Leave Some For Me

by Muazza Essop



Bismillah

So the day started out as usual.

Usual human day-to-day thoughts; aspirations for the tasks I desired to achieve, worries, doubts, dishes!, what to cook, look for a job, business ideas, stress at what I haven’t achieved thus far in life, gratitude for getting this far in life .....blah blah blah.

I’ve taken to walking in the mornings with my mum, or when we get around to it during the day, due to unforeseen circumstances. This morning the water pressure was low, something that most people are used to in this area, due to the influx of businesses and offices springing up as well as an increase in apartments being built, and migration of human souls (and pigeons) employed in the area.

No problem, continue on. Get ready, Armed with running shoes and house keys, we travel light on the road, we proceed on our usual route.

I love being out in the open air. It really beats the gym. Spacious, green, the sound of birds and water gushing down its steady path. I do however not enjoy the lack of respect some pedestrians show with their callous disregard of waste they lay on the roadside. I mean, the roadside is communally used, right?

You’ll be walking along, enjoying the smell of the earth, when boom! you’re eyes are struck with a litter box of beer bottles, half eaten soil -covered chocolates and sweets (who doesn’t eat the entire bar- I mean one should get fined just for not enjoying the whole thing), and amongst other things some really rare finds which you would not think to see – logic defies litter.

Today though, something was unusual. There was a new sound in town this lovely overcast morning.

The roar that met us just across the road was a powerful gush of coolness that permeated the air. Almost like a continuous explosion, the burst pipe emitted the pressurised water it had so discretely been carrying not to long before.

The strength of this God-given blessing is a fantastic sight to see, until it hits you like a blind fly that hey- this precious resource is being wasted. Lots of it. And it’s not nourishing the ground either. It’s travelling down this tar paved path, ducking occasionally down drains but due to its speed, racing against its metallic counterparts, covering more ground than human legs can keep up with. Watching it is like driving by an accident... it’s almost morbidly fascinating as you involuntarily glance at the disaster, then feel slightly sick at the realisation.

I try to recycle you see, which makes one slightly more conscious of the earth, and its preciousness. Think about the people who don’t get to use it, the benefit it could have had, the nourishment to both land and body. And the fact that the news keeps telling us about how this world is running out--- panic panic panic!!!!! Seriously—we might run out!!!!!! – doesn’t lend to calmness.

So along the walk we go, a few complaints are uttered within and without, until the last leg of the journey. Then the anticipation of a cool milkshake-like berry smoothie drowns out any discomfort. You know- go to your happy place.

Yum. That goes down well.

So Alhamdulillah, for some beautiful reason we decide to go for a massage. I must say, it had been a while and I was really looking forward to it. These welcomed little pleasures in life really do serve to lighten, especially amidst the daily stress of activities.

We go to this massage therapist we both like, so we each wait for the other , then decide to stop at this quaint little eccentric cupcake coffee shop- we usually get straight back to the daily routine after the treatment. We hang out- we have another smoothie, unusual for one to follow another in a day- and proceed back. All this while a lesson brews, welling up and about to burst.

Traffic!!! Yuck. Oh man. Bearable though because relaxation had so majorly kicked in.

We’re finally on the home stretch. And would you believe, it begins to seriously rain. Like it means gentle business. And then it struck me.

There’s more rain now covering a wider area than what I had seen wasted..

And ALLAH owns it all.

It made sense. It made sense how easy it is for its Creator to provide, because what He possesses is unlimited resource.

The world could scream and yell, tension and panic could spread, but ultimately everything has a Source. One Source. The Source of life as we know it and the Source of the world and its contents.

I’m not supporting depleting resources. I believe we need to look after what we have. Or work on realising that we need to endeavour together to savour and protect what we are blessed with. Reducing our carbon footprint, which includes:

· Recycling (less energy is required to produce recycled glass than glass from raw material)
· Reducing our energy consumption at home, by switching plugs off when appliances are not being used(especially the TV and geysers)
· Consuming less water by not leaving the tap running, or decreasing flow when bathing or washing hands

are just some of the actions Muslims and non-Muslims alike should strive to incorporate into daily activities, like breathing. These actions invite goodness into our lives.

I’m just saying that whether it be wealth, happiness, discontent, material and immaterial, God Controls it all. And He is Bountiful. And Giving.

We could destroy all the worlds’ resources. But Hope will always be available.

That a wealth of water of massive proportions could be wasted and you won’t be able to stop it. But even then, it could rain from the sky in amounts that supersede the wastage. That restores hope and comfort, and balance, and faith in the knowledge, that with a bit of patience, it all comes back in magnificent proportions from its Creator, Allah, the One. The Source. The Kind, the Bountiful. The King. The Giver. The Supporter. The Friend. The Merciful. The Help. The Glorious.

The Possessor of everything and the Sustainer.

And He will not leave you in need of anyone for He is the Possessor of everyone. And everything.

SO learn Who He is. Work on finding your love for Him. And work on trusting Him. For whoever puts their trust in Allah will never be disappointed.

He is most Bountiful, the Light, and the Creator of Love.

And He Loves you.

Never fear .The Abundant is here.

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