Can I Help Auntie?

The second of Riwaya's blog, a short story about small gestures

“Can I help auntie?” the young man enquired. He had been observing his neighbour struggling with her grocery bags at the local shop.   

“It’s okay, I can manage…” she replied. 

“Are you sure?”, he enquired with genuine concern. 

“I don’t mind honestly”, he insisted, “besides, I’m heading that way anyway.”

“Thank you…but I will be okay,” she insisted whilst forcing herself to smile. “Honestly, I can manage”. 

She glanced in the car mirror as she turned the key. Her weary face was beginning to show signs of days of sleep deprivation, as life’s problems were seemingly never ending. As she drove home, she pondered to herself. What had prevented her from taking up the young man’s offer of help? The offer seemed genuine enough – so why did she struggled so hard to simply say yes? Was it pride? She thought to herself, was it her inability to accept the fact that she was overwhelmed?

She stepped into her home dumping the groceries on the kitchen table. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. She hurriedly signed for the parcel and cautiously read the note attached to the side. Her eyes overwhelmed with tears. ‘We hope you are okay auntie’ the message read. The gift inside had been exquisitely wrapped. 

She gently smiled to herself. Someone had noticed she thought.  Someone it seemed had cared...

Sometimes a small gesture can go a long way. In Islam, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said “Exchange gifts, as that will lead to increasing your love to one another.” (Al-Bukhari)