Eka only recently found out that, years ago before she got married, someone in the family had once made a remark to her mother:
“Why hasn’t Eka shown any signs of getting married yet? She’s almost 30. What if she’s been bewitched by her ex—the one from the same clan? You should be careful.”
Her mother simply replied, holding back her feelings:
“Just pray for her…”
At that time, Eka had just broken up with her ex, a relationship she had taken very seriously and almost led to marriage. But God had other plans.
Time passed, and Eka was introduced to someone far beyond anyone’s expectations. He wasn’t Indonesian, but Alhamdulillah he was Muslim, successful, caring, and most importantly—genuinely kind to her and her family. It felt like her mother’s prayers were answered in a far more beautiful way than the bitter words once spoken.
Yet, not everyone welcomed her happiness. The relative who had made that harsh remark never showed any joy from the day Eka got engaged, married, until she had her baby. Unlike other relatives who sincerely congratulated and prayed for her, this one kept silent.
Even when Eka returned to Indonesia, there was no small talk, no effort to meet up. Eka could only wonder silently:
“What did I ever do to you, Auntie? Back then, when your husband was still starting out, it was my parents who helped him. Astaghfirullah… may Allah protect my heart from resentment.”
In the end, Eka realized—not everyone is capable of celebrating our happiness. But as long as her mother’s prayers were with her, and her little family walked under God’s blessing, that was more than enough.
Photo by Jeremy Yap on Unsplash
