Pick yourself up & Dust yourself off. Start all over again if you have to

"It doesn’t matter how many times you fail. It doesn’t matter how many times you almost get it right. No one is going to know or care about your failures, and neither should you. All you have to do is learn from them and those around you because... All that matters in business is that you get it right once. Then everyone can tell you how lucky you are."

 Mark Cuban

Life passes us by & we fail to enjoy the lil yet special things it has to offer

I'm sure many of us have read this story before yet I feel the need to post it. 

"A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?"

For full story:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html

Humbled.

January 18th, 2012 I was blessed with the opportunity of visiting the holy city, Makkah for the very first time.

Seeing the Haram & the Ka'aba felt so surreal yet amazing (indeed we use amazing for everything but this was truly it) we were only there for a few hours due to our 18hr transit but it exceeded any wild expectations or images I've seen.
 

I've always known this, yet being in Makkah made me actually realise that Umrah & Hajj are really wonderful & humbling experiences. Everyone is dressed the same! There is no rich, poor, average or the millionaires. Males are dressed in a white cloth & females Abayas or anything long that covers.

It's the one time in which we truly realise that indeed we are all born & will die as equals, Allah Ta'ala knows no wealth nor looks, just sincere beings & hearts who live in the name of Islam & for HIS pleasure.

Everyone who enters the Haram Shareef is there for one common purpose; Ibadaat! Whether it be to request for something, plead for forgiveness or perform an Umrah or Hajj.

I pray that every individual be awarded the opportunity to visit the Haram & that we all experience that humbling moment that will last for a while if not eternally. I also pray that I be awarded the opportunity again, Insha'Allah.

 

That Time Of The Year Again ...

It's resolution time of the year again. That time of the year wherein we all promise to do or not do certain deeds. I often wonder how many actually remember & stick to their new year resolutions.

I've decided to let the world know mine so as to always remember it, but also be held accountable just before the world comes to an end of course ;) lol. It should be noted that I'm not really the New Year resolution type, I usually decide to do something & then go for it, however this year I'll do it differently, just for fun.

Ok so here goes my list:

1.   No more lies!! Yip, no more white lies. Take responsibility & accept the consequences (I totally broke this one on Sat night *sigh* but persevere I shall. Although I told the truth tonight, so it was like an interim lie if that makes any sense)

2.   Raise funds for the SRC Humanitarian Fund & lots of funds!! I have education to pay for.

3.   Graduate Insha'Allah

4.   Do the TESOL course

5.   Go over the sea :D

6.   Get into Honours, hopefully somewhere pretty & abroad hehe

7.   Be frank yet nice / polite :)

8.   No more tempers flying & pettiness

9.   No more complaining
10. Lastly take my interest in photography seriously. Yes Sabeeha Jhetam, YOU are my inspiration.

Uhm I think that's it for now, if I have anything else I'll be sure to add it on.

2012 let's do this...
*dam dam daam daaaaaaam*

Complacency . . .

Much of the youth is fine with being complacent mediocre individuals. Whilst I do believe this world is temporary I also believe in making the most of it & taking full advantage of my youth; I don't want to have regrets that I didn't do this or that. I want to experience it all.

However, I look around me & there are only a handful of individuals out there "shaking this world". I often wonder if WE realise that we are the future leaders of today not even tomorrow...

There's a huge leadership void waiting to be filled and so many problems that need solutions to be found by us, yet we sit; allowing time to pass, ourselves to age, & never truly experiencing life or reaching our full potential.

I made a decision that when my future kids or grand kids ask me what my contribution to the world was; I'll have an answer. I just pray I live to do it all & that I'm always guided by the Almighty, Aameen.

Not a teen, Not yet a woman crisis

I have a plan of what I'd like to do, however, I'm not one hundred percent sure. I find myself doing a lot, accomplishing the goals I set out for myself but not moving in a particular direction.

I think what spurred on this "Not a teen, Not yet a woman" crisis is the fact that I might not graduate with my class next year. Damn you fail mark on my academic record.

Whilst failure is good & has aided in the person I am today I often wonder where I will end up. Am I like dust vulnerable to the direction of the wind or do I have a purpose, a passion, a vision?

When I ask myself these questions I find that I don’t have an answer but answerS. I say answers because I’m interested & great at many things. Ideally I’d like to do it all!! Being a student at university I am, ‘doing it all’ to an extent yet I wonder if this is a viable option?

I guess this blog is a platform for me to find the answers I seek & as a friend of mine Zamantungwa would say “to find a voice”, my voice …

What I've Learnt... | Student Village

What I've Learnt... | Student Village