By Zee Aslam
The door slammed open to reveal a heart-touching moment of a mother struggling to discover her breath as she aimed to bring another life into the world. The birth of a baby is one of the world’s most wondrous and hazardous moments.
Childbirth is a challenge, but it is undoubtedly one of life’s most rewarding events. As painful and fearsome as it may seem, the mother has this wonderful emotion overwhelming her as she awaits the arrival of her bundle of joy.
Being a mother comes with lots of sacrifices. Your body figure will be altered, re-moulded, and your brain becomes addled as you are being re-programmed right from the womb swelling with pride down to experiencing the pain of labour.
Pregnancy is exciting and scary all at the same time. Some days feel like a breeze, while others are just plain hard. However, the long nights with no sleep and mood swings are all worth it.
Despite all the doctors, nurses, and loved ones in the room during childbirth, it is all about you, your body, and your child. It’s an incredible experience. It’s like uncovering a superpower you never realised you had.
As she gasped for air while pushing out the baby, she looked around her and reminisced on the decision she took months back, which she never regretted once but still harboured doubts and fears. “What would become of this baby?” She asked herself.
The cry of her little one signalled the beginning of a new life. She looked keenly as the nurse cleaned up her baby and placed him on her, wrapped in boundless passion.
The aftermath of her decision just began. At night and when the hospital staff were distracted by an emergency, she stealthily sneaked out and walked miles away to a place where an orphanage was situated before dropping off the baby at the foot of a gate and then knocking at it.
An elderly woman came out and was attracted to the baby’s cries. She stood halfway, staring at the innocent boy before she reduced her height and picked him up inside. The mother watching from afar, only wiped off tears as they streamed down her face. “That was the best she could do for her baby”.
She travelled down memory lane to the path where some unknown men abducted, defiled and abused her. Then she thought she only paid the price of being an orphan roaming on the street, but now she knows better.
Her life took a new turn and brought her to face its realities, she has just given away her soul and a piece of her heart to a total stranger, but she rests assured that her boy will grow up amidst other kids and be a better person.
She calmly dragged her feet out of that street to what she called home and picked up the remnant from her shattered life, yearning to stitch them back together.
If she could turn back the hands of time, she would.
But since it’s beyond her control, she will only move on with her life and keep praying for the best to unfold into a piece.