Let Me Count the Ways

My husband's laptop is filled with stickers. Stickers that have messages like, "Masha Allah I am a good friend," "Alhamdu lillah I tidy up," "Alhamdu lillah I always say sorry," and "I prayed salah only for Allah."

Such are the stickers that I place on his laptop for all the times that his traits overwhelm me alhamdu lillah. I place them on separate occasions, each has a tale of its own.

Then there are the books, that I gift-wrap and top off with a golden star, for the good days he has at work alhamdu lillah.

We also have our own Juz Amma sticker trees that we adorn with fruits for all the surahs that we memorize, our trees are placed next to one another and motivate us everyday.

I remember saving my DiscoverULife pen during my life coaching certification, wanting to give it to my husband, since he had the heart to send me despite not being able to go himself. Imagine my surprise when I came home to a red fountain pen awaiting me, to celebrate my certification. Red. SubhanAllah.

When and how do you celebrate your marriage? Do you celebrate weekly, monthly or annual anniversaries, Valentine's Day, or any days specific to your marriage that you share with no one?

Or are you amongst the multitude of Muslim wives who reply along the terms of, "Everyday is ______ (insert Hallmark occasion here)?" If yes, then do you actually celebrate everyday?

It's one thing to celebrate only the two Eids prescribed to us, and step aside from the eddy of occasions advertisements are pressing us to celebrate otherwise. It's another to not do shukr or celebrate the achievements you have as individuals constantly growing in each other's company bi'thnillah.

Are you celebrating your marriage and all that it brings you each day? Does your husband know you celebrate your marriage? If the two of you have differing answers to the last question, then you may have to rethink the ways you celebrate.

Think of the ways you would like to celebrate with your husband. Do shukr for the sheer clarity of thought of being able to think up ways, and start celebrating today.

It could be you waiting for him at the door tonight instead of in the living room, staying up while he works, or even giving him your undivided attention when he speaks to you.

"If you are grateful, I would certainly give to you more, and if you are ungrateful, My chastisement is truly severe" (Surah Ibrahim, 14:7)

I recently started taking tajweed lessons and alhamdu lillah I already have a sticker on my laptop that reads, "Excellent Qur'an Reciter." Can there be greater encouragement, subhanAllah? Imagine the amount of khayr you can bring just by celebrating all what you have in the present.

P.S.

The image in this blog, the stickers that we have on our laptops plus the Juz Amma tree, all are taken from here. Who says you're too old for stickers when they still bring a smile to your face?