Little Blessings That We Take for Granted

Assalam alykom:

There are two incidents that have happened to my family that have really made me think about the little blessings we take for granted. Many of these bounties we do not even recognize in our lives.

When asked about the importance of your senses, most will respond that they are grateful to God for their ability to see or hear. We may even thank Allah everyday for these two bounties. But, have you ever thought about your sense of smell or your sense of taste. Many of us may never once thanked God for these bounties. Last month, my Uncle took an over the counter natural medicine for a cold. It is called Zicam, and it is a nasal spray to help clear your sinuses. He sprayed the medicine one time and has never smelled or tasted again. If he drinks a glass of water or a glass of perfume, there is no difference. If he eats a steak or a piece of bark on a tree, there is no difference. Allah has definitely made tasting and smelling a joy in this life. Just to be able to wake up and smell and taste a delicious cup of coffee in the morning is a great bounty from Allah. For my uncle, it is just hot brown water with no taste or smell. For my uncle, the doctors say that this is permanent. Therefore, thank Allah today for your ability to smell, taste, and enjoy the bounty of food and drink.

Another incident that happened was with my grandmother. She suffered a small stroke. With this stroke, she lost her ability to transmit information and some of her ability to process it. In other wards she can think what she wants to say, but she has an extremely difficult time telling it to me. She cannot write it either because it takes the same memory ability to transmit it. She no longer can drive, and she cannot dial a phone or even use the remote for the T.V., without a struggle. She no longer can remember how to crochet or knit, do crossword puzzles or even read the newspaper. I understand that she is 78 and that she is elderly, but only a few days ago she was driving, crocheting, knitting, and reading. Therefore, we should thank Allah tremendously for His bounties upon us. Maybe tomorrow one of them or all of them could be gone.