Shaping Appreciation

Written by: Kazima

You cannot appreciate the brilliance of the sun until you value the darkness of the clouds.

One of my first interviews, fresh out of graduate school, was at a highly established private practice. I had walked in, butterflies in my stomach not knowing what to expect but ready to land my first job as an official Speech Pathologist. The woman who interviewed me, the owner of the practice, was blonde, middle aged, and a smile plastered on her face.

As soon as her eyes landed on my head and her expression changed, I knew what was to follow.

We sat. She asked me a couple of vague questions while her eyes continuously grazing my hijab. And then it came in a thick, condescending tone, “Do you always wear that?”

I stared, teeth clenched, trying with all my might to compose myself and attempted to answer in the calmest way possible, “Yes. I do wear this every day.”

And that was it. She asked one more question out of formality and sent me on my way.

That was the shortest interview I had ever had in my life- 7 minutes to be exact. But those short 7 minutes taught me one of the biggest lessons in life. Those 7 minutes showed me God’s mercy. It proved to me that although I may have failed at the test of this world, I had passed Allah’s test and that was all I needed to succeed. Those 7 minutes taught me that I can plan all I want but my life was to be lived on His terms and according to His plan.

Sure enough, shortly after, Allah’s blessings surrounded me as the rose buds that bloom after a spring shower. I landed a position that was perfect for me in every way possible. The smallest details of my life that I had not even thought of fit so perfectly, like pieces of a puzzle.

Often times, we resent our luck, our life, and sometimes even God for our setbacks. While in hindsight, it is these moments of darkness that allow us to appreciate every ray of sunlight that comes our way.