy?

Do we thank Him when we look at the mirror and looking smart with our new clean attire?

Do we feel grateful when we have friends to be on our side, while others may not?

Do we take the chance to express our gratefulness when we are given another day to do it?

Do He accepts my prayers and repentance all these while?

I never say I'm perfect or anything, I'm just like you. Perhaps worse than you might think. I may have learned, yet I forget. I may have felt it, yet I'm reckless or I might wanna try it, but I scared. Scared by own limit and doubtful capabilities. 

Yet, Inshaallah. let us try it together from now and forth.