TIME

(by my husband Arif): Salma is mad at me. She’s been asking me for my dua for the '30 Days' Ramadan blog for two weeks and I haven’t given her one. It’s not because I haven’t wanted to or don’t feel the importance of contributing. It’s that I feel it too much. There is so much that I am thankful for and so much that I want to pray for. But most of all I want to pray for time.

Time to enjoy all that God has given me. Time to appreciate His bounty and generosity. Time to be warmed by my daughter’s smiles and to comfort her when she’s having a “poodle” (meltdown). Time to enjoy my son’s sense of humor and participate in the constancy of his curiosity. And time to give him the much-needed direction that a young man deserves. Time to hold on to every moment with my parents and parents-in- law, cherish their every word, and give them the confidence that their kids are doing well and will be all right. Time to stop for an eternity so that I can say the million and one things that I want to say to Salma about what she means to me. Time to be a better brother, friend, and colleague. Time to thank the Almighty. This shouldn’t need time. I know I should do it all the time and I beg forgiveness that I don’t."