“Self pity is our worst enemy, and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in the world”

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet, Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”

Helen Keller

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son! 

If by Rudyard Kipling

Assalamu’alaikum.

I’m praying for your health every day, and I hope you’re doing well over there.

Kamil and Amirul sayang,

I’m not sure if you've both studied this poem in school but this is actually one of my favourites. It’s a very simple poem of advice, from a father to his son. Basically, the father is telling the son what makes a good and successful person. My favourite part of the poem is this:

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew 
To serve your turn long after they are gone, 
And so hold on when there is nothing in you 
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

I think this stanza applies so well to both of you right now


Sayangs,

I need you both, no, we all need you both to force yourself to serve your turn and hold on with all the will that you can possibly muster up. We are doing this not because we do not care about you but rather because we love you, and we want you to one day be the best person there could possibly be. Maybe one day you will begin to understand that you were not the only person who made sacrifices when this journey was decided upon, that yours is not the only heart that cries for days and nights from the feeling of absence, that you are not the only ones who feel the pain of loss and loneliness; because you’re not.

We need you both to be STRONG.

Make new friends, find new families—realize that there’s so much more around you to look at and appreciate. Don’t take things for granted, Sayangs, or I promise you, you will lose out. Don’t bother trying to make us proud anymore. At this very moment, you are your greatest enemy. Fight your own self-pity and find the will to go on to be a success. Make YOURSELVES proud, and everything else will fall in line.

My darling brothers (for you are both my brothers),

What you’re doing is a good thing, and because of that, Insyallah, Allah will always be with you, guiding you and giving you strength. All you have to do now is work hard. I know you can. I believe in you; both of you.

We love you both with all our hearts.

Infinite x’s and o’s

the burden

close your eyes and imagine,
feel the weight evaporate,
your shoulders rise up again,
as the burden disintegrate.

take yourself away,
to a place with happy days,
imagine being here,
with the ones whom you hold dear.

shut your eyes and see yourself,
in a place of simple pleasures,
a place where you can run to,
without being chased by troubles--

now open your eyes, brother.
wake up and look around.
I know you're lonely and bothered,
but here you shall stay bound.

I'm truly very sorry,
to lay so much on your shoulders,
but this weight that you must carry,
will help you when you're older.


p/s: it's time to get back to reality

Friday, March 19th 2010

Assalamu'alaikum.

Kamil sayang,

It's Friday today...an entire week has passed since I last saw you, and for some reason, I have never felt so alone in my life.

Today, I send some of my strength and willpower to you, in hopes that you will be able to face your days in your journey to become a better man with more determination and courage. Remind yourself always that we, at home, are truly very proud of you. Please be brave in your endeavours. And every time your spirit is shaken, remember that we love you and that you have our utmost support in this. We're all right behind you.

Adik kakak ikhlaskan hati so that everything that's being taught directly or indirectly diberkati Allah and you can benefit from the knowledge transferred to you fully. I believe in you and know that you can do this. Go out there, and work on being the best person you could possibly be.

I love you always and forever, and will pray for your success, always.

Infinite x's and o's