Ari Never Asks for Much, But His Presence Means Everything
Ari Never Asks for Much, But His Presence Means Everything
Medan Sunggal, Medan City—(04/11/25) Jestham revisited the minimarket where he first met Ari. The place wasn't just any convenience store—it was where Ari spent his days greeting customers with his signature pure and genuine smile. Ari, a special-needs child with extraordinary kindness, was always accompanied by a 65-year-old man whose face bore the marks of time, yet whose eyes radiated boundless love.
Their life story unfolded gradually in an emotionally charged conversation. The elderly man wasn't Ari’s biological father but his uncle, who had raised him as his own since Ari was a fragile premature baby. "He was born at seven months. I’ve cared for him since he was the size of a soda bottle," the father recalled, his voice trembling as he gestured to show how tiny Ari once was.
Their lives were marked by invisible struggles. After his wife passed away years earlier, the father single-handedly raised Ari despite his own limitations. The challenges grew when a workplace accident left his dominant right hand fractured and permanently impaired.
Behind his resilient smile around Ari, the father harbored deep anxieties about his adoptive son’s future. "I’m old—65 years old. Who will care for Ari when I’m gone?" he whispered, his voice laced with anguish. His fears worsened as none of his siblings were willing to take responsibility for Ari.
Touched by their unwavering love, Jestham stepped forward to help. He accompanied them as they shopped for daily necessities—items that might seem ordinary but were luxuries to them. Ari, with childlike excitement, picked out rice, cooking oil, his favorite spicy instant noodles, and the sweet condensed milk he adored.
The most poignant moment came when Jestham offered them ice cream as a treat. With humble dignity, the father politely declined, explaining he was observing the voluntary Syawal fasts. "I’m fasting six days this Syawal," he said with a serene smile, revealing spiritual strength that transcended material hardship.
Before parting, Jestham provided groceries and financial support. As the father accepted, tears streamed down his weathered face—a silent testament to years of solitary struggle, now mingled with profound gratitude.
In a world that isn’t always kind, may their path forever be lit with hope. May each dawn bring new possibilities, each sunset be graced with thankfulness, and every sacrifice bloom into blessings. To the father, may you be granted a long life filled with barakah; to Ari, may you always grow wrapped in love. For in this world, their selfless bond—forged not by blood but by unwavering devotion—is nothing short of a miracle.
