By Ayeshah Yusuf| Grade 5-Lily
What would you do if one tiny announcement crushed your moment of happiness?
Now let me share my story. Picture this: You’re at your aunt’s house. It’s the 19th day of Ramadan. Aftari time nearing. And your brain is busy with beautiful thoughts—the next day’s football match, messing around with friends, finally escaping the boredom of home.
Then your mother opens your Google Classroom.
And the world stops!
“Online classes till 31st March.”
ONLINE CLASSES!! TILL 31st!!
I stared at the screen like it had betrayed me. All my plans…ruined! That football match? Gone! Messing around with friends? Evaporated! I would have to wait a century before seeing them again! A CENTURY!!!
And the worst part? Everyone around me was still enjoying Aftari like nothing had happened. There I was, chewing my food angrily, imagining my poor football lying alone in some corner, wondering why I had abandoned it.
The thought of online classes blemished everything. I tried to forget it, but how do you forget something so terrible? It’s like trying to forget you have homework. Impossible!
Then my brain screamed: THE LIBRARY!
I love the library more than I love chocolate. And that’s saying something. I need at least three novels every week. Minimum. Even if it means re-reading one I’ve finished a hundred times. But at home? I’ve read everything so many times, the books are probably tired of me. I need something new! Is that too much to ask?
The only thing worth a shot in online classes? I can draw while waiting. That’s it. One tiny good thing. Everything else? Doom and gloom.
No art lessons.
No music lessons.
No assemblies.
No football.
No messing around with friends.
No nothing!!!
I felt super-disappointed. Imagine having no activities! It was like a shadow of boredom had followed me home and decided to settle on my head forever. Six hours of class used to pass quickly. Now? Six hours would feel like six thousand years.
And here’s the real tragedy: I knew I wouldn’t get allowed to play sports at home. So it wasn’t just one match erased—it was SPORTS erased. The only match I could have played. My football career, ruined before it even began.
I didn’t know what to do or say about it all. So I did the only thing I could.
I made a dua.A very specific dua.
Please let school open. I mean face-to-face classes. And if not—please, somehow, let a book find its way into this house. A novel. Skulduggery Pleasant at best. I’m not asking for much, just a small miracle.
I wouldn’t mind so much if I had a book at least. But I would still mind, because I love school. Yes, even more than holidays. I know. Shocking!
So here’s my question to you: What would you do if you were in this scenario? The same one? A similar one?
Whatever you do, remember—nobody can change these things. But you can always ask. Ask Allah for whatever you want.
Even Skulduggery Pleasant!
Especially Skulduggery Pleasant!