THE WEIGHT BEHIND HIS SMILE

A strange man ran through Adigun street.

“Who was that ? and why did he run that way ?” Jamal asked

He was sitting with a few street guys at his shop when the incident occurred.

“I've seen this face before, he looks like Mr. Akinlabi”

Later he stopped the man and asked what happened

Breathing heavily, Mr. Akinlabi replied to him. My wife chased me out of the house with a turning stick

“She said I don't deserve to stay at home if I can't provide for the family.”

He explained how work had been slow and the way hardship had destroyed peace in his home!

Jamal quietly helped the man with the little he had so the issue could be resolved!

That was the kind of person Jamal was

People loved being around him because of his kindness. He hated seeing others down or discouraged.

Unknown to many people, Jamal had a fiancèe named Zainab. He kept the relationship private due to his shy nature.

One cold evening Jamal received a call from an unknown number

“Your fiancé had been badly injured,” the caller said. The first name she mentioned was yours!”

“For the first time in his life Jamal lost control of his emotions

His hands trembled as he asked for the accident location

The guys around him were shocked.

“What happened? they asked.

It's nothing! Jamal replied weakly. I just need to get somewhere

He rushed to the scene immediately

When he arrived, the accident was terrible.

Zainab was badly injured.She could not move her body.

Jamal quickly called the state emergency service, and she was rushed to the hospital.

For days, Jamal could not open his shop. Zainab had suffered a severe brain injury and was placed on life support.

Gradually, she was responding to treatment and that gave Jamal hope!

Two weeks later, Jamal returned to his shop wearing his usual smile

Whenever people asked if he was okay, he simply replied, “I'm fine”

But every few days, he disappeared quietly to visit Zainab in the hospital

One day some of the street guys secretly trailed him

When they arrived at the hospital the truth shattered them

The same man who constantly encouraged others was silently carrying deep pain inside him

Yet he never complained

Jamal later saw them at the hospital corridor and became speechless

The guys walked up to him and said “You smiled at people while hiding your own pain.That takes strength”

From that day, they stood by Jamal with love, support and kindness throughout Zainab’s healing process.

One year later, Zainab finally regained consciousness

The first person she recognised was Jamal

Not by his face alone

But by the special smile and soft song he sang to her whenever she did something very impressive

That moment changed everyone around Jamal

“Heroism is protecting others even when you're hurted”

“Because behind many smiles lies hidden struggle and behind many struggles lies a strong mind persevering it all”

©️ Asmau's pen 🖊