picture in my mind

This is one of the many things I'll never forget. The first time I heard it was during APEX, and someone was very emotional when relating it, I almost teared up too. Because when you do things, there will always be people who misunderstand you, and it's only human for you to hurt when they do. And then later, when I had to get out of MS exco (because no way could I have survived it, especially now) and had really, one of the worst times in my life, I was handed a printed version of this from Aizat (and I thank him for that):

"People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway. If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies; Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you’ve got anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway."

~ Mother Theresa

And it's too true; because once I know what I do is for Allah and Rasul anyway, it just becomes one million times easier to be good or to do the right thing. Like you know, you should never get angry with your parents or hurt them in any way right? -- but hello, it ain't so easy a job if your parent ain't a saint. When your mum is being unreasonable and says hurtful things (and bloody hell, you're only human, how much negativity can you take, even if she is in a lousy mood and is taking it all out on you), it is so damn hard to stay good and calm and not want to retaliate angrily in some way. But once I realise I'm not really doing this for her, I'm doing this for God, it becomes that much easier. You can be nice to people and not expect them to be nice to you, and it doesn't matter.

Like Rasulullah s.a.w. who loves his ummah, and we may not all love him back with fervour. It's not like he needs us anyway; more like the other way round. It's called kareem - loving someone although they may not necessarily deserve it, or being generous though people may not welcome it. It's an honourable thing. That's why there's that quote too, by Victor Hugo: What a grand thing, to be loved. What a grander thing still, to love. And surely nobody tops Nabi s.a.w. in this.

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Was reading my drafts folder (why do I do this when I should be reading up on actin or focal adhesion or stg else I actually need to do!), and found something from May 2008:

Things I want to do in my life before I die include (not necessarily in order):


1) Visit Scotland (can't believe I still haven't), Japan, Russia and Jerusalem (if possible) and as many other places as humanly possible.


2) Learn several languages.


3) Memorise my favourite surahs, at the very least.


4) Write a good story and proper script and send it in to mediacorp.


5) Finally have a beautiful and neat room/house.


6) Make sure my parents retire happy and rich.


7) Marry my one true love, but no other.


8) Attend Muktamar at Dandara, Egypt.

I want to laugh at number 4! WHAT was I thinking?! Haha. I've already visited Japan, yayyy. And hopefully Scotland soon, ohmygosh. And number 8, insya Allah, soon enough.