Love is a Wound

The sun is starting to rise. The bright morning sun spreads its greetings to the whole world, accompanying every footstep in the world in an effort to pick up sustenance and seek the pleasure of the Divine Rabbi.

The girl who was still wearing her pink pajamas squirmed on her bed. Feeling disturbed by the loud chime of the alarm clock beside her. Her hand fumbled for the clock on the table.

She squinted her eyes and rubbed them a few times. She widened her eyes at the hands of the clock that were now pointing to 05. She pulled the blanket over her and quickly grabbed her pink towel.

Before that, the girl took the time to pray for her good fortune today. Living the days of life is certainly not always good. Sometimes we experience good fortune, and sometimes bad. Such is the fate that has been determined by Allah.

'O Allah, verily I ask You for goodness, mercy, help, light, blessings, and guidance on this day. O Allah, verily I ask You for the good of this day, the good of what is in it, the good of the day before, and the good of the day after. And I seek refuge with You from the evil of this day, the evil of what is in it, the evil of the day before it, and the evil of the day after it.'

After finishing, Alina ran towards the bathroom and quickly got in there. It was only fifteen minutes that the girl spent.

Her feet seemed to be hurrying down the stairs, then stepped into the bathroom located at the side of the kitchen.

The girl picked up various dirty clothes, separating which ones would be washed by hand and which ones would be machine washed. Most of the clothes that were washed by hand were the clothes of her mother and cousin. Actually, these clothes could have been machine washed, but because her mother didn't want to be machine washed, she had to wash them all by hand.

While waiting for the clothes in the washing machine, the girl washed the other clothes with her hands, a little hurriedly. She occasionally glanced at the clock on her hand.

The girl wiped the sweat on her forehead, she sighed after the clothes had been dried in a timely manner, her feet stepped back towards the kitchen, preparing food for her mother and uncle.

Today, Alina will prepare a simple meal as usual, which is just fried tempeh with fried rice, because she thinks it doesn't take long to make.

Instantly Alina grimaced at something that had to be taken out immediately, her hand put the salt a little out of focus, before running to the bathroom, she turned off the stove first, then went to the bathroom. After releasing her desire, Alina resumed cooking, then put it on a plate.

At the sound of the door opening, Alina turned her gaze upon Mother and Uncle. She smiled, but was only met with a glare from both of them. Mother-Sarah and Uncle-Budiman's response never changed.

Alina lived with her mother's older sister. When her parents passed away, she was left with her mother and uncle. At the time she was sixteen years old, her parents only gave her a house certificate and a little savings for her daily life, of course it was still not enough, and Alina chose to work to support herself because her Mother and Uncle never gave her any money.

"How did you cook?" Mother-Sarah's flat question

"Already Mother," Alina said gently.

"Watch out if it's not good, don't eat it tonight," Uncle-Budiman said sharply.

"Yes Uncle," Alina still said softly, it must be like that right, respecting her parents who had taken care of her from adolescence, even though they were not her biological parents.

Suddenly there was a shout from above. The girl was the daughter of Mother and Uncle, so it could be said that the girl who was the same age as her was her cousin. "Eh you, have you organized my college books yet?"

"Already Bill," There was a nod from the girl.

"Good!" Then Sabilla went back into her room.

"ALINA, WHAT IS THIS FOOD?"

Alina was startled to hear Mother's voice yelling at her. "Na-si fried Bun--," Alina said nervously.

"Fried rice you say, you want to make me die huh!"

"No ma'am," Her hands trembled, bowing her head in fear.

"Come here!" Alina walked a little closer to Mother, fear in her heart.

"Eat!" Mother Sarah gripped her jaw firmly, forcing the food into her mouth, Alina coughed. There was a salty taste on her tongue, probably because she had mixed it with too much salt.

"This is what you call food huh, damn girl," snapped Mother Sarah, then gave her chin a rough shake.

Alina cried and ran to the bathroom. Spit the food into the sink. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. It had always been like this, accepting all the treatment from Mother and Uncle who were always rude to her, but Alina could not complain, she had to remain grateful for still having both parents. Accepting all the destiny that Allah has given her. Alina wiped the remaining water from her lips and glanced at the clock. Alina couldn't be late because it was her first day at work.

Alina walked out of the house, ignoring Mother's shouts calling her name as she carried the flat shoes that were soon on her clothes. Her feet stepped closer to the bus stop where she usually went to work, while waiting for the bus to arrive, Alina chose to sit next to the wall, leaning her shoulder against it with her lips repeating the verses she had memorized yesterday at dawn. Three verses of surah Luqman.

Allah Almighty says:

'This is the creation of Allah, so show me what (your gods) have created besides Allah. Verily, the wrongdoers are in manifest error.

(QS. Luqman 31: Verse 11)

'And indeed, We have given wisdom to Luqman, namely, Give thanks to Allah; and whoever gives thanks (to Allah), then indeed he gives thanks for himself; and whoever does not give thanks (disbelieves), then indeed Allah is All-Rich, All-Praised.'

(QS. Luqman 31: Verse 12)

'And (remember) when Luqman said to his son, when he was instructing him, O my son, do not associate partners with Allah; indeed, associating partners with Allah is a great injustice.'

(QS. Luqman 31: Verse 13)

The verse he had just read, made his heart flinch, being grateful should be like that. Be grateful for what you have, because gratitude is beautiful!

Gratitude, a simple word but one that has tremendous meaning and impact. Gratitude according to language is a trait that is full of kindness and a sense of honor and exaltation for all His blessings, whether expressed verbally, strengthened with the heart or carried out through actions. Gratitude makes life feel beautiful, makes a little feel enough, turns what we have into more valuable, turns the problems we face into valuable wisdom.

What is it that prevents us from being grateful?

Indeed, humans never seem to be able to be grateful for what they have and what they are experiencing. The rich will feel still poor, the poor never feel rich. Human desires never have a limit. Always want to get something more than what he already has. But how can we get greater things if we are not grateful for what we have now? Everything can only start with what we have now and being grateful for it.

Seeing the Transkotaraja Bus that had stopped in front of her, Alina immediately got on, but before that Alina took the time to recite the driving prayer.

After sitting on the passenger seat, which was already occupied by two women who seemed to be going to the market, because both women were carrying shopping baskets made of wicker.

The air-conditioning in the bus made her heart feel good again. Alina closed her eyes enjoying the sensation of comfort in her heart.

"Where are you studying, Dek?" One of the mothers on the bus asked. Successfully making Alina open her eyes again.

"I didn't go to college Buk," Alina said in a low tone, saddened to be asked like that, she really wanted to go to college like her neighbors too, but her economy did not support it. If she asks Mother and Uncle, they will definitely not allow it.

"I thought you were in college, because you still look young," she replied with a smile.

"I'm still relatively young Buk, still 20 years old," Alina said with an unfading smile. The mother was happy to chat with the soft-spoken Alina.

"Oh the same as my son, but he is now studying at Unsyiah," said the mother in a proud tone.

Alina could only smile in response to the mother's story who was now proud of her son. Who doesn't know the university, one of the best universities in Banda Aceh.

Without asking the bus driver to stop. The bus had already stopped, according to the stop that met it first. Alina said goodbye to the woman who had been chatting with her. Alina also said thank you to the bus driver without giving money, because this bus was free for all passengers.

It took her 100 meters to walk to her workplace. Every step of the way, Alina ceaselessly prayed to Allah for forgiveness. Because not only does it forgive sins, but it will also increase sustenance and grant prayers. Indeed, Allah loves His servants who ask for forgiveness.