from pain comes strength

it had been a difficult week.

especially when you realised being good is not good enough. or perhaps what i perceive as doing the right thing, turned out to be not accepted? hated? became a topic to be talked about behind my back? when all i see, is goodness in others. (i have said it times and again, this is my curse, really) and that i have never, in my blase redundant life, expected them to be that way?

i have never, also, believe everyone is perfect. not my self for that matter. whenever something is not right, instead of pointing fingers or blaming others, i tend to ask myself where did i go wrong? was i suppose to do it differently or was there a way that it could be done right? i never really think that perhaps some other people might be in the wrong. unless someone i respected and trusted pointed out to me, that, see Seri, it is not your fault, he or she really made this mistake or in the wrong. learn to accept it and move on. and there have been one or two person who can tell me that. really just a few actually. like a colleague and the other my best babe. my sisters and brothers. and my amazing husband, mainly because he’s a high level manager in a huge international company. the people i dealt with are chicken pea compared to the types of people he work with (which means, multi cultural, multilingual, diverse race​ and religion). and they will point out if im wrong too, or where i could have done better.

i have never been a people person too. i have embraced that it is an introvert thing. i am perfectly fine doing things on my own and a colleague used to say, along the line: when i’m doing my work, i’m in my zone. and yes, sometimes it’s like that, i just stayed too focused on something and everybody else is in a different space, until, some distraction happened or my stomach starts to rumble, and then wham, oh hey everybody else.

but not everyone is like me. i’m a social animal who can thrive without being too social. but people could think that i don’t care? or worst, people could think im just stupid, because i seem to not know anything due to my nature of not kaypoh or keen enough. and i guess there are people like that, who thinks they could ‘play’ me out, taken for granted because i act like i don’t know. most of the times, i really don’t know, but Allah, SubhanAllah, has never left me in the ditch, literally. there’s always a gut feeling, the sudden change in my reaction (that i cant control), or something or someone just came up out of nowhere. i never have to dig or be kaypoh enough to find out.

i believe all that is good takes time. i don’t want to live a life where i am constantly thinking if someone talked bad about me, or always in suspicion of one another, because i don’t think we can work, live, breathe like that. constantly blaming others for any mishappens, constantly thinking everyone else is wrong, everyone else is to be blamed. constantly in vengeance, feeling victimised. constantly weighing, this is my job, this is your job im not doing it because it is not my job or i am not paid for it. and i think the worst kind of people, are those who always think they are right or too ‘high’ that they cannot do menial work or be with some people. i do not want to be someone who cannot accept my mistakes, because by thinking too highly of myself, i am putting myself at the lowest. because at the end, Allah is the Most High and All-Knowing. but that does not mean anyone else can blame me and think highly of their ownselves.

i am not that person. i will never be that person.

after days of fighting with my emotions and this is human nature, but by working one self out and understanding where this anger, sadness, disappointment comes from, and from having amazing people around to talk to. i am slowly clearing my thoughts and cleansing my heart, and hopefully be able to see things clearly for what or who they really are. in the meantime, i take myself out from all that is bringing this heart pain, and believe me, it is so painful but i will still see the goodness in everyone else. and perhaps there’s the beauty of it.

perfect heartbreaks

how many heartbreaks can a person take?
when you cannot hide behind a smile anymore?
when you no longer hold your tears?
when your hole of a heart beats to nothing?

how many heartbreaks can a person take?
when holding on to goodness becomes a lie?
when kindness becomes deceitful?
when truth blurred in blackness?

how many heartbreaks can a person take?
when your lips couldnt say out the right words?
when your hands trembled with anger and sorrow?

how many heartbreaks can a person take?
when did protecting becomes a mistake?
when did caring becomes a weakness?
when did all that is good turns to dust?
when did honesty scalded from burns?
when did happiness becomes painful?
when did doing the right thing brings grief?

how many heartbreaks can a person take?
what do you do?
to rise from these ashes?
to hold on to what is true?
to see goodness again?
to be kind again?
to be in perfect denial of your worst?

so i can finally be happy for you?

break

this road is pebbled with lies and broken mirrors

when trust is retched of black lava

when love is stricken by lightning thunder

when kindness is ruptured in separation

breaking shattering

the glass of purity

when goodness forgotten

when words woven in deceit

when eyes sparkled with hatred

your heart decaying

layer by layer

in dirt and filth

how does a person live?

in constant vengeance

in deep denial

your body a stroke

of evil whispers

breaking people’s hearts

distorting innocence

how does a person live?

wretched in your own skin

compounded in your malicious soul

how does a person live?

15:7

gosh. for every 12 days of work. i need like a, 5 days rest.

one day just to rest my body and recuperate from social life
one day just to buck up and try to do some house chores left undone
one day just to ‘get into routine’ of a ‘normal’ day which means house chores, cooking, eating proper meals at proper times, have some exercise workouts
one day just to catch up on reading and maybe watch something i like + simple chores and cooking
one day just to rewind the brain that hey tomorrow start working, let’s plan the week

i need another day to maybe go out of the house do or see something interesting
and then another day to rest from that mini adventure

hey let’s make it 7 days then.

maybe i should propose a work schedule that, ok let’s make it for every 15 days of work, i need a 7 days rest?

workable?

today will be interesting

for close to 8 years now. my life has been day in day out, just pretty much me= home=work. 365 days a year.

except for when we get to travel for about 3 weeks max. my travels have always been about landscape, nature, mountains, sunrays, the seas and vast lands. i love them. every single travels i have had the fortune of experiencing. and then life is pretty amazing and interesting.

but i cannot have the luxury of this travelling lifestyle bloggish kind of life. and then life gets pretty routined. work and work. weekdays and weekends. and work took away my energy, sanity and moments.

i am grateful for having a job. i am grateful that my job isnt like any other jobs. that for one thing, it took me only 15 mins to and fro.
but it still is, a rush up the corporate ladder, i am expected to do things and expected to do well in them, alas i would be called as a ‘passive worker’ kind of person. there still is, brutal office politics and that subtle ghost of an ego trying to prove oneself is better than the other. it gets very overwhelming actually. my heart is made of glass. *roll-eyes*

i have always need affirmations. since teenage angst days. i even had a notebook which is dedicated to me writing affirmations. at one point, i think i had ‘i will be happy’ affirmations written on several pages. i have always been a moody quiet kind of person. i had to write to myself to be happy. one of the things i’ve always thought i am weird about, could still be, until i discovered the term ‘introvert’ and that chirpiness and too much talking is not in my dna. but i can still be happy. lol.

anyway, i have come up with a new affirmation. at age 2 months away from ehem35ehem.

today, i will choose joy and it will be an interesting day

i want to spark joy and positivity because i needed it myself. i want to see things in new perspectives and learn new things which i can apply and share a knowledge with others. i want to have that spark of life and smile genuinely. and if it’s going to be my last days of work, it is going to be the best days of work.

when to jump

When to Jump: If the Job You Have Isn't the Life You WantWhen to Jump: If the Job You Have Isn’t the Life You Want by Mike Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Love the stories. I am at a crossroads myself, trying to decide on whether i can pursue and persevere in my current job or to do something else. To quit has always been at the back of my mind but i can never made the decision. always felt that i have no reason to jump. perhaps i didnt know what to do or how to do it.

stumbling upon this book at such a critical period for me feels like a blessing in disguise. like a sign from above. i will take it all in and make my next move.

Thank you to the author for making the jump to write this collection of stories.

View all my reviews

super ladies

i rarely take selfies, and not always the first to take photos of myself. someone else always initiates a group photo. never me. but there are few instances where i feel like i need to capture a person or moment i want to remember. and when i offer myself and i actually want to take a photo with a person, it is usually to remember the feelings or thoughts i had at that moment.

like today, for instance. i was in the same room with two ladies i was always in awe of. we were attending a meeting and the two ladies seated in the front row, as leaders. and i kept telling myself, the two of them at the same place and time, i need to take a photo with them. need. yes. an opportunity as this dont always come by.

at the end of the meeting, i took up enough courage to get a friend to help me out. and i was happy.

one was my principal. well, she was my principal during my school years. i don’t remember having nice memories of her actually, well, simply because she was a strict principal, her loud voice and gave stern face was all she need to do to make any of us girls trembled in fear. i remembered though, mornings i had to be early to clean her office. i was a shy and quiet student. i don’t start conversations but i think, we thrived in those silent mornings. i was clearly not a great student, i scraped by, i survived just by trying to do and be my best in school.

but somehow, i looked up to her and respected her. i think she is an epitome of a strong lady who had to face head on all the, i am sure, difficult challenges of being the only female principal in a pre-dominantly leadership role usually occupied by men. but she never faltered, the way i see it. she was the principal and she was also teaching the upper classes. getting an A in her GP class was rare but having gotten one for an essay, gosh, that truly felt like a trophy and i treasured that essay. funnily though, that essay was based on my teen obsession towards Roswell (the drama series) and a short span interest on aliens. i don’t even remember why i thought aliens are relevant then. but perhaps that essay was full of passion and vigor, i nailed it. so anyway, when many of my classmates had a bit of resentment towards her, which i do not understand why, i have nothing but respect.

the other lady, was someone i met in my career life. i attended her trainings, and was intrigued by the NLP she introduced to us. i followed her classes then. i can say she inspired me in many ways, although i can never be like her. too much energy and optimism, lol. but still, she taught us many useful things in the course of my work and she ignited us with her passion and positivity. i have not met her for quite a while now. and as God has it, she is now the current principal of my alma mater. the turn of events, they say. such a small world.

now that i think about it, these two power ladies shaped me into who i am today. may it be small or big influence, and i still looked up to them for inspiration, for a glimpse of motivation to keep moving on. wasn’t easy, this.

i looked up to many ladies, as role models. these are my mentors. there are others i felt i owed them my success. they do. they have different personalities and ways of doing their work, i picked up these pieces of inspiration and hoped that i can be as successful as them, if not better.

how far can i go, then?

so, ok?

so, ok?

hmm…

two words we always say
to each other
one another
someone new
someone familiar
someone who care
someone who doesnt care

so, ok?

hmm…

how do i answer your question, sir?
what do you want me to say, miss?
ok…to what?

so, ok?

ok to how i come here?
well, yea, my sugarhubby drives me, so it is ok.

ok to how i feel being here this early?
hmm… nope not ok.
work-free weekends are precious to me

ok to the food we served?
it was fine…i’m not a picky eater

ok to the venue?
well, guess so…the island is small anyway

so, ok?

ok to what?

to my life?
to my job?
to my feelings?
to my thoughts?
or just to what i’m wearing?

so, ok?

you want an ok answer?
or a not ok answer?

you want me to say what you want me to say
or you want me to say what i really want to say?

you see, you, whoever you.
i am not ok,
to your question, so, ok?

life pendulum

in my line of work, family and friends are sometimes surprised when i say ‘oh i have so many meetings this week,’ ‘i have due dates to rush for.’ and then i either try explaining to them what i do, for the past 7-8 years now, or i just say ‘yah it’s just, you know, work’. perhaps the idea of working at a mosque, is still pretty much sit and…..do…nothing? someone should come up with a series of life of a mosque worker.

oh my god, did i just come up with a brilliant idea? 😛

my and my ideas.

i have been reading books on trying to find myself, like for the umpteenth time, and found some answers or ‘advices’ which pretty much knock some senses. like “How To Be Everything” by Emilie Wapnick, which really resonates with me, gives me a lot to think about and practical exercises to go about and ‘find my way’, and then there’s Kikki K’s The Life Plan by Shannah Kennedy, which, by right, i bought it because it looks like a pretty book, honestly, and (by left) quite useful too in some ways: finding your life values, time management, etc.

and recently, When to Jump by Mike Lewis. No book gave me straight answers, but i am devouring them with the knowledge that these are all signs. this current book in particular screams ‘passion’ ‘mission’ ‘calling’ ‘what am i afraid of?’ what’s the worst that can happen?’ and ‘

what do you believe in?

(Sidetrack: i’m either a clingy mothercat or just lack of love, haha, i find love in the very fact that my Kechik roams around the house, and always come back to me..like, now im blogging, i thought she’s somewhere around the house. when i turned around, she’s actually laying napping behind me. she shadows me around the house….i’ll play around go anywhere i want, but still come back to mommy. heart-eyed. lol)

anyway, back to what i was saying… i look around me…sink in all these experiences, these meetings, be open to receiving it all again, perhaps, a glow of fire re-ignite somewhere. but the life vane (wind vane, get it?) is not pointing to a straight direction. it moves a lot. stopping at a time at one direction and then it changes pointing to a different possibility. but one thing i know, it changes this year. a little pendulum tells it so. what is it though?

prayer of hope

the power of prayer and hope.

who would have thought. 2018 started with such a turn around.

at some point, the workplace was full of tension and unhappiness. unfairness and disagreement. people trying to face the day with as much dread as it is with the need to complete whatever tasks screaming for their attention.

we talked of the difficulties and hardship. we talked of putting up hopes that everything will get better. we talked of how it can get better.

i still remember telling a few colleagues, last year, “please be patient, things will get better, i have a feeling 2018 will bring much hope and those who feel they are being treated unfairly, the truth will rise up. Allah will help those who were mistreated.” At that point of time, i was thinking of a colleague’s effort to bring everyone together for an usrah where he will share insights and reminders from the spiritual point of view. i was looking forward to it because i really think that would open up people’s hard hearts.

and then things start to move with His help. one by one. i trust Allah has better plans for us. for every one of us. we forgot that He knows everything, the past present and future. we forgot that we are here because of Him. there is nothing that we do now, without Him knowing without Him moving them. perhaps we have been shown, witnessed His greatest help for us. i could imagine a grey cloud was lifted off, and everyone’s eyes could finally see what was hidden behind those rays.

i could see all the people from the past being mistreated and feeling, you have been wronged and you have been reprieved. without anyone saying any word out loud, Allah allowed a person to leave, in silence, as compared to all the hard and harsh situation created in the past. i say, Allah, that is much forgiveness You are showing.

allow us to forgive and be forgiven too.

but i especially feel disappointed. for the longest time, i wanted to believe there is only goodness. there is only goodness and perhaps that pained and tainted heart could be changed. for the longest time, i only wanted to see the positive half of a person. God gave me that. He let me see only the goodness and completely blinded of the misdeeds that had been happening for so long. and then i wanted to know and hear it. hear it out loud. say it out. because my brain could not make sense of it all. let it be heard and gather for itself what is true.

and then we listened. we could finally move on. we could fully separate the goodness of a person from the misdeeds. because nobody is perfect. i’m not. and we could slowly but surely be lifted up. lifted up from drowning in despair and sadness, to finally see light and honestly feel happiness.

may this bring positive change and captivates only joy and sincerity.