Pearl
The
cheerful
little
girl
with
bouncy
golden
curls
was
almost
five.
Waiting
with
her
mother
at
the
checkout
stand,
she
saw
them,
a
circle
of
glistening
white
pearls
in
a
pink
foil
box.
"Oh
please,
Mommy.
Can
I
have
them?
Please,
Mommy,
please?"
Quickly
the
mother
checked
the
back
of
the
little
foil
box
and
then
looked
back
into
the
pleading
blue
eyes
of
her
little
girl's
upturned
face.
"A
dollar
ninety-five.
That's
almost
$2.00.
If
you
really
want
them,
I'll
think
of
some
extra
chores
for
you
and
in
no
time
you
can
save
enough
money
to
buy
them
for
yourself.
Your
birthday's
only
a
week
away
and
you
might
get
another
crisp
dollar
bill
from
Grandma."
As
soon
as
Aisha
got
home,
she
emptied
her
penny
bank
and
counted
out
17
pennies.
After
dinner,
she
did
more
than
her
share
of
chores
and
she
went
to
the
neighbour
and
asked
Aunty
Jamshed
if
she
could
pick
dandelions
for
ten
cents.
On
her
birthday,
Grandma
did
give
her
another
new
dollar
bill
and
at
last
she
had
enough
money
to
buy
the
necklace.
Aisha
loved
her
pearls.
They
made
her
feel
dressed
up
and
grown
up.
She
wore
them
everywhere,
Sunday
madressa
classes,
kindergarten,
even
to
bed.
The
only
time
she
took
them
off
was
when
she
went
swimming
or
had
a
bubble
bath.
Mother
said
if
they
got
wet,
they
might
turn
her
neck
green.
Aisha
had
a
very
loving
daddy
and
every
night
when
she
was
ready
for
bed,
he
would
stop
whatever
he
was
doing
and
come
upstairs
to
read
her
a
story
from
the
Quraan.
One
night
as
he
finished
the
story,
he
asked
Aisha
,
"Do
you
love
me?"
"Oh
yes,
daddy.
You
know
that
I
love
you."
"Then
give
me
your
pearls."
"Oh,
daddy,
not
my
pearls.
But
you
can
have
Princess,
the
white
horse
from
my
collection,
the
one
with
the
pink
tail.
Remember,
daddy?
The
one
you
gave
me.
She's
my
very
favourite."
"That's
okay,
Aisha,
daddy
loves
you.
Allah-hafez."
And
he
brushed
her
cheek
with
a
kiss.
About
a
week
later,
after
the
story
time,
Aisha's
daddy
asked
again,
"Do
you
love
me?"
"Daddy,
you
know
I
love
you."
"Then
give
me
your
pearls."
"Oh
Daddy,
not
my
pearls.
But
you
can
have
my
baby
doll.
The
brand
new
one
I
got
for
my
birthday.
She
is
beautiful
and
you
can
have
the
yellow
blanket
that
matches
her
sleeper.
"That's
okay.
Sleep
well.
May
Allah
bless
you
&
protect
you,
Aisha.
Daddy
loves
you."
And
as
always,
he
brushed
her
cheek
with
a
gentle
kiss.
A
few
nights
later
when
her
daddy
came
in,
Aisha
was
sitting
on
her
bed
with
her
legs
crossed
Indian-style.
As
he
came
close,
he
noticed
her
chin
was
trembling
and
one
silent
tear
rolled
down
her
cheek.
"What
is
it,
Aisha?
What's
the
matter?"
Aisha
didn't
say
anything
but
lifted
her
little
hand
up
to
her
daddy.
And
when
she
opened
it,
there
was
her
little
pearl
necklace.
With
a
little
quiver,
she
finally
said,
"Here,
daddy,
this
is
for
you."
With
tears
gathering
in
his
own
eyes,
Aisha's
daddy
reached
out
with
one
hand
to
take
the
cheap
necklace,
and
with
the
other
hand
he
reached
into
his
pocket
and
pulled
out
a
blue
velvet
case
with
a
strand
of
genuine
pearls
and
gave
them
to
Aisha.
He
had
them
all
the
time.
He
was
just
waiting
for
her
to
give
up
the
cheap
stuff
so
he
could
give
her
the
genuine
treasure.
So
it
is
with
our
Allah
Almighty.
He
is
waiting
for
us
to
give
up
the
cheap
things
in
our
lives
so
that
he
can
give
us
beautiful
treasures.
Isn't
Allah
great?
Are
you
holding
onto
things
that
Allah
wants
you
to
let
go
of?
Are
you
holding
on
to
harmful
or
unnecessary
partners,
relationships,
habits
and
activities
that
you
have
come
so
attached
to
that
it
seems
impossible
to
let
go?
Sometimes
it
is
so
hard
to
see
what
is
in
the
other
hand
but
do
believe
this
one
thing
...
.......Allah
will
never
take
away
something
without
giving
you
something
better
in
its
place.
The
greatest
gifts
happen
when
you
share
love
and
touch
others'
hearts!