First, let me begin by apologising for the massive delay in reviews. Things have been very hectic with Lilies in a Labyrinth. For details
on how it is expanding, check here!
Now, once things had settled down, I couldn’t wait to
snuggle up with Turning the Tide, and read the next chapter. Chapter three
explores Youth, and all the confusions that accompany it. Being a Wife and Mother, I very rarely refer to myself as “part of the youth”, regardless of that
fact that my teens are only a couple of years behind me. So, as I made my way
through this chapter, I found myself reminiscing the emotions I felt, the
troubles I faced, and the decisions I made.
“…even recognising the spectrum of one’s emotions needs courage.”
These words rang through my mind, accompanied by an array of
flashbacks. There were times I would sit in my bedroom (I had a big, stone
windowsill with a view that over-looked the park) and I would stare at the
trees wondering why I felt so down. At other times, I would bury myself in my
walk-in-wardrobe, read a book, and attempt to retreat away from the world. I had
moments of laughter, but doom-and-gloom was a feature I couldn’t shake. The
heightened emotions that attack you in waves during your teens can be daunting
and upsetting. Yet this chapter soothes such feelings, and places the world in
perspective.
Then, a startling revelation:
“The noble Prophet of God, Muhammad defined youth as the time up to one’s fortieth year.”
When you look back on years of lost youth with a pang of regret, know that you have a
lot more time than you think. The vitality that sparks our youthful years lasts
longer than just our teens and twenties. The sooner we accept and understand
that, the sooner we can make use of this vitality.
“Sometimes I wish I could just fly away from all the inspection, questions and suspicion.”
Reading this actually made me smile; during those stormy teen years, I actually wrote a poem called “Fly Away”. It
perished, like many of my other poems from those dark times. Though now I feel
I should have kept them. It is good to remember the thoughts and emotions we
had back then in order to empathise with the struggles faced by our children.
What I loved about the Eternal
Sources section of this chapter is that they contained not just comfort,
but advice and suggestions. It guides the reader to choose the type of character
they want to nurture within themselves.
What better character to model yourself on than that of Asma
Bint Abu Bakr? Her story in the final section of this chapter was
inspirational, whichever way you looked at it. What struck me with
this beautifully written section, is that Asma’s pregnancy is mentioned. Being a mother, I know how
hard those last couple of months are. I couldn't walk to the kitchen, never
mind across a desert! The very fact that this story has been included in the chapter
on Youth, shows that you don’t have to be single with no dependants to make use
of your youth. In society, becoming a parent is seen as a removal of opportunities.
Asma proved that wrong. I only pray we all remember her.
“Our Sustainer! Perfect our light for us and forgive our sins, for indeed You have power over all things.” [Surah Al-Tahrim, 66:8]
