moderation

moderation is good..

People Will Always Remember How You Made Them Feel

I arrived at the address where someone had requested a taxi. I honked but no one came out. I honked again, nothing. So I walked to the door and knocked. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie. 

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets.. 

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware. 

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, and then returned to assist the woman. 

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. 

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated'.. 

'Oh, you're such a good boy', she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, and then asked, 'Could you drive through downtown?' 

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly. 

'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice'. 

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued. 'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. 

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked. 

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. 

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. 

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. 

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired. Let's go now' 

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. 

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up.. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. 

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. 

'How much do I owe you?' she asked, reaching into her purse. 

'Nothing,' I said 

'You have to make a living,' she answered. 

'There are other passengers,' I responded. 

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. 

'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 

'Thank you.' 

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life. 

 I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? 

What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? 

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.

But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one. 

PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID, BUT THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL. 

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well ‘dance’.

a journey of a family...

i could feel the photographer's joy to have come to the opportunity to capture this - live!
i imagine writing so many different versions of stories from the pix, but one that immediately came in mind - a journey of a family...


lovely!

latar

pada 

kanvas

baru 

ku 

bayangkan

warna

keindahan

cerah

langit 

biru

harum

bunga

di taman

burung

berkicauan


degup 

yang

kian 

lantang

bikin 

aku 

terhenti

tak 

pasti

apa 

yang 

mendatang

mampukah 

menanggung

akibat 

berharap

pada

keindahan 

yang  

terlalu

indah

pada
aku

yang 

sering

jatuh

dan

jatuh

lagi

takut

jatuh 

lagi

pada 

kanvas

baru

ku

palit

warna

latar 

belakang

di

situ

tempat

aku

mendokong

indahnya

lukisan

baru

Help

Help

When I was younger,
So much younger than today
I never needed anybody’s
Help in any way
But now those days are gone
I’m not so self assured
Now I find, I’ve changed my mind
I’ve opened up the do

Help me if you can,
I’m feeling down
And I do, appreciate you being round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won’t you please, please help me

And now my life has changed
In oh so many ways
My independence seems to vanish in the haze
But every now and then
I feel so insecure
I know that I just need you
Like I’ve never done before

d a m a i

What Can You Do in One Minute?

Posting this for my safekeeping n reminder.

source: Sami [sami@99islam.com]

Time is of the essence, it is too precious to be wasted or neglected. The wise person is the one who pays attention to his time and does not treat it as a vessel to be filled with cheap things and vain talk. Instead, he limits it to worthy efforts and righteous deeds that please Allah and benefit other people. Every minute of a person’s life carries the potential to raise his own status and to make his people happier, little by little.

If you are keen to attain the highest position, and bring the most happiness to your people, then forget about relaxing and keep away from empty amusement.

In one minute you can do a lot of good and earn much reward. In just one minute, by giving in charity, studying, memorizing, or striving to do good deeds, you can make sure that this minute of your life is not wasted. One minute may be recorded in your book of good deeds if you know how to make the most of it and take care of it:

Strive to make the most of each minute

If you forget it, you forget the most important thing, the truth.

There follows a list of things that can be done in one minute, by the permission of Allah:

1.   In one minute you can recite Surat al-Fatihah 3 times, reciting rapidly and silently. Some scholars said that the reward for reading al-Fatihah is more than 600 Hasanah, so if you read it 3 times you will, by the permission of Allah, gain more than 1800 Hasanah – all of that in one minute.

2.   In one minute you can recite Surat al-Ikhlas (Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad) 20 times, reciting rapidly and silently. Reciting it once is equivalent to one-third of the Qur’an. If you read it 20 times it is equivalent to reading the Qur’an 7 times. If you read it 20 times in one minute each day, you will have read it 600 times in one month, and 7200 times in one year, which will be equal in reward to reading the Qur’an 2400 times.

3. You can read one page of the Book of Allah in one minute.

4. You can memorize a short Ayah of the Book of Allah in one minute.

5.   In one minute you can say La ilaha ill-Allah Wahdahu la Sharika Lah, Lahul Mulk Wa Lahul Hamd Wa Huwa ‘ala Kulli Shay’in Qadir (There is no god except Allah alone with no partner; to Him be dominion and praise, and He is Able to do all things) – 20 times. The reward for saying this is like freeing 8 slaves for the sake of Allah from among the sons of Isma’il.

6.   In one minute you can say Subhan Allahi Wa bi Hamdihi (Glory and praise be to Allah) 100 times. Whoever says that in one day will be forgiven for his sins even if they are like the foam of the sea.

7.   In one minute you can say Subhan Allahi Wa bi Hamdihi Subhan Allah Al-‘Adthim (Glory and praise be to Allah, glory be to Allah the Almighty) 50 times. These are two phrases which are light on the lips, heavy in the balance and beloved to the Most Merciful, as was narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

8.   The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When I say ‘S ubhan Allah, Wal Hamdu Lillah, Wa la ilah ill-Allah, Wa Allahu Akbar (Glory be to Allah, praise be to Allah, there is no god except Allah, and Allah is Most Great)’, this is more beloved to me than all that the sun rises upon.” (Narrated by Muslim). In one minute, you can say all of these words more than 18 times. These words are the most beloved words to Allah, the best of words, and they weigh heavily in the balance of good deeds, as was narrated in the Sahih Ahadith.

9.   In one minute you can say, La Hawla Wa la Quwwata illa Billah (there is no strength and no power except with Allah) more than 40 times. This is one of the treasures of Paradise, as was narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim. They are a means of putting up with difficulties and of aiming to achieve great things.

10. In one minute you can say La ilaha ill-Allah approximately 50 times. This is the greatest word, for it is the word of Tawhid, the good word, the word that stands firm. If these are the last words of a person, he will enter Paradise, and there are other reports which indicate how great these words are.

11. In one minute you can say Subhan Allah Wa bi Hamdihi, ‘Adada Khalqihi, Wa Rida Nafsihi, Wa Zinata ‘Arshihi, Wa Midada Kalimatihi (Glory and praise be to Allah, as much as the number of His creation, as much as pleases Him, as much as the weight of His Throne and as much as the ink of His words) more than 15 times. This words bring many more times the reward for other forms of Tasbih and Dhikr, as was reported in Sahih Ahadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

12. In one minute you can seek the forgiveness of Allah more than 100 times by saying “ Astaghfirullah (I seek the forgiveness of Allah). The virtues of seeking forgiveness are no secret, for it is the means of attaining forgiveness and entering Paradise, and it is the means of being granted a good life, increasing one’s strength, warding off disasters, making things easier, bringing rain and increasing one’s wealth and children.

13. You can say a few brief and concise words of good in one minute, and Allah may bring about some good through them that you could never imagine.

14. In one minute you can send blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) 50 times by saying Sallal-Lahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam (May Allah bless him and grant him peace). In return Allah will send blessings upon you 500 hundred times because one blessing brings ten like it.

15. In one minute you can motivate your heart to give thanks to Allah, to love Him, to fear Him, to put hope in Him, to long for Him, and thus travel through the stages of ‘Ubudiyyah (total enslavement to Allah). You could do this when you are lying on your bed or walking in the street.

16. In one minute you can read more than two pages of a useful book that is easy to understand.

17. In one minute you can uphold the ties of kinship by calling a relative on the phone.

18. You can raise your hands and recite any Du’a’ you wish from the books of Du’a’, in one minute.

19. You can say Salam to and shake hands with a number of people in one minute.

20. You can forbid an evil action in one minute.

21. You can enjoin something good in one minute.

22. You can offer sincere advice to a brother in one minute.

23. You can console someone who is depressed in one minute.

24. You can remove something harmful from the road in one minute.

25. Making the most of one minute motivates you to make the most of other periods that would otherwise be wasted.

Al-Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

When people go to sleep, I let my tears flow, and I recite a verse of the most eloquent poetry

Is it not a waste that nights go by and I do not increase in knowledge, yet this time is counted as part of my life?

Finally, the more sincere you are towards Allah and the more aware you are of Him, the greater will be your reward and the more your Hasanat will increase.

Note that most of these actions will not cost you anything; they do not require Taharah (purity) and they will not tire you out or take much effort. On the contrary, you can do them whilst you are walking, or in your car, or lying down, or standing, or sitting, or waiting for somebody.

These actions are also among the greatest means of attaining happiness, expanding the chest (i.e., bringing relief and joy) and removing stress and anxiety. May Allah help us and you to do that which He loves and which pleases Him. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad.