Celebrating strength

There is a novel by a Korean author, which tells the story of a woman, who went through some rough patches in her life and ended up developing a mental illness.   It is said that the book is popular, because the events or challenges in the novel are always backed by the source of the related statistics or the source of a newspaper article about the matter that was being mentioned.

So, I thought I'd give it a read, since my daughter had bought the book. 

The basic idea of the book is that, females are normally not held at high esteem like the males.   Males always get the better of everything - in that society.  And I must say, it is quite common in most societies, in this twisted mindset world. 

I was expecting, something traumatic had happened to the character.  However, the things she mentioned of, were the common woes we hear, like favoritism in a family, and guys normally having more chances of being a leader in a school organisation, and difficulties in getting a job as a female in Korea.  Then, there is the expectations of a mother in law wanting a grandchild, and the challenges of a working mother.  She quit her job to look after her child full time.  However, these are all unacceptable to the character.   When a stranger at the park commented on her 'easy life, being a mother and living off her husband's income' she broke.

People are celebrating this book, and I find it scary.   Because I truly believe most of us are stronger than that.  CAN be stronger than that - especially us Muslims.  We have tools to tackle stress and life issues.   One of them is when we put our trust in God.  Also, acknowledging everyday little things we should be grateful for.  

In the book itself, she spoke of how she went to school, her parents - thanks to her mother -  were able to start a food business which did well.  She attended and completed university, she got married a to good man, and she did get a job in the end, but she quit to look after the child, and her husband is okay with it.   

Why, why did she not look at all the good things that did happen in her life?  

I know it's just a novel - but my concern is how people seem to look up to that story and agree that yes, it is normal and okay to be that weak, our life MUST be better or we cannot survive.

The reality is, life IS going to be full of challenges.  This is one fact we cannot escape from.  We need stories that motivates us to be strong, and resilient.  

Honestly, I have been through worse than what happened to that character, but alhamdulillaah, I'm OKAY.  I'm stronger and hopefully wiser than before, by Allaah's will.  I survived and will survive insyaaAllaah.   

So I do hope that people reading this book do not think that that kind of weakness is normal.  We are stronger than that.  With Allah's help, WE WILL BE FINE.

"... and endure patiently whatever befalls you. Surely this is a resolve to aspire to."  31:17