Libre Magazine

Look for the opportunity and learn to take advantage of it when it comes your way.

I still cannot forget that one sunny afternoon in July of last summer when I was driving down my neighbourhood street trying to rush to work, when I could not help but notice an elderly man holding his cane and walking down the center of the street at an extremely slow pace. I found it to be a bit odd and the first thought that came to mind was why he was walking all alone at that time.

All of a sudden I realized I had no choice but to step on the brakes when the man started waving his cane up in the air, in efforts to grab my attention. As I slowed down my car to find out what the trouble was, the frail man was already helping himself into the passenger seat beside me. I was rather surprised at this gesture of his however I could not help but laugh to myself at the same time. The first thought that came into my mind was that, isn’t this man afraid of what could happen to him just in case the wrong type of person picks him up or tries to hurt him. I was actually scared for him when such thoughts crossed my mind.

After he got into the car and closed the door behind him, he just smiled and asked politely if I could drop him to the mosque that was not even 5 minutes away from where I picked him up. Although the situation was strange the way it happened however I don’t think I could have gotten a better or easier opportunity to be able to assist an elderly person out this way. I would think that I was just lucky at that time. As they say, there is a time and place for everything and I do believe that.

As I was driving down the road, the man was trying to tell me that he was 91 years old however it was rather difficult to comprehend what he was trying to tell me but I managed to figure out that he was talking about his age and how he kept saying, ” I am 9 and 1 years old. I thought it was so cute the way he was trying to explain himself thoroughly just so that I understood. Then he smiled again. I must add that I would have to give him a full 10 marks for effort. I mean even at his age he seemed very alive at heart which was truly wonderful.

Then as we pulled up to the mosque, he looked at me and pulled out 4 hard candies from his pocket and asked me if I had kids. I could not help but smile back as I took them from his hand and said yes I do, thank you so much. While trying to get himself out of the car he kept looking in my direction whilst thanking me over and over again and repeatedly saying, ” May God bless you. May God give you everything that you desire and ever hope for. May God give you and your family a happy and prosperous life today and always.” I must say that, that day was the most rewarding day of my life only because it was something I was capable of doing and God granted me that special opportunity to take advantage of and it was a feeling like no other. Now if my day at work would have been a bad one, then at least this incident at the start of my day would have cheered me right up in an instance.

Remember that being good and doing good upon others doesn’t cost much at all and if you have been struck with such an opportunity then just go for it. Even if no one is watching, at least God is and you will be rewarded for that in some form or another. That’s what I believe.