Adam waited outside his classroom door. Tick-tock, tick-tock. He glanced up at the clock – it was only three minutes since he last checked the time. His mom was in a meeting with his class teacher and it seemed like they’d been talking for hours!
Each time he got his semester report card, he and his mom went out to celebrate with frozen yogurt. He loved mixing in all the different flavors, fruits and nuts! He glanced at the clock again – only two more minutes had passed.
Just then his friend Adrian and his mom passed by – Adam waved to them. They were leaving the school after their parent-teacher meeting. He heard his class door open and saw his mother step out. She glanced over at Adrian and smiled at him.
‘Is that a new student?’, asked Mom.
‘Yes that’s Adrian. Our classes do PE and math together. He joined our school last month. I really like him – a few months back he fell in the park so he has a cast on his foot. He said could not walk at all in the beginning but he can move much better now, although he has to keep his cast on for a couple more weeks.
So Mama, do we go for frozen yogurt now? I’m thinking of trying that new mango-peach flavor!’
‘Adam, I think we should stop by the gym to talk with your PE teacher first. You’ve made really good grades in everything sweety, but I think the PE teacher must’ve gotten you mixed up with someone else. You love sports – I don’t understand how you got a below average mark on it.’
Adam squirmed. He had forgotten to talk to his mom about gym class and what was happening. He thought if he told her the real reason he was not making a higher grade she might not understand. He tried to distract his mom about talk of frozen yogurt but she seemed determined, and was heading towards the gym.
Adam took a deep breathe. They were almost at the gym. ‘Mom, he began, if I tell you the reason I didn’t get a good grade do you promise not to be mad?’
His mother stopped and turned to look at him. Now he definitely had her attention. She took his hand and sat down on the floor against a wall. ‘What’s going on buddy? Are you alright? You don’t look too good.’
Adam cleared his throat and whispered Bismillah to himself. ‘Mom remember how last summer we read that hadith* about having good intentions?And how we get graded for our good or bad intentions? Well, Adrian is my friend and I don’t want him to feel like he’s the slowest kid in the whole grade. So a few weeks ago, I saw him having a hard time in gym class. He wouldn’t sit to the side even though he had a perfectly good excuse – he always tried to play and do his best. But he was still really really slow. So I made the intention to be more caring towards his foot situation, just until he got better. That’s why I slowed down, and did things at his pace instead. It made him really happy Mom! Honest! I didn’t mean to make you upset at all!’
Adam hung his head and waited for his mom to say something. His mother put her hands on his cheeks and turned his face towards her own – ‘That’s a very thoughtful thing you did sweety. I’m feeling so proud of you right now – you made the intention to be there for your friend and didn’t give up no matter what. That takes some serious perseverance. But I would feel a little better if you had talked to your PE teacher so she knew you what was going on with you.’
‘Hmm okay Mom. I just didn’t want to act like I was bragging, that’s why I almost didn’t tell you either. But I’ll tell my teacher tomorrow. I promise! Now can we go get frozen yogurt , please?’
His mom laughed. ‘Honey, after that story I think we should call your dad so we can all go play at the arcade AND get frozen yogurt! What do you say?’, she asked, as she got her cellphone out to call Daddy.
Adam jumped with joy. Maybe this was part of Allah’s blessings he got for having good intentions! He gave his mom a thumbs up sign and smiled the whole way to the arcade.
*“Actions are according to intentions, and everyone will get what was intended. “(Bukhari and Muslim)
http://40hadithnawawi.com/index.php/the-hadiths/hadith-1