“ Once upon a time there was a guy name maje, he worked hard and tried his best to provide for his family. As he grew up, he worked hard and one day a strange thing happen to him,
While walking back home, he found a magical lamp and upon rubbing it a genie came out.
“do I get 3 wishes?” asked Maje “No”said the genie, “you are to prove to me of your worth and the rewards shall be yours.” “tell me what is it that you wish?” asked the genie.
“A Happy life, with no shortages at all” answers Maje.
“Fine” Said the genie “Remember, you must not steal from the fruit bowl as it is for me” added the genie. “Although I may not be around, believe me when I tell you that I would know”
“Yes I swear by it” answer Maje.
“Go now and sleep for the night, and when you wake. You fortunes will change” says the genie.
After a good night sleep, Maje woke up fresh and eager, and suddenly all his touch turned to gold. He met Sari and they wed to be blessed with 4 children in 7 years. One Sunday morning, Maje accidently ate a grape from the genie’s bowl, he was fearful at first then it tasted so good that he said to him self” aa its only 1 grape a day, what harm could that be?” and every day, the 1 grape became two and later became three. He getting addicted to the grapes of the bowl.
One morning, Maje awoke with a start. For on his bedside, was the genie sitting beside him.
“I had asked you not to eat from the bowl but you disobeyed me. Your fortunes has changed this past 9 years., why Maje?” asked the genie.
“Everyman must be able to change no?cant we share the grapes?there is more than enough for the both of us.”says Maje
“No Maje, it is the principle of the matter, not the grapes, for your actions has shown your true heart and for that you shall have to answer. Although all this, your wife and children has been very kind to me and because of them I shall forgive you for your actions. Now, promise me that you will not eat from the bowl again.” Says the genie.
“yes! Yes! “answers Maji.
Although he had promise, Maje found himself unable to keep his promise, as he ate the grape, the genie appeared. “Why Maje?for this I wll take away that is very dear from you”
“Why cant we share it o Genie?”
“There is no compromise Maje, rules and responsibility are bound by god for a reason. Choose now”
Even posed with the question Maje, still had hope in his heart of heart that he could find away to have the grape and yet still keep what he had. What he didn’t know that the genie knew of this and with gesture, Maje was left on the streets, with the magical bowl of grapes but yet he lost his family. No matter how hard he tried to communicate with them, they would not be able to hear him and just walk pass him.
“Its is call the glass of life Maje, you can now eat the grapes to your heart’s content but your family shall never be able to see you or hear you. And though you can see them but that is the only thing you are able to do. For do not blame me, Maje, for the choice that brought you here was in your hand all the while and this is the choice that you made.” Said the genie as he disappeared into a puff of smoke.
Maje, just looked at his son’s wedding and heard how they had wish he was around to be there. He cried and cried but alas it was too late, the choice had already been made.”
-There is no such thing as no choice, we as humans are blessed with the power of thought and we are able to change our mind and our self, it is the choices we make that defines who we are. No matter you can be a drug addict but you always have a choice to either light the pipe or go home and face the music and stay on the right path, after all God had already been kind enough to provide us with the guide to happiness in life and death, Al-Quran. Therefore, when life blows its storm to you and you find all the shutters close, take a moment and find the silver lining and remember, the choice is always yours. Be forewarned though, there is nothing easy in this world and the greatest treasures in the world, would require nothing less than the greatest sacrifice and hardest of choices.
Peace.
