Women of Choice

Against Myths

Wearing a new status as a mother made Ova feel a little foreign even though she tried to adjust to her current condition.

Now she realizes that the sacrifice of being a mother is very hard. How not, he used to be able to sleep soundly all night without anyone having to disturb and disturb him.

However, now that a petite figure was present beside him as if all the freedom that had once been enjoyed was simply gone. He is required to be able to provide the best service for the beloved baby.

Like on the third night after the presence of a tiny baby in the house they occupy. The night had started to crawl late, but Ova had not been able to close her eyes for a minute. The tiny baby from Ba'da Isya was still at home inviting the mother to stay awake.

Realizing that the wife still continues to take care of the baby, Rzjal also felt full and unbearable.

"This is so that Mas who takes care of his grandpa, now Adek sleep rest first, so do not drowsy," suggested the husband while reaching the baby into the sling.

"Can you?" ask Ova doubtfully.

"It should be dong, right, now it has become a father," said Rizal smiling convincingly.

"Really?"

"Yes, God willing, I can. I'm sleeping now so we can change it."

"Thank you, yes, Mom, you're willing to share your duties."

"No need to say thank you, Dek. It's also, right, still Mas's duty and obligation to also look after and take care of our child."

"Just I love you spill over for my handsome and understanding husband, anyway," said Ova began to pull out his zombie style. Rizal just laughed crisply in response to the words of his wife who sometimes always made him smile amusedly.

Ova began to prepare himself for a break even for a moment. His eyes that had narrowed resisted sleepiness immediately closed. The fine snoring started to sound regular from him. Rizal just smiled as he looked at the face of the wife who was asleep exhausted.

Rizal tried to put the little one to sleep in the mattress, but only a few seconds immediately heard the sound of crying from the baby's tiny mouth.

The man who had only a few days of status as a father was immediately carrying back the baby. His hands felt like something was wet at the bottom of the diaper. Then he checked by opening one by one from the bedong and then the inner diaper that turned wet by the bedwet. Patiently and painstakingly Rizal tried to change a wet diaper with one that was still dry and clean without waking the wife who was still very closed beside him.

The cry of the little one is still heard breaking the silence of the night that is getting thick. Rizal is still trying to calm down by holding and cradling while walking back and forth between the bedroom door to the living room hoping that his little baby can fall asleep immediately. He could not bear if he had to wake Ova who still looks tired almost all day without pausing to take care of their baby.

***

"Last night I heard the baby Ma'am Ova didn't stop crying, did she?" asked Bu Mumun to Ova when he was busy choosing vegetables and kitchen spices in Mang Ujang, a mobile vegetable maker.

"Yes, ma'am, my husband and I changed to keep him so he can sleep even for a while." Ova smiled kindly answering Ms. Mumun's question

As usual Ova only smiled when responding to the words that he thought were absurd from most mothers who lived in the village where he lived.

"My advice, if later tonight his son still continues to cry without stopping. Mr. Rizal told me to go out around the house seven times without wearing a shirt, let the subtle creatures that disturb the child Mbak Ova go and will not come again," said Bu Mumun with a serious face.

Ova's laughter almost exploded as she heard the advice of her neighbor. But he tried to hold off on Ms. Mumun not being offended.

'There's just a suggestion from the mothers here, ' the inner Ova is in the heart.

To maintain and respect all the advice of his neighbors, Ova usually tried to breed even though his small heart clearly refused.

"Sorry, Mumun. I just remind you that what Bu Mumun suggested to Mbak Ova just now is not recommended in our religion" said Bu Silmi, the wife of the pak ustaz in the village.

As a Muslim we must be able to hold firm aqidah strong so as not to slip by following or believing things that smell clenic that can plunge humans into idiosyncrasies. Even if it is a culture that has been deeply rooted if it is contrary to religious law we must dare to reject it and not get carried away by the flow. So the story from Bu Silmi to Bu Mumun and other mothers who happened to be present there.

"Yes, no, Miss Mun. Horror!" said Bu Eti glanced at Bu Mumun who was busy choosing kale vegetables.

Then Mrs Silmi kept her words back,

"Because in the Qur'an verse it has been explained, which means:

"And that there are some men among men asking for protection to some men among the jinn, then the jinn add to them sin and error” [QS. Al-Jin :6].

This includes asking for the protection of salvation to the jinn, the graves of the saints, the graves of the Prophet, and even the angels. These acts include the great shirk that expels the culprit from Islam. Because the best place to ask for help is only to Allah the Most All" concluded Bu Silmi ended his explanation.

Ova listened to every word that Bu Silmi had said just now. Which makes the heart more confident if he does not have to apply all the advice of older people even if it is contrary to Islamic law.

After thanking him for his enlightenment then Ova made small talk to go home immediately.

"Monggo, my mothers first, nggih," said Ova after he paid all the groceries to Mang Ujang. Then Ova rushed to his house. He was worried that the baby would cry if left too long while shopping for vegetables.

Ova keeps a crispy bag filled with vegetables on the kitchen table. His footsteps then headed to the room to see the state of the baby who turned out to still look sound with his eyes closed. The young mother also used the opportunity to immediately go down to the kitchen to prepare a lunch menu for her and the husband who was always missed even though he was only left for a day.

While Rizal had to start leaving for work this morning again. Although it is hard to leave the wife who has to take care of the child and do other home tasks alone without anyone else helping.

However, Ova tried this morning to convince her husband to keep going to work because he felt fine and was able to do everything even if only alone.

The little baby seemed to understand the situation of the mother. From this morning after being bathed and after being given ASI immediately fell asleep until the time of Zuhur. So that Ova can freely do homework.