In a small town in Saudi Arabia, there lived a boy named Kareem. Life had not been kind to him. His childhood was filled with struggle, and in the absence of guidance, he made mistakes that would change his destiny. One such mistake brought him before the court.
The courtroom was silent the day Kareem stood before the judge. The boy’s head was bowed, his eyes fixed on the floor. The judge, an elderly man with years of wisdom, looked at him with both firmness and compassion. After a long pause, the judge asked,
“Before the sentence is carried out, do you have a final request?”
Kareem hesitated. His lips trembled as he whispered, “I only wish to swim… just once more in my life.”
The entire room fell silent. The request was unusual, innocent, almost childlike. The judge, taken aback, leaned forward. He studied the boy for a moment and then nodded.
“So be it,” he said. “Your wish will be granted.”
The Journey to the Pool
That evening, Kareem was escorted by a group of guards. The roads were quiet, the atmosphere heavy. People who heard about his wish gathered at a distance, curious to witness the strange request of a boy whose life had taken such a tragic turn.
The vehicle stopped in front of a private swimming pool. It was not an ordinary pool but one that shimmered under the lights, its blue waters glowing with calmness. The guards formed a circle around Kareem as he stepped forward. His heart beat fast, not out of fear, but out of excitement—something he hadn’t felt in years.
For the first time in a long time, his eyes sparkled.
The Swim
Kareem removed his sandals and dipped his feet into the cool water. A smile spread across his face. He slowly lowered himself into the pool, and as soon as his body touched the water, it was as though a burden had lifted from his soul.
He began to swim. His arms cut gracefully through the water, and his head moved rhythmically side to side. He was no longer a boy with a sentence hanging over him. He was just a child again—free, innocent, alive.
The guards, who had come with stern faces, softened as they watched. The judge himself stood by the poolside, his eyes filled with thought. He had seen many cases, many faces, but never a moment like this.
As Kareem swam, laughter escaped his lips. He dived under the water and emerged again, droplets shining on his face like pearls. He floated on his back, staring at the night sky above, whispering softly, “This feels like freedom.”
The Silence
Minutes passed, but nobody rushed him. The air around the pool was heavy with emotion. The guards exchanged glances, realizing they were not just watching a swim—they were witnessing a message.
When Kareem finally came out of the water, silence fell. He stood dripping, but his face glowed with peace. He turned to the judge and said, “Thank you… for letting me live like a child once more.”
The judge’s lips pressed into a firm line. In his heart, he knew this moment would stay with him forever. The boy had reminded them all of something people often forget: that behind every mistake is a human heart, longing for innocence and forgiveness.
The Lesson
That night, everyone who stood by the pool carried home a memory they could never erase. Some carried pity, others carried guilt, but all carried a lesson—that sometimes, a simple wish can reveal the deepest truth of the human soul.
Kareem’s final wish was not wealth, not luxury, not escape. It was simply to feel water on his skin and freedom in his heart.
And long after that evening, people remembered the boy whose last request was to swim—because in that short swim, he taught them the value of mercy, the power of simplicity, and the beauty of one last innocent dream.
