Wet market, 4am
Friday, April 13, 2007
THAT day I went to the wet market with my sister at 4am in the morning. An old man, with his wife, around their sixties were pushing a cart loaded with vegetables. I walked up to them and asked if the vegetables were for sale.
"Yes, my dear," the wife answered with a smile.
With the intention so that this couple could profit faster and got to go home earlier, I decided to make a bulk purchase. After choosing, I paid up and started chatting with them.
Fifteen minutes into the conversation, I learnt that their children are all grown up, highly educated and very successful too.
If they have successful children, why did they have to still labour at such an old age? Are they abandoned parents? Where are their children? As if he could read the stream of questions in my head, the old man said to me, "You know dear, me and my wife grow our own vegetables and sell them here at this wet market since our younger days."
That was how they managed to send the children to school and college. They never became rich, but had enough for everyone. Every morsel of food going into the children's mouths was earned from this vegetable business.
"Now, even though we are living a good life from the money sent by our children, we feel that, as long as we can earn an honest living ourselves, we should keep on working. It's good for us, recommended by Islam and plus, we needed the exercise too," he told me and chuckled.
I was stunned. This old couple actually had no reason to continue working? Their children are providing everything for them!
When I asked him how long is he planning to work, he said cheerfully, "Till the day I stop breathing dear, till the day Allah takes my ability to work away." They are so proud of what they do and refuse to receive hand-me-downs despite having legal rights to do so. Subhanallaah.
The Brunei Times
"Yes, my dear," the wife answered with a smile.
With the intention so that this couple could profit faster and got to go home earlier, I decided to make a bulk purchase. After choosing, I paid up and started chatting with them.
Fifteen minutes into the conversation, I learnt that their children are all grown up, highly educated and very successful too.
If they have successful children, why did they have to still labour at such an old age? Are they abandoned parents? Where are their children? As if he could read the stream of questions in my head, the old man said to me, "You know dear, me and my wife grow our own vegetables and sell them here at this wet market since our younger days."
That was how they managed to send the children to school and college. They never became rich, but had enough for everyone. Every morsel of food going into the children's mouths was earned from this vegetable business.
"Now, even though we are living a good life from the money sent by our children, we feel that, as long as we can earn an honest living ourselves, we should keep on working. It's good for us, recommended by Islam and plus, we needed the exercise too," he told me and chuckled.
I was stunned. This old couple actually had no reason to continue working? Their children are providing everything for them!
When I asked him how long is he planning to work, he said cheerfully, "Till the day I stop breathing dear, till the day Allah takes my ability to work away." They are so proud of what they do and refuse to receive hand-me-downs despite having legal rights to do so. Subhanallaah.
The Brunei Times
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