Friday, March 29, 2013

A tribute to Khalil Gibran and Knowledge



"A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle."
-Khalil Gibran


Don't let your little knowledge be idle because it is only a little knowledge. Knowledge does not decrease when shared, but multiplies and fortifies itself in the mind when repeated and shared with others. Teachers are made wiser when they teach, and scholars are only acknowledged as scholars when they share their knowledge, for before then, what are they but learned to themselves alone? 

However, don't speak unless your little knowledge is truth, and you believe it to be of benefit to those you share with. Unnecessary words and half truths can often be more dangerous than silence."I wash my hands of those who imagine chattering to be knowledge, silence to be ignorance, and affection to be art."

If you know of the doubts and flaws of your knowledge, let them know, so they may consider and judge for themselves. Do not force knowledge and stuff it down people's throats; remember:
"the teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind".

 Let not your confidence and ego blind you into baseless accusations and groundless facts, but be humble with your little knowledge; after all, a wise man thinks himself a fool, and only a fool thinks himself wise.

"Wisdom ceases to be wisdom when it becomes too proud to weep, too grave to laugh, and too selfish to seek other than itself."

Avoid being condescending of those who are younger, though they have lived a shorter time, they may have older souls and brighter minds. Know that experiences are not measured by time but by intensity, and by the lessons taken from it. For surely, there is nothing that disgraces knowledge than arrogance.

 "Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh, and the greatness which does not bow before children.


Note: All the quotes above in bold are by Khalil Gibran, a Lebanese poet. This is a tribute to him, to my Lebanese roots, and to knowledge.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Turbulent Waves : Episode 2

Episode 2 

As soon as they arrived at the hotel on Pulau Mamutik, Bessima excused herself to attend to some other business. Farah and Zarif were whisked to their honeymoon suite, and they were completely awed by the amazing room, as well as the jaw-dropping view of the sea from their balcony. While munching on the complimentary heart-shaped chocolates, they excitedly discussed what activities they can do the next day on the island, especially since both of them enjoyed the outdoors. They decided that since the islands of Sabah are world-renowned for their reefs, the first thing to do was definitely to go diving. When Bessima came back to check on them before going home, they told her of their plans, and she happily agreed to arrange everything. Farah excitedly invited Bessima to join them as she was an experienced diver, and she agreed. All three of them looked forward to an exciting diving trip the next day...

After a light breakfast, Farah and Zarif joined Bessima on a boat she chartered for them, and introduced them to the boat driver, who was surprisingly a woman. Bessima had even prepared all the equipment for them, and gave them a quick tutorial on how to use all the equipment and helped them put on the suits (she even had a special Muslimah diving suits for both herself and Farah). When they reached the dive site, Farah was feeling apprehensive as the location was further out than she had thought. It was just the sea for miles and miles around, and the island was a small speck in the distance. But she tried to shake her fear off, trying to convince herself that in the hands of a professional diver like Bessima, she should be fine. She focused her attention back on Bessima, who was explaining about how to dive. She strapped on the equipment and tanks on both of them, and jokingly asked them if they had any last words. Farah laughed nervously, and a chill ran down her back as Bessima gave her a sudden hug. As the three of them took the plunge, Farah held tightly to Zarif's hands...

Her first thought of the underwater scenery was, "Why is it so blurry?" She thought it was just condensation in her goggles, but then she started feeling dizzy. Zarif and Bessima were already a few meters ahead, completely absorbed with the amazing marine life. 

Neither noticed, as Farah slowly blacked out, and bubbles  stopped coming out of her mask...



Await the next episode...

Disclaimer: This drama is completely fictional, and has nothing to do with anyone dead or alive. Any resemblance or similarity (especially in names) is PURELY coincidental.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

INFJ? Is this me?

I took a personality test today, It seemed rather reliable, and is based on the writings of Carl Jung, David Keirsey and Isabel Briggs-Myers. According to the test results, I am an INFJ type, and I quite agree with 98% of it. Here's the description of my type. Parts in red are my comments:


"The INFJ type is believed to be very rare (less than 1 percent of the population) and it has an unusual set of traits. Even though their presence can be described as very quiet (huh??), INFJ personalities usually have many strong opinions, especially when it comes to issues they consider really important in life. (yup, agreed) If an INFJ is fighting for something, this is because they believe in the idea itself, not because of some selfish reasons.
INFJ personalities are drawn towards helping those in need – they may rush to the place of a major disaster, participate in rescue efforts, do charity work etc. (Mercy Malaysia!!) INFJs see this as their duty and their purpose in life – people with this personality type firmly believe that nothing else would help the world as much as getting rid of all the tyrants. Karma and similar concepts are very attractive to INFJs. (what goes around comes around...)
These tendencies are also strengthened by the fact that INFJ personalities have a unique combination of idealism and decisiveness – this means that their creativity and imagination can be directed towards a specific goal. Few other personality types have this trait and this is one of the most important reasons why many INFJs are able to eventually realize their dreams and make a lasting positive impact. (ooh really? I hope so, inshaAllah :D)
INFJs are masters of written communication, with a distinctively smooth and warm language. (erk, are my blogs smooth and warm?) In addition, the sensitivity of INFJs allows them to connect to others quite easily. Their easy and pleasant communication can often mislead bystanders, who might think that the INFJ is actually an extrovert. (agree 100% with this. Everyone doesn't believe me when I tell them I'm actually shy.)
INFJs should be careful to avoid “overheating” as their zeal and determination can sometimes get out of hand. As introverts, INFJs need to have some “alone time” every once in a while or otherwise their internal energy reserves will get depleted really quickly. (Yeah, so leave me alone sometimes, especially when I'm reading!) If this happens, the INFJ may surprise everybody around them by withdrawing from all their activities for a while – and since other people usually see INFJs as extroverts, this can leave them both surprised and concerned. (Don't worry, I'm fine, just recharging :P)
INFJs take great care of other people’s feelings and expect others to return the favor. Unsurprisingly, people with this personality type are very sensitive and vulnerable to conflicts – even the most rational INFJs may find it quite difficult to not take criticism personally. (I'm rather embarrassed to admit this is true. I'm working on it though.) This is the INFJ’s Achilles’ heel – if someone with an INFJ personality cannot escape the conflict, they will do their best to deal with it head on, but this will result in a lot of stress and may also potentially lead to health problems or highly irrational behavior. (I'm working on it, inshaAllah)"
Now you know everything about me. (Note my sarcasm)
If there is any part of this that you think doesn't fit me, or is not accurate for me, do comment. I just love reading comments (no sarcasm here). 
Try the test yourself at http://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test :)

Monday, March 25, 2013

Turbulent Waves (English version)


Episode 1

The sound of the aircraft engines grated on her ears. Farah stared out of the window and smiled to herself. She never ever dreamt that this day would come. She felt her hand being squeezed gently, and she turned towards her husband with a wide smile on her lips. Zarif smiled back at her, and at that moment they were  the happiest couple in the world. Little did they know that this happiness would not last, as tragedy will soon strike...

When they arrived in the airport, Farah's best friend, Bessima was already there waiting for them. Bessima dan Farah have been close friends since their university days in Nottingham, and were even house-mates for a while. Bessima was also acquainted with Zarif, as the three of them went to the same university. After graduation, they kept in touch and remained very close. Actually, it was Bessima who suggested that Farah and Zarif spend their honeymoon in Sabah, as Bessima is a proud native Sabahan who loves promoting the natural beauty of the Land Below the Wind. Farah is quite happy with that suggestion, as she gets to meet an old friend while enjoying a romantic honeymoon in Pulau Mamutik, and even Zarif was relieved as Bessima helped them arrange all their transportation and accommodation.

On the way to the jetty, the three of them happily chatted away about the various happenings in their lives, including Farah and Zarif's recent marriage. Farah still feels awkward talking about herself and Zarif, as she knows that back in university, Bessima had a crush on Zarif. Even before accepting Zarif's marriage proposal, Farah had consulted Bessima first about her feelings, as she didn't want to risk losing her best friend. However, Bessima just laughed and said "Oh dear, that's old history darling. I've gotten over him a long time ago, okay?" At first, Farah doubted her words, but after seeing how happily she celebrated their wedding, and the fact that Bessima recently got engaged to someone else, Farah is relieved and finally believes that Bessima has no more feelings for Zarif.

But is that really true?


Await the next episode...

Ombak Bergelora (Turbulent Waves)

Episode 1

Bunyi enjin kapal terbang membingitkan telinga. Farah melihat luar tingkap dan tersenyum sendiri. Dia tidak pernah termimpi pun hari ini akan tiba. Dia terasa tangannya digenggam erat, dan dia pusing ke arah suaminya sambil tersenyum lebar. Zarif tersenyum kembali, dan pada ketika itu mereka sangat bahagia. Sedikit pun tidak terlintas di kepala mereka bahawa kebahagiaan ini tidak akan kekal lama, kerana tragedi bakal melanda...

Setibanya di lapangan terbang, kawan rapat Farah, Bessima sudah sedia menunggu ketibaan mereka. Bessima dan Farah telah berkawan rapat sejak zaman universiti di Nottingham lagi, dan mereka juga pernah duduk serumah. Bessima juga kenal Zarif, dan mereka bertiga telah mengaji di universiti yang sama. Selepas tamat pengajian, mereka masih mengekalkan hubungan rapat mereka. Sebenarnya, Bessima yang mencadangkan kepada Farah dan Zarif untuk berbulan madu di Sabah, kerana Bessima anak tulen Sabah yang amat bangga dengan kecantikan alam semulajadi Negeri di bawah Bayu. Farah amat gembira kerana dapat berjumpa dengan kawan lama sambil menikmati bulan madu yang romantik di Pulau Mamutik, dan Zarif juga lega kerana Bessima telah membantu mereka menguruskan segala pengangkutan dan penginapan mereka.

Dalam perjalanan ke jeti, mereka bertiga rancak bercerita tentang kisah masing-masing, termasuklah tentang kisah perkahwinan Farah dan Zarif. Sebenarnya, Farah berasa sedikit kekok bercerita tentang dia dan Zarif, kerana Farah tahu bahawa ketika di universiti dulu, Bessima pernah suka pada Zarif. Sebelum menerima pinangan Zarif dulu, Farah pernah bertanya pada Bessima tentang perasaannya pada Zarif, kerana khuatir akan dibenci oleh kawan baiknya. Namun Bessima hanya tergelak, dan berkata: "Alahai, itu cerita lama, Farah. I dah lama over dia, okay?"  Pada mulanya Farah tidak percaya akan kata-kata Bessima, tetapi setelah melihat betapa gembiranya dia ketika meraikan perkahwinan Farah dan Zarif, serta melihat Bessima bertunang dengan lelaki lain, Farah semakin lega dan percaya bahawa Bessima sudah tidak menyimpan perasaan apa-apa pada Zarif.

Tetapi, apakah itu benar?

Nantikan episod seterusnya...


Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Castles in the Sky?

Confucius once said: "Find a job that you love, and you will never have to work a day of your life."

For so many people, that is a dream that will remain a dream. To have a career doing something you're passionate about, and still be able to earn a living, is like building castles in the air to some. Try telling your parents that you want to be a professional photographer, for example. They'll probably tell you to stop daydreaming and find a secure job that'll pay the rent. 

And they're right. Realistically speaking, only a handful of photographers can survive on photography alone, much less be rich or famous. 

But the dreamer still insists: What if that handful includes ME?

For those dreamers, who have the passion, drive, determination and guts to make their dreams come true despite the odds, this is dedicated to you. 

Here's an inspirational video of a man who defied all norms, quit a secure job to pursue his passion, and made a career out of his dream job :) Plus the video was shot in my lovely hometown of Sabah, so look forward to amazing underwater scenery!

I hope this inspires you as much as it inspired me. Enjoy!




Sunday, March 17, 2013

The greatest enemy

Sometimes I wonder how do people define success. How do we measure it? 

I used to think that the end results determine whether we were successful or not. If we're in a competition, then winning first place is success, anything else is a failure. After all, what better word to describe success than champion?

I used to beat myself up whenever I got anything less than the top spot. Second place in class for my final exams? That means I'm stupid. 98% for my exam? Why can't I get even a measly 2% more? I was always comparing myself to others, and post-exam days in primary school would mean me asking every other person in my class what their results were and comparing it to mine. I even had a book where I would jot down my result, and put the highest mark for each subject next to my marks, so I could see how many subjects did I not get first place for, and how many more marks do I need to get to be the best. Even when I got 100%, I would write down how many other people also got 100%, trying to prove to myself that I'm not that special after all. 

But as I got older, I realised that though it was an excellent way to motivate me, I was basically putting myself down, and putting myself under so much stress every time exams came around. It also prevented me from becoming real friends with my classmates, as I was basically viewing them as my rivals and enemies all the time. I started seeing that my biggest obstacle, as clichéd as it sounds, is myself. 

So in high school, I continued my little book of results, but this time I only compared myself to...myself. I tried to beat my own score every time exams came, and when I did, I rewarded myself. When I didn't, I would go over my exam papers and speak to my teachers to try and identify my weaknesses, and learned from my classmates who were better than me at that subject. 

With this new system, I got closer to my teachers and classmates, I enjoyed beating my own records and improving every term, and somehow I got to being the best in my year without even consciously trying. 

I even stopped crying every time I failed to beat my own record. I stopped crying every time I got 2nd place or 3rd place, and I stopped feeling like all my efforts are wasted if I don't get the top spot.

Did it make me lose my competitive edge? On the contrary, I seemed to be blazing a trail of winning, even going as far as becoming national champions in debate. When all of your focus goes into being better than yourself, you forget about nervousness, about how good the other contestants or teams are, or how difficult it is to think of your debate arguments. 

When I won, I felt that all my efforts had paid off, and I knew in my heart that I won because my team and I was good, not because the other team was weaker, or because the judges like us, or because the topic was favourable to us, and that gave me so much confidence and courage. 

And when I lost, I still believed that all my efforts paid off, that I lost because the other team is better than the current me and my team, but we can still be stronger and better, and that gave me strength, to resolve to never lose again.

So if you ever lost anything, be it a competition, or election, remember that YOU define whether you lost or not. If by going through that experience, you have gained one thing, something, just anything: be it courage, confidence, skills, ideas, friends, strength, or inspiration; then you have gained, and not lost. Let every experience of losing make you strive to be a better you, instead of being about beating anyone else. And let every win make you be grateful, and strive for greater heights.

May God guide your way, and lift you to higher goals in life, and lift you to a higher Paradise in the afterlife.

P.S Congratulations to Shehroze Khan for getting 3rd place in the SU President elections recently. It wasn't a loss, as I'm sure you have gained much. This post is dedicated to you, and your legacy, and may you continue to be an inspiration for us all, inshaAllah.#YesWeKhan