Precious Gift

For the past few days, Ali Karwia had been acting strangely. Earlier, he was cheerful and well-behaved. One day, while sitting and doing his schoolwork, the news was on TV.

“Maybe something on TV has affected Ali’s mind,” Javed thought suddenly, like a spark of realization. He immediately shared his concern with his wife, who agreed at once. “Yes, that must be it. He’s been worried ever since.”

“I have a friend who is a psychologist, especially skilled in dealing with children’s problems. I think we should consult him,” Javed suggested thoughtfully.

“We must make sure Ali isn’t affected too much. He’s in seventh grade and quite sensible. Let’s see what he says,” his wife added, sensing his concern.

They took Ali to Javed’s friend, the psychologist, under the pretense of a casual visit. The doctor spoke gently with Ali, quickly realizing that he was troubled by something but reluctant to share his worries. He advised Javed to involve one of Ali’s friends for support. Ali’s closest friend, Saleem, could help, but approaching him carefully was necessary so as not to stress Ali further.

Ali had become withdrawn. His health was declining rapidly. Sometimes, he would stare at his mother, but the moment she looked back, he would look away.

One day, Javed took Ali to his favorite ice cream shop and casually said, “If you are worried about something, you can tell me. Maybe we can resolve it together.” Ali refused, insisting there was no problem.

Ali’s mother noticed something unusual: whenever she cooked in the kitchen, Ali would come and sit nearby. She mentioned this to the doctor. The doctor thought about it, checked recent news online, but couldn’t pinpoint the cause.

It was Sunday. Ali woke up that morning looking calm, as if a troubling issue had finally been resolved in his mind. He had a hearty breakfast. When Javed returned from his run, Ali approached him.

“Papa, may I give Mom a gift? Will you let her accept it?” he asked. Surprised, Javed nodded. His mother joined them, and Ali turned to her.

“And Mom, if I hang a hook in the kitchen, will that be okay?”

“Of course,” she replied immediately.

“Let’s hang it first,” Ali said. He took a small hook from his pocket, went to get a hammer from the store, and returned. Together, they went to the kitchen. Javed installed the hook exactly where Ali wanted. Satisfaction was evident on Ali’s face. His mother hugged him and asked, “What is this?”

Ali smiled and said, “First, let me give you the gift.” He went to his room, retrieved an envelope, and handed it to his mother. Inside was a small, simple scarf. She laughed at its size.

“Is this enough to wear?” she asked.

Ali replied, “Yes, wear it, but only when you are cooking. Your larger scarf will hang on this hook, and this small one will stay ready.”

“And what will this do?” Javed asked, puzzled.

“This will protect Mom from any danger of fire while cooking,” Ali explained emotionally. “Most home fire accidents happen because of scarves catching on flames. Now, this hook and scarf system ensures your safety while you cook.”

They remembered seeing a news report about a woman injured in a kitchen fire. Suddenly, everything made sense. Ali had identified the problem and devised a solution himself.

“Children today are so sensitive. We didn’t even realize this,” Javed said proudly, looking at his son.

“And no child could give a mother a more precious and beautiful gift than this,” his wife added, embracing Ali.

Javed smiled with pride, “After all, whose son is he?” The three of them laughed together.