Being a father in the 22nd century
Being a father in the 22nd century
I remember the day when I and my wife found out that we were going to have a baby,
Ecstatic doesn't even come close to explaining it, we both loved to have children and now after three months of marriage we were blessed with the news of having a baby.
Then began the whole ordeal of checkups and visits to the doctors and the specialists and so on and so forth. I had wanted a girl and in the 5th month of the pregnancy my prayers came true when we found out that it was going to be a girl.
But my wife had certain complications with her pregnancy. As any doctor would tell you that, each pregnancy is different from person to person and so was my wife's. The trials and tribulations of the pregnancy finally ended on the 8th of February 2008. My darling Khadija was born in a normal delivery – Alhamdulillah.
Although she was born underweight and weak due to the complications my wife faced with her pregnancy, Khadija quickly gained strength and today she is a healthy toddler thanks to God. Coming home has never been so delightful, especially when your child awaits your return and the mere sight of yours is enough to set a smile on his or her face.
But why am I writing this and why did I name the topic so. Well, all the love that your child gives you comes with a very heavy-heavy price. Once becoming a father you are entrusted with the responsibility of being a role model and the mason who shapes the character of that child. So I question myself each day for the actions that I take and assess how they will affect my child's future and her behavior.
The world we live in is going to the dogs and I mean that literally. Where might is right and compassion is only for the ones who belong to those elite few having the might in the first place. If my child has to grow up in this world she has to know how to deal with the scenes surrounding her. And unfortunately I am entrusted with the responsibility of teaching her. Now how do I go about it?
Well truthfully speaking I don’t know. But one thing I do know is that I cannot live a happy life, pretending that the harm being done to my fellow human beings is none of my business and turn a blind eye to my brothers' sorrow. And the reason for acting so wouldn’t be my personal guilt but rather my responsibility towards my baby girl.
Compassion, empathy, sympathy will be mere words to her unless, she knows how one behaves when one feels them. I believe that my lord will ask me for the standards that I set up for my flock, and I will try my best to do whatever I can to shape a better human being who is responsible and also accountable for her actions. Whether I fail or pass is for my lord to decide.
All I want to pass on to you all is to do something in your own way to stop the violence which you see in front of you, no matter wherever you may ever live in this world. If not for your children, then at least for my children. I know I am being selfish but I can't help it – I am after all Human.
