Passion and Detachment

When it comes to finding myself a life partner, things just seem so challenging and I cannot understand why. I consulted my best friend of more than 20 years, he agrees that nothing is wrong with me. Worst of all, there are many people think and say that I am picky. Perhaps they are right. If there are many people who say so, they must be right. Nevertheless, is the majority always right? Can I as a beggar be a chooser?

I was a slave of passion and kept falling for the girls I shouldn’t fall for. It was so difficult to forget one of them that without me realizing, my heart became hard as a stone to kill the feelings I had for her. That was the hefty price I paid to in order to be obedient.

To cut a long story short, it took me almost long eight years to realize that I was a man without emotions. Thanks to the book Emotional Intelligence by David Goleman, I began to learn about emotions. The so called “negative” emotions are important for our survival and I should not suppress and disregard them. In contrary, I should recognize these emotions, reflect upon why I feel them and take actions to diffuse such emotions.

Having said so, I still stumble when it comes to finding a partner and I still don’t know why. Anyway, I have decided to be detached and turn my face unto God. To be detach does not imply in any way to have nothing. Abdu’l-Baha said, “Detachment is the non-existent of desire in the heart, not in the lack of material things.”

“O Son of Utterance! Turn thy face unto mine and renounce all save Me; for My sovereignty endureth and My dominion perisheth not. If thou seekest another than Me, yea, if thou searchest the universe for evermore, thy quest will be in vain”

Catchy November

For some unfathomable reasons, this November had been a month of catching up with friends I hardly get to see.

From good old buddies from childhood, one who came back for holidays from the US and another from Down Under, to friends from college, who was back from the UK, university, who stayed nearby but hardly meet (and also one who is back from UK), and previous employment, a maiden alumni gathering thrown by Maxis Berhad. I was told that the HR intended to organize such alumni gatherings annually. I look forward for it.

We shared our stories, we laughed and though much have changed, the bond of friendships remained. The characters of each and every of them remain the same. Such blessings have I got that all of them had brought joy and made a difference in my life. I wish them all the best and may they continue to progress further and higher in their future undertakings.

Confirmation

The word confirmation has now greatly influence my life. When my efforts produce the result I desire, it is confirmation. When my efforts do not produce the result I desire, it is also confirmation. It is confirmation that I have put in the wrong efforts, having the wrong the desire or simply the wrong timing.

Having confirmation does not imply that life is going to be a bed of roses. Sometimes, we try so hard and yet we still do not succeed. Sometimes, our efforts seem to be completely futile. However, confirmation may happen in the least expected manner. For example, Alexander Fleming was focused on the search for a "wonder drug" and by chance he discovered the penicillin.

I have not fully grasped the concept of confirmation but I do know that if we put total trust and complete submission to God, He will confirm us.