A Silver Lining: Never Losing Hope

A Silver Lining: Never Losing Hope

Adam: 21 year old who came to get antibiotics for his mother. He has dark shades of a beard and has rushed into the pharmacy. Michael: 22 year old CVS employee who is ready to overdose on his medicine and kill himself, or find another way "out". Setting: Michael 22 years old, works in CVS Pharmacy as a full time employee (wage is 10/hr., barely making enough to pay off school loans, gas, insurance, etc.) Following scene takes place a few hours after midnight, Michael is the only employee on duty at the time, no other customers are to be found within the pharmacy aside from Adam. 12:45am Adam: ((Talking on the phone with his sister)) Assalamu Alaikum Noora, listen, i'm at the pharmacy right now... should be home within 15 minutes. (waits for an answer) Okay I will, take care Noora, and stay by mom until I get back, make sure she stays warm, and turn the heater up if you need to... (waits for answer) Yes Salaam. Adam: Hi, umm, is anyone back there, sir, maam, anyone? ((Dead silence for 1 minute // Hears some clamor at the far end.)) Adam: Excuse me sir, can someone please help me? ((Some boxes fall off a shelf revealing a man in his mid-twenties, wearing a lab coat and holding a gun in his hand. He is hunched over the back shelf with a very tired and empty look over his face.))

Adam: Oh Hi! I called in earlier for a prescription -- cuts off conversation after realizing what the guy is holding -- what s that you got there? Michael: (speaks for the first time) Listen, I'll be gone in about 15 seconds okay, you can come back here, take your medicine or whatever the?!@# you could possibly need at this hour and then you can leave and no one will even know you were here! Got it? Adam: Put that thing down, there is no reason for you to be holding that (his voice very serious)? Oh God, put that thing down (extremely serious). Michael: Aint no God, aint nothing to worry about after im gone, no man gotta worry when they just done with this life and nothing' else important cuz he don't gotta think, thoughts are what get us so down. Leave me be and stop giving me advice, you ain t know the last thing about my life. Adam: I don t have to know much at this point, oh come on stop!! (Breathing is fast and inconsistent) Put it down (silence) yo man put it down, set it down over there, anywhere, just put it down!! Michael: Why do you care so much... (Silence)...Stop making my life more complicated just get the?!@# out of here!!! Adam: Five minutes, thats all im asking for, steps around the corner into the actual back of pharmacy where Michael is standing. Adam: Listen Sir, please, give me five minutes of your life, and then you can do whatever it is you want, but first give me five minutes... Michael: Looks at him for a good one minute Adam: Please, Just Five Minutes. Sir thats all I am asking for. Michael: (Puts the gun in his lab coat walks around towards the front where customers pay to close the gate and counter, he dims the light and walks back to Adam). Well at the rate you're going, you're only gonna have 4 minutes left to say whatever it is you need to say.. Adam: I dont know why or where you got that, but you can't end your life without knowing a few things first, YOU have to remember that no matter how hard things get -- Michael: I dont gotta remember nothing, no one remember me, not my mom, not my dad, no one, i aint got no one, no one, i aint got nothing... Adam: Well what if you had the power and security of the being who made all of "THIS" (motions with his fingers to complete a circle depicting the world), and all of us (pointing to himself)? The way I came to see it, if YOU remember HIM (God) He Remembers you. Thats what He said in the Holy Quran too, second chapter, its so clear, it says "if you remember me, I will remember you" (completely out of breath because of how fast he is speaking). God is the only one you will ever need, whenever or wherever you feel empty and alone, He's there. As for the the future or the past, these are time frames you cannot worry about because both are out of your control, but the present, that s in our control and we can worry about that. Islam - its a way of life man! It tells you what to do when you wake up, go to sleep, go to work, it tells you how to think and how to lead your life, and the minute you give into this faith your entire life will change pauses -- EVERYTHING that you did before, it has no effect on your present actions -- Michael: If Islam is everso perfect how come you have to take medicine? How come you are here at 1am picking up medicine? Adam: Islam doesn t mean you don t have problems, but rather the problems are looked at differently. Death is not an end to the problem, its the beginning of a new chapter -- a part of life that counts. Michael: (Staring back at Adam, appears to be in a trance) Adam: Can I ask you something, if you don t mind? Michael: (Looks at Adam)

Adam: (Reading employee badge) Michael, nice name, where I m from it would be Mikha'il and is the name of an -- Michael: -- of an angel! Adam: one of the few angels mentioned in the Michael: in every holy doctrine, I know. Adam: Yes. Anyhow, Michael, my question is quite simple. How can you end your life when there is so much worth living for, and working for? Like, you might think you have it bad, but someone else has it worse. One person may have parents who dont care for them and another person may have no family at all, one person may have a job with low-pay whereas another person has no job at all, but pain and anxiety is just a test of our patience and trust in God, the Great -- cut off Michael: A test from what Adam: Look around You Michael (very passionate tone at this point) Michael: Around -- (rolls eyes while jerking his head from left to right in an obnoxious manner) Adam: -- around you, at everything, at your hands, your feet, my eyes, my nose, at all of this, all of it, the world, the sky, the stars, the sun that rises everyday and the moon that comes out at night, at the trees that are so tall and at the bee which builds for itself hives of honey, or at the oceans full of water and fish and --- Michael: Okay what do I do after I look at all of this? Then What? Adam: Then ask yourself Michael, how is it possible for all of this to work without one supernatural being. A being I call Allah - or God. Do you believe in God? Michael: I... I... Adam: Look at the flower that blooms everyday, or at the mountains in their vast and constant beauty, look and contemplate. It's not possible for this to just be. This is what Islam or my way of life is based on, its the natural answer to our existence, that there is ONE GOD, who made all of this and all of us, his command is for our worship and obedience to him and to his last messenger, and if we obey him he will give us success in this world and the ultimate success in the next world. Michael: What next world Adam: ((Answers Phone)) "yes Noora. Okay im coming home soon...yes...okay, Salaam" Michael: Do you have to leave? Adam: When does your shift end?

Michael: Looks at his watch, in 15 minutes. Adam: Why dont you come home with me, I think everyone needs a change of atmosphere once in a while, and you can meet my mother as well Michael: No Id rather not. Adam: Micha'il -- Michael: What did you call me? Adam: Michael, come to my house, you can meet my mother, she likes the company. Shes suffering with leukemia. Michael: Im not the best company, trust me Adam: Well, we ll never know unless you come... Michael: Yeah. Adam: Okay so I ll take that as a yes. Let me help you clean up. And why dont you put that away for the time being, I have a 10 year old sister so I dont want her to get scared. Michael: Takes a deep breath, slowly removes gun from lab coat and places it in the back cupboard, locks the cupboard with two bolt locks and pushes a 5 ft. steel shelf directly in front of the cupboard. After helping Michael clean up, both men head to Adams house. Both Adam & Michael walk to car Michael follows Adam home in his own car. On the way home they see an 18 wheeler in a horrible accident, the truck is in flames and the area is completely surrounded with police officers Adam and Michael at home. (young girl covered in head scarf opens the front door of the apartment) Noora: Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah Adam: Wa'laikum Salaam wa Rahmatullah Noora, this is my friend Michael, Mikhael this is my sister Noora. Noora: Adam, Mom has been worried, she s in her room and I hope you brought her medicine. Adam: Oh no, I forgot the medicine!! -- Michael: No its my fault, I will drive back and get it for you. (slowly) Adam. Michael: Yes, well, i'll be right back, all I need is the prescription Adam: okay thanks so much Noora: How could you forget the - whats going on? (1 hour later) Mikhael is not answering the phone Adam: Noora im gonna go to the pharmacy and see what is taking him so long, i'll be back soon okay? Noora: with a confused look across her face, Make sure you read ayat ul kursi. Adam has come to learn that Michael was involved in a 5 car pile. While Adam makes his way to the hospital, he finds himself constantly praying for his new friend Michael, for his health, his safety, but mostly for his heart and mind to be opened up to the

beauty of Islam. After 2 hours of sitting in the waiting room, Adam is allowed to visit Michael for the first time. He brings an English translation of the Quran that he had in his car, along with a copy one of his favorite books "Don't Be Sad", but, as he see's Michael's condition, everything he had just rehearsed in his mind while sitting in the waiting room is gone. Michael: A-daa-m Adam: Yes, its me Michael, I am glad to see you are still with us. I just wanted to drop by and give you these two books. Perhaps you will have some time to read these in between naps. Michael: Thank You... Adam: (with a warm smile at his new friend) Yeah no problem. Michael: No really, thank you. I will be sure to read both books. Adam: Really? Michael: Yes, is there one I should begin first? Adam: Well... Michael: Smiles at Adam Adam: Holding up the English Translation, this is the english translation of the Quran. Its actually one that I carry with me, so many of the important verses I use daily are bookmarked. Why dont you start with this one? If it gets to be too heavy then you can move on to this, (pointing to the other book), "Dont Be Sad". MIchael: "Dont Be Sad" hmm, is this fiction? Adam: Quite the opposite, its an outline of the reasons why most people get sad and then it provides a detailed account of why no one should--. Nurse rushes in Nurse: Im sorry I am going to ask you to leave now Michael: Why does he have to leave? Adam: No its okay, they probablly need you to rest now.. Nurse: Yes, your visiting hours are over Mr. Ries, and the doctors need to speak with you very shortly. Adam: Okay i'll try to stop by again, if you need anything my number is inside the second book, Don t Be Sad Michael: Got it. Thanks again. Michael: Oh I almost forgot (reaches for side table, picks up a white plastic bag) Here is your mothers medicine, I hope it is of help to her. Adam: Takes the bag from Micha'il. Thanks! I hope so too. --...These are the moments, we thank God that we re still alive.

Only in the darkest hour can one see the brightest star The following segment is from the time Michael Ries spent in the hospital over the course of 2 weeks. He has managed to finish the Quran translation as well as "Dont Be Sad". After finishing both, he began to write his own piece of literature, here are the first few things he had to say after testifying to his new faith: Islam. Dear Reader, There are moments in one s life when we would like nothing more than to freeze time, reflect over the past, and contemplate on the future. These are those moments that we were emotionally distraught or filled with happiness, and the moments we thought would have everlasting effects on our future actions and decisions. Perhaps, I am here to say, all of this is in vain. I am not quite sure what I want to say. I feel overwhelmed by everything I am feeling. As my heart is filled with tears, and my eyes with pain, if only my heart could speak for me. But, one thing is for sure, all praise is due to Allah, the Lord and Sovereign of EVERYTHING. Alhamdulilah. For 7 of the 22 years I have been alive, I felt lost, incomplete, broken if you will. But, life is but a passing moment, and if it is not spend in the company of good people and worship of your Lord, then it has been wasted. Although I am still the same person, my faith in God has changed everything and the two books I read while I was in the hospitale were part of this force that made me realize that God is sufficient for me. Wealth, fun, family, friends, all of these things are useless if you have no connection with the Provider and Sustainer of these things. It has been two years since I was involved in one of the worst five car-pileups ever, and I could not feel more spiritually complete. From the moment I met Adam in CVS to the second I read the verse verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest I have learned more about life itself than I could have ever fathomed. Over the time I spent inside the intensive care unit, God allowed me to freeze time, mentally. My problem was how much negativity I had built up in my life, and as a result I began to shut-out or block any help from others. The Qur an says This is the Book (the Qur'an), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are the pious and righteous persons who fear Allah much. The And then there are the wise words of the author of Don t be Sad who says: if you are stricken by poverty, others are chained by debt. If you don't have shoes, others have no feet. If you feel pain now, others have been aching for years. If your son dies, others have lost many...supplication is your shield. Prayer is your beacon. Prostration is your means. So don't be sad! But words and books cannot effect the distraught heart or mind if one is not willing to seek guidance, and shutting out help and secluding oneself to their own misery is a dangerous end. If there is one thing I can relate to the reader, it would be to never lose hope! Believe that things will get better, and they will, strive for the best you can strive for and pray to Allah, the Lord of the EVERYTHING, and he will hear you! I I can only constantly thank God for letting me get in touch with Adam when I did. Your Friend, Mikha il