Nesting Swans

Early this week, we had our first ever Muslim homeschoolers gathering. We made it to the park after much mental wrestling on my part on traveling with five kids on bus and train. 

It was spiritually refreshing to be among young, knowledgeable, energetic mums (and more senior feisty ladies who dared go against the tide when few would). It was also not something I had imagined happening when I first decided to homeschool.

In the midst of the picnic, my second, Umayr came to me: 

Ummi, just now I saw one of the swans trying to bring its egg to the water. 
Halfway, it broke into what looked like scrambled eggs. 

Oh, my!
But before I could respond any further, he ran off to continue his soccer game. 

At the end of the picnic, when most of the mums and kids were gone, Umayr related to me a more detailed version of what happened. 

Ummi, actually (a kid) was throwing stones into the pond and the swan was trying to save its eggs. When it was trying to bring it to the water, the egg broke and became like scrambled eggs. It went back to the nest and looked like it was counting all the eggs with its beak and then... it let out a painful squeal.

It was only two days later, when I had time to reflect on what Umayr said to me, did I realise the painful scene he witnessed and how, in how he described what he saw, he deeply felt what had unravelled before him. 

Deep down, in all his macho-ness, Umayr sometimes reveal, in not so direct ways, how sensitive and reflective he is of the world. May he always be in touch with this 'concealed' side of him and May Allah guide him to always be righteous.