Yesterday was quite a nerve-wracking day in my life. It felt like my heart was beating stronger, in intervals that seemed more intense than usual. Honestly, there are often moments like that in my everyday life, but yesterday, the feeling lasted consistently from morning until after the Asr prayer. It had been a long time since I was reminded of my reluctance to take any kind of standardized test (for those who know, they know). Even though I like challenges, I’m not fond of the kind that forces me to chase something overly theoretical. I looked at the exam card and whispered in my heart, bismillah. I began the day with a long and sincere prayer. I made milk for my child and woke him up to pray Fajr at the mosque with my husband. My husband had already gotten up and was doing his early prayers and had started the laundry. I continued with the usual house chores: washing dishes, cooking while tending the laundry, tidying up what I could, packing the children’s lunch boxes, a...
By Nia Nurul Syahara