Rehana-A Poor Girl

There was little girl, Rehana who lived with her family in a village. They were poor. They used to work in the fields and catch fish from the pond in the village. Every day they ate fish and rice only. They did not have enough money to buy sweets or any other costly eatables. Only on festive occasion they managed to buy little of sweets and other things. Rehana hardly had any toys. She had only a doll which her mother made from old clothes.

Rehana’s friend name was Fatima who lived in her neighbor. Both were of same age. Both played together and sometime made stories of adventure, in which they reach a place of jewels to bring home to make their parents rich. They thought that if they were rich, they would be able to buy different tasty food and nice clothes.

One year drought affected the area. Everyone had their stock of rice in sacks, kept safely away from rats and dried salted fish was hung high near the ceiling. Her mother was worried that there would not be enough food to last this drought. Soon fish was used up and most of the meals were made from rice alone. Rehana complained to her mother that she did not like to eat rice without fish.

Rehana’s mother came and sat beside her and said, “We must be grateful that we have rice to eat. Some people have no fish and no rice at all. How do you think they feel? They must be very hungry. We must be happy and grateful to God because we are not hungry.”

Rehana replied, “But I am tired of rice”.

Rehana’s mother said “We must learn not to complain about things that cannot be changed. We will just feel bad and make others unhappy too. We must learn to smile about your plain rice too.”

Rehana was little upset and went to Fatima’s house to play. There she heard Fatima’s family conversation that they end up with rice and fish. Then she realized that she should be happy that they have at least rice to eat. Rehana shared what she saw at hers friend house with her mother. Rehana mother invited their neighbor to share their rice until drought is over. Rehana never complained again.

Moral: We should not complain or grumble about the things we do not have, instead we should be grateful to God for everything we have.