Appreciation of Allah Ta'aalas favours

[~Taalibah~]

:sl:

One day, a king and a slave were in a boat together. The slave had never been at sea before. He began to cry and tremble to such a degree that he could hardly be pacified by kindness.

The king became very displeased at the slaves behavior. One of the other passengers happened to be a philosopher by the name of Nasruddin. He said to the king: "With your permission I shall make him quiet."
"It will be a great favor," said the king.

Nasruddin ordered the slave to be thrown into the water, so that he swallowed some of it. The slave was then pulled back into the boat, where he remained quiet, clinging with both hands to the side of the boat.

The king found this behavior quite strange, and asked for an explanation from Nasruddin.

Nasruddin replied:"Before he had tasted the calamity or fear of being drowned, he did not appreciate the safety of the boat. Now he kbows that he is better off inside the boat than in the water."

THE NATURE OF MAN IS SUCH THAT HE DOES NOT APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF THE GOOD FORTUNE UNTIL MISFORTUNE HAS BEFALLEN HIM. STRANGE METHODS CAN ACTUALLY ACHIEVE THE DESIRED RESULT. SIMILARLY, CHILDREN DO NOT ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE VALUES OF THEIR PARENTS. THEY ARE SOMETIMES DISOBEDIENT AND CARELESS ABOUT THEIR DUTIES, AND WHEN THE DAY COMES WHEN THE PARENTS ARE NO LONGER THERE, THEY ARE FULL OF REGRET. WE SHOULD NOT TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTED, BE IT OUR HEALTH, TEACHERS, FRIENDS, FAMILY. IF WE ARE FORTUNATE AS WELL, WE SHOULD REALIZE IT AND THANK ALLAH TA'AALA FOR IT, BECAUSE THINGS CAN BE TAKEN AWAY FROM US IN A FLASH.

Taken from:
"Inspirations from the heart"- by- Mahdie and Ayesha Kriel.