Why am different

Throughout my adolescence, I was haunted by a question: Why am I different from everyone else? I don't worship cows or drink alcohol. Am I superior, or are they? The answer I eventually arrived at was simple: I was lucky. I had the fortune to hear the words of God, while others did not.

The turning point came during a graduation celebration with my friends. Both they and my mother insisted I go, so reluctantly, I did. We spent a relaxing night discussing our future ambitions. One friend aspired to be a politician, another a lawyer. Me? I felt an emptiness I couldn't quite define, a void I couldn't express.

We stayed at a respectable hotel, where girls awaited our arrival. The night was filled with laughter and clinking glasses. Each of my friends paired off with a girl, and I ended up with Natalia, a quiet and beautiful classmate. Though we hadn’t spoken much before, we began to chat.

Natalia remarked, "You don't seem as calm as you promised."

I laughed, "It's because of my friends. I didn't want to leave home today. Once a year won't hurt. And you, Natalia? You look stunning with your long hair."

Her cheeks turned red. "Thank you, and you look... tidy," she managed, her words faltering.

I smiled and asked, "What's your ambition, Natalia?"

"I want to know the truth," she replied.

"The truth?" I questioned. "The truth about what?"

"The truth of the universe," she said. "Aren’t you curious about who the Creator is and why we exist? What happens after we die? Is death really the end?"

Her questions bewildered me. "What are you talking about? We live, we grow, we die. That’s it."

"Really? You believe that?" she whispered, clearly disheartened.

I apologized, but the conversation left me thinking. Hours passed, and eventually, we all gathered in the living room again. Natalia stepped outside, leaving her bag behind. Curiosity got the better of me, and I peeked inside, finding a small book. The first words I read struck me deeply, shaking me to my core.

When Natalia returned, I couldn't contain my curiosity. "What is this book?" I asked.

"It's the Quran," she replied. "A book revealed by Allah, explaining everything from creation to our ultimate fate."

Despite my initial skepticism, Natalia's words lingered in my mind. She seemed genuinely passionate about her faith, and though I found her beliefs hard to grasp, I couldn't deny the warmth and beauty she brought into my life. Over time, I found myself increasingly drawn to her, even as she continued to talk about the Quran.

One day, she abruptly left to pray, surprising me. "You pray?" I asked. "Isn’t that for Sundays?"

"No," she smiled. "I'm a Muslim now. I pray every day."

Her devotion intrigued me, though I struggled to understand it. "Do you expect me to believe all this?" I asked.

Natalia looked at me earnestly. "Kimmel, I love you. Please, just read the Quran. If God wants to guide you, He will."

I promised to read it, though my motives were mixed. I wanted to be closer to her, but I also wanted to understand this profound change in her. Days turned into weeks, and our conversations deepened. She shared stories from the Quran that amazed me, gradually drawing me into her world.

One night, we watched a romantic movie about a beautiful blind girl and an ugly young man who made her laugh. Despite regaining her sight and rejecting him for his looks, Natalia was moved to tears. "It was a beautiful movie," she said. "I didn’t expect that ending."

"Well," I joked, "you can't blame her. He was very ugly. Would you leave me if I became that ugly?"

"No matter what happens, I will love you," she reassured me. Then, a question arose. "Natalia, will your God let these ugly men into heaven?"

"God judges us by our deeds, not our appearance," she replied, deepening my curiosity about her faith.

As we talked, Natalia shared more about creation and the stories in the Quran. Her passion and conviction were undeniable, and slowly, I found myself more open to the possibilities she described.

"Shall we grab something to eat?" I suggested.

"Sure," she agreed with a smile. "Let's go to a restaurant."

to be continue ….