Inspired

Tonite, after maghrib, as usual Irfan had his choice of dua.
Tonite, he made dua for Japan. Again, it was a pleasant surprise for me.

He said, "Oh Allah, please protect Japan from earthquake. Protect all the children and their mummies.
If their mummies and daddies died from it, please do not make them sad anymore."
Yes, amin to that...

On another note, I was looking at my past entires in this blog and i saw how my kids grew in this blog. I started writing when I was single and now with 2 kids, this blog captured all the important milestones in my life. I wrote about happy moments, challenging ones, deaths, births, struggles and discoveries. Im glad I put in pictures and saw how irfan actually grew from a tiny baby, to a curious toddler and now a 6 year old boy. Im glad I captured those moments here because my forgetful mind cannot remember everything anymore. But I also realise that as much as I have grown, I might have been 'stagnant' in some areas of my life. I think I better buck up coz I am not getting any younger!

Speaking of kids and struggles, I am totally inspired by my cousin who has 5 kids and now on the way to becoming a vp. Her husband is also teaching and I can imagine all the juggling they have to do. Fortunate for them, their parents are extremely supportive and take turns to take care of their kids. But I know that having a support network does not solve all your problems.

Her kids are smart, well mannered and more importantly, brought up to be good muslims and muslimahs. My cousin and her husband, amidst their busy schedules, always emphasise discipline and importance of duniawi and ukhriawi to their kids. And I can see how beautiful their children are growing up to be.

This is a totally foreign concept to me. I thought more time with the kids is important for them to be wonderful individuals? I thought to spend more time with the kids, we have no choice but to reduce work time?

Which leads me to think that it might be possible to excel in different aspects of your life. You CAN be an excellent parent AND an excellent worker AND an excellent muslimah who raises children who are excellent muslims themselves. Maybe it's not either or, maybe it's not mutually exclusive, maybe we don't have to choose.

But how? I am already struggling with 2 kids and work, and constantly finding the time to develop myself in other less wordly areas. How did she do it?

I might have an inkling as to how. But Im not sure Im capable of it, though. I guess a it takes a disciplined individual, with a passion to put their best in whatever they do and at the same time have trust in HIM that he will guide them through everything. Isn't that the qualities of a good muslimah? Im sure we have read about many stories of examplary muslims who had to juggle many responsibilites and yet  excel in every single aspect.

My cousin is also probably an effective leader. And so she can be an effective leader anywhere, at home, at work and one who leads her kids to the correct direction. BEing an effective leader would probably make all these tasks easier and hence less complains and negative perceptions. She must have understood something that I am still trying to understand and practice. I think the fact that she is capable of all this has a lot to do with her possessing characteristics of an examplary muslimah herself. Or at least she is trying to be, and moving towards the right direction.

Her children has a wonderful role model to look up to, and that is half the battle won.

I have much to learn but I am glad to start with this inspiration.