Different opinions

There are many times when we have different opinions from our spouse, boss, colleges, friends and others. Most (if not all) of the times, we feel that we are correct. The problem is, the other party think they are correct too. This can put some pressure on the relationship. How should we handle it?

Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. said in such situation we should leave it to Allah. Meaning we should pray to Allah to show us which opinion is better. And that's what I always do. I will pray to Allah if I'm wrong show it to me. And if the other party is wrong, show it to her/him. Then I will open up my heart to the truth. Meaning I open up myself to the possibility that I'm wrong. Sincerity in accepting the truth is the key here. When the truth is shown by Allah in one way or another, I accept it. Ego will only hinder us from the truth and wisdom. What is important is not whether I'm right or not but rather, if I am wrong I should accept it gracefully. We always feel that we are right but Allah knows better.

To non muslims, the same principle should work for you. Just pray to Allah and open up yourself to the truth. The truth will reveal itself in one way or another. It is difficult to swallow the fact that we are wrong, I know. That is only normal. What make us as strong as the mountain is not our stubbornness but the ability to reflect ourselves and see from other perspectives. Just like the mountain above. Always reflecting itself in the cool, clear water below. Thomas Edison had invented hundreds of things which failed before he finally invented electricity. Not many people know about his hundreds failure but he is famously known for his one successful invention. He won't achieve that if he didn't reflect and study his failures and try to improve them.

So good luck in your quest to improve. Accept difference in opinions as part and parcel of our road to success. Don't ever regard it as stumbling blocks. I should be the first one to follow my advice and hope to share this with you too. For those who read my blog to find ideas to go through your life, thank you for reading. I hope to contribute in every small way I can. When we give, we get a lot more in return. Try it.

Reserve versus expose

Sometimes it is very difficult to decide whether to pore our heart out or to reserve. A lot of people can't express how they feel. Men, particularly Asian men, are very reserve. Men like o bottle up what they feel inside themselves. Plus men don't cry. This make men look macho, yes, but it also mean their life span is shorter. Generally men die at younger age than women.

We don't have to say how we feel but more importantly show them. Your kids would know whether you love them or not from your actions. No matter how much money you give them, it's your quality time with them that counts. A teacher can be very strict with her students but if she give her best shot to make her students understand, they know she love them. It is as simple as that.

If you have a problem, try to talk to Allah first. Or to your god if you are not a muslim. No matter to whom you pray to, Allah will always listen for Allah is most gracious. Learn to trust Allah more than your friends for friends sometimes betray us. Just wait for Allah's answer. It will come in many forms. You will feel it in your heart.

No matter what is our religion, creed, believe, race, we should live in harmony with each other. That's what Prophet Muhammad teach. One day he paid a visit to his neighbor that always throw rubbish to him just because suddenly that guy stop throwing for a few days already. Prophet Muhammad wanted to find out if he was in trouble. Prophet Muhammad found out that the guy was sick, hence that explain why he stop throwing rubbish for a few days. Prophet Muhammad kindness has touched the guy's heart so much that you can guess what happen next.

I hope we can throw away all the black points in our heart and learn to live in harmony. Like the scenery in this picture, the big tree and even the small scrubs produces flowers for everybody to enjoy. Such harmonious life. It has to start with ourselves.

Inner peace

Green is a special color. It is the color that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) like. It is the color of nature that Allah set to sooth the sore and tiring eyes. It is the color of inspiration. It is the color of peace and serenity. In the mist of problems, try to go out into nature and observe it carefully. Watching the leaves dancing to the tune of the breeze is mesmerizing. Breathing in the cool air is so refreshing. Just sit down for a while, listen to the sound of the soft wind. Imagine yourself in harmony with nature. Praising Allah together with the birds and crickets. In the middle of the vast nature we will realize how tiny and minute we are as compared to the whole universe. And how great Allah is.

Nature is for us to preserve. Do your part by planting even a few potted plants. If nobody seems to care, the plant is there to listen us. The more we love it the better it will grow. Don't ever say we are alone. Allah is always there for us in so many forms. We just have to reach out and feel for it.

RESEARCH & INNOVATION EXPO

Seen here is me and my kids (helping out at the booth) and a few visitors. I brought my two kids so that they can give technical help. Or so they thought. My main reason is actually to give as much exposure as possible to my kids. We can learn from reading, discussing, experimenting and so on but nothing can be compared with experiencing it ourselves. The exposure would be good for them. I tried to give my kids as much skills as I can. I have bought some books on drawing method during one school holiday a long time ago. Plus drawing block, water colours, and the such. We spend the whole holiday drawing. I have send them for flash class a few years ago. They can create their own cartoon animation since lower secondary school. I try to give cooking skills to them, both sons and daughter. So far my daughter is a good cook, planning to open her own bakery one day. My elders can fry rice. As for the other two, I am crossing my fingers for them.

I entered the expo as an underdog. First, being an expo, I thought it is only for exhibition. I register just to push myself to do something different. Then I discovered there is a competition on all the researches. Without the proper background (not from IT or Computer Science background) I just want to show my courseware and how it can help the weak or even deaf students. Plus how my courseware can be used as mobile e-learning. As usual I try my best and didn't expect anything. Just to share my ideas. I was surprised to get the gold medal.

I guess the moral of the story is even though you feel you are not that good, just try your best. Don't concentrate on winning, concentrate on giving your best. You can never know what is in store for you.

The grandmother

I just came back from Tabung Haji. When I reached there this morning, quite a few people were standing waiting for their turn. It's going to be a long morning for me and my son. I took my number - 128. The present calling number is 82. So my son and I decided to go for some drink first.

When I came back, it was 120 already. Nice timing. I took a seat beside an old grandmother. A guard walked around and asked those who wanted to deposit money to go to counter 5. The instruction wasn't clear to me at first. After I comprehend what the instruction was, I mentioned about it to her. She then asker me whether I wanted to deposit or draw money. I answered I wanted to draw some money because I need the cash. She told me that she wanted to draw some money too because she wanted to take her niece to the clinic. I was dumbfounded for a while. I asked her again why must she draw money from her Tabung Haji account just to take her niece to the clinic. No money, she answered. I was so deep in my own thought that it took me a few seconds before I realized my number was called. I hurriedly went to counter 2.

While waiting I had the chance to think. I put aside some money inside my handbag to be given to the old grandmother. But I got to be sure she is really in need and not making up story. After collecting my money, my son gave me a signal to go home. I signaled back that I need to talk to the old grandmother. I sat behind her and told her that I wanted to help her but I need confirmation on her status. How much money does she have in her account right now? She showed me her account book. She had about RM101.40 and her form showed that she wanted to draw RM100. I handed over a certain amount of money to her. In her surprise and happiness she said Alhamdulillah and cried. I softly kissed her fragile cheek and asked her to pray for our prosperity. Then I quickly went out.

I know tonight I will sleep soundly InsyaAllah. If I dream of her, hopefully it will be a happy dream. May Allah blessed her.

Our world

Every morning or every news flash

I hear the sorrow of the world

It seem like everybody is lost and scare

Trying to make sense of it all

And there is travel to and fro

So many faces as we pass by

I see lonely heart living lonely life

Just bidding their time

Then when we called ourselves seven knights

Many people living empty life

As they drove their way today and night

CHORUS

I pray for our world

I pray for every child I pray for our world

To be filled with smile

Like the colous of the rainbow

And not just black and white

I pray for our world

To be filled with life

I pray for all of us

To choose the faith that's right

Believing in Allah

Everyday of our life

In the evening on the tv

I see the image of war

I see brothers killing brothers

With no consequence at all

And while those who claim to be leaders

Sell us and deceive

But Allah alone knows what's in their hearts

What they reveal and conceal

And when we called ourselves seven knights

We go and killing human rights

To colour our way of life

CHORUS AGAIN

Every mother every father

Every daughter every son

Don't you see that the answer lies only with the world

CHORUS AGAIN

Let us shine together

As a mother I feel contented watching my kids blooming into nice kids. As a teacher, I am more than happy to see my present or ex-students transform from a cocoon into a beautiful butterfly. All it takes sometimes is just a line of sincere praise. Other times I just convey to them my solid belief that they will make it like others. They just have to have confidence in themselves.

I will be happy when others around me are happy. A happiness shared is a happiness doubled.

Let us all shine together!

Beauty of life

There's a lot of beauty around us. Looking at a bouquet of flowers is enough to make me feel happy. I'm not a difficult person to please. A smile thrown at me is enough to make my day. Simplicity in life to me is a key to contentment. Everyday I have a thousand reasons to be happy. The song of birds greets me in the morning. Seeing the face of my sleeping four years old son is more meaningful than watching movie. I can list thousand reasons why I should be happy but can only list a few things that can upset me like my child doing something that upset me. The choice is ours whether to be happy or upset. Why make the wrong choice? You want to look young don't you? Then always be happy with ourselves. Have a nice day.

Rays of hope

To my good friend, Iching (Lee) and others who have problems at the moment. This entry is dedicated specially to all of you.

Life is full of tribulations. We have our ups and downs. At times we will face a problem that will occupy our mind so much that we have little space for other things. Even our everyday routine will be interrupted. This is normal.

For a muslim, Islam has taught us to seek Allah's help in time of trouble and then rest assure that Allah will give us a solution. Sometime the solution comes in unexpected form. Sometime the solution comes only after the hardship has made us strong and immune to such problems in the future. In other word, after we have develop a certain immunity. So in time of trouble, Muslims are contented knowing that Allah is always there to ease out pain for Allah is always listening to our prayer.

On the other hand, Islam taught us to praise Allah in good time for we know that all these are not possible without Allah's will. This make muslims contented in both good and hard times.

No matter whether you are muslim or believers of other faith, in time of trouble we will always turn to Allah (I seek your permission, readers, to use 'Allah' since in the Holy Qur'an even non muslims use the word 'Allah' to refer to god - refers to chapter Al Mukminun verse 24). This is the 'fitrah' or something inborn in us.

So Iching and others, rest assure that Allah will answer your prayers. Maybe not in the form that we ask but sometime in more wonderful forms that we didn't expect ourselves.

I pray to Allah that you, Iching and others, will feel the warmth flowing inside your heart now, like the ray of the sunlight that find its way from behind the dark cloud and blessed the gloomy earth with its light.

In time of good and bad, my prayers are always with you. May Allah bless you.

Single? Time to read!

At times when we feel tired physically and mentally, we need to get away from all that workloads and relax our minds. I love to read. Reading gives me a wealth of knowledge that the boundary is unimaginable. It gives me wisdom. Reading virtually from the internet can never substitute reading from a real book. The feeling is not the same. This is something that I miss so much. Having five kids doesn't give me a lot of time for reading. Sometimes too absorb in reading, I appear not to notice what's going on around me; something I feel other people cannot accept. Everyone wants my attention. So for those of you who are still single, use your time to read. You might not have that luxury after you got kids. Dr Fadhilah Kamsah said women sacrifices a lot compared to men. A wife will cook what the husband like, not what she like. A mother will buy cookies that her children like, not what she like. The list goes on and on. Got to go. Got to send my son to tuition. You see what I mean?