Special Baby

By : Sofia Sinta W

My mom was pregnant! That's the most wonderful news I have ever heard. Yes, our family, especially me, had been waiting for this a long time. I was the only child in the family. And at the age of 17, I would finally have a sibling. That was terrific!

Thank God for the best present at my really sweet seventeen. Alhamdulillah.

I also thanked my mom, adn she replied with a smile.

"You are really want this baby, don't you?" she asked me.
"Of course I do, Mom ..."
"How about your friend? Ditto. He was so ashamed because his mother was pregnant again. You don't feel the same thing, do you?"
"Oh, I think Ditto was a fool." Yeah, in my opinion, Ditto was really stupid. He was ashamed and angry when he knew that his mother was pregnant last year. When his little brother was borne, his anger increased and he felt very jealous. How childish!

I told Mom that I would never feel like Ditto did. I promised her.
"Even if our attention to you would be devided?" mom asked.
"Yes, Mom. And I will also give my attention for him or her."
Days gone by and the time for the labor came. We were really happy to see the beautiful little girl. We named her Yasmin. We loved her so much. We thanked Allah for our dream that came true.

I had nice days with her. I always helped mom taking care of her. I helped putting on her napkins, played games and took walks together, and many others. My parents were so glad to see how much we shared and enjoyed many things together.
"Thank you for keeping your promise, honey." Mom said to me.
"Don't mention it, Mom. She's my sister. We both need each other."

There was no day I spent without Yasmin being a part of it. She was very pleasant and nice to me.

But horribly, the situation changed. Yasmin grew bigger and bigger. And the bigger she was, the more horrible the situation we had. She was so active that she couldn't stop moving and disturbing every one in our house, including me. She often broke my school assignments, jumbling my room, making worst "graffiti" on my stuff, and even hit me!

We couldn't count how many mom's kitchen tool or dad's office papers that were destroyed. There was no nice Yasmin anymore. She had become a monster!

I alwas felt anxious or afraid wen she approached me. But if I tried to avoid her, she would scream loudly. Then she would cry and hit me repeatedly. In that situation, mom would usually come at her defense and ask me to let her. When I felt that I couldn't stand it anymore, I tried to tell mom. She was so sad that her face became very pale.

"Don't talk like that about your sister, please ... Remember that you've promised me to take care of her and to love her forever." She reminded me.

"Mom ... come on ... I'll always try to keep my promises. But we have to do something to help her. Now! I heard that you and dad would send her to kindergarten next year. It means that she'll socialize. We have to help her learn to be nice so that people can accept her. Well, that's just my opinion ..." I replied carefully.

To my surprise, mom smiled and gave me a big hug.

"I almost forget that you're a little boy no more. You're a gentleman now. So, what do you think we can do?" mom asked.
"How about consulting a psychologist first? Ask dad if he has other suggestion."

So, we did it. I called my close friend who studied psychology-Mirza. He introduced us to his lecture, Mrs Ulfah. Mrs Ulfah was such a nice woman that my mom and dad "fell in love" with her at the first sight. SO did Yasmin. She called Mrs Ulfah "Dear Bude". Mrs Ulfah seemed to like that designation. She asked that Yasmin be taken to her place so that she could look-after Yasmin intensively.

We went there twice a week. It was a playground for children who have some emotional disruption like Yasmin. Yasmin enjoyed her "school-time". Mom and I took turns to accompany her there. Yasmin learned many things. Slowly she made progresses. We could see it. She was still hyperactive, but it wqas different-it was more directed.

One day, Mrs Ulfah told me a key to cope our problem."May be at the firs time your aim to send Yasmin here was to make her more well-directed and nicer. You wanted her to be a pleasant and normal little girl. Listen to me, I want to tell you that you should change your point of view about Yasmin," She said.

"Oh? What is it Mrs Ulfah? What should we do?"
"You have to stop that view-That Yasmin have to be nice girl who is pleasant to all of you. It's no fair for Yasmin."
"Why?"
"What you have to do is that you-your whole family-have to be pleasant for her and understand her. Yes, all of us want Yasmin to be refined and changed. But It was not because she hadi to be a nice girl for anybody else, but just for the sake of herself ... for her own needs! Do you understand what I mean?"

I was silent for a moment, trying to understand her opinion. Then I nodded. I could feel a beat of regret in my heart.

"Why didn't I realize it earlier?"
"You realize it now young man. I know that you are smart enough to do it," Mrs Ulfah gave me a wise-smile.
"Oh please don't make me feel ashamed ...," I tried to make a joke. She laughed but I couldn't. I still had that regret.
"Come on, young man ... don't exxaggerate it. Here, look at your little sister ..."

I saw Yasmin running with her friends accompanied by an instructor. The instructor tried to lead the children socializing.

"Look at her eyes! See how a special baby she is," She said again.

=============

At night, when I took Yasmin to her room, she told me some stories. She talked fluently as if she couldn't shut her mouth. I laughed at seeing how she did it enthusistically. What a high-spirited little girl. Then I looked at her eyes. Mrs Ulfah absolutely right. I could see milions stars there. Beautiful, they were like miracles that got me into tears. Yasmin ... how much I love you!

Yasmin stopped her stories and looked into my eyes. To my surprise, she wiped my tears and said," A man does not cry ..."

It made me dropped more tears.

I gave her a hug and a good night kiss. She smiled and hid her body under the blanket. When I was about to leave the room, she peeped from her blanket.

Yasmin, you're my very special baby, always ...


Adapted from : Annida 09/XII/23 February 2003