My Broken Heart: When the Cruelty of Life Touches Us

Mansour, laden with the infirmities of age and the lament of a broken heart, stepped across the threshold of his eighth decade. Born in the early 1950s in a suburb of Cairo, he was raised within a family of comfortable means. His father, a university professor, and his mother, a graduate of language schools, fostered a nurturing environment. However, at the tender age of ten, Mansour's world was irrevocably altered by the passing of his father, leaving him an orphan burdened with the daunting task of sustaining his mother and younger brother.

Despite his youth, he embraced the demands of the working world, diligently toiling to provide for his remaining family. Yet, this early immersion in labor did not deter him from his studies; he remained a consistently brilliant student, marked by humility and a profound contentment with the divine apportionment of his lot. He never recoiled from accepting even the humblest employments, understanding that the relentless wheel of life must forever turn.

Mere months after his university graduation, a profound shock befell him with the death of his mother. With only his younger brother left to care for, Mansour resolved to seek more lucrative employment abroad. He journeyed to a prosperous Arab nation then undergoing a monumental surge in urban development and advancements across all sectors. Years later, he married and enjoyed a felicitous life while continuing his work overseas. Providence blessed him with three children: a son and two daughters. This serene existence persisted for fourteen years until his contract concluded, necessitating his return to his homeland.

It was then that the winds of fortune turned tempestuous for Mansour. His wife, incited by her malevolent mother, grew recalcitrant, subjecting both Mansour and their children to ceaseless abuse. The sinister motive of her mother, as Mansour later discovered, was the emotional and financial subjugation of Mansour to her nefarious schemes. No man of honor could endure such a state of affairs, and the path inexorably led to an irrevocable divorce from his undutiful wife.

With a heart heavy with sorrow and a mind consumed by apprehension for the children he left behind, Mansour embarked on another journey in search of work outside Egypt. The imperative of finding another wife and a mother for his children became paramount, and fate smiled upon him with a virtuous woman who proved to be, and remains, a devoted wife and mother. Mansour succeeded in bringing his children from his first marriage to his new country of residence. Their new mother showered them with unwavering care, and Mansour, too, remained steadfast in his nurturing and support of their lives and education.

As they matured and approached the cusp of marriage, Mansour and their devoted stepmother spared no effort in preparing them with the finest provisions. However, the insidious seeds of ingratitude and oblivion, sown by their unfilial birth mother, had taken root deep within them, growing unseen by Mansour. These ungrateful progenies, devoid of filial piety and conscience, not only chose to distance themselves but also to malign the character of their father, Mansour, and his noble wife. Thus, Mansour's heart was utterly shattered, and his eyes, having wept their fill over spilled milk, could shed no more tears.