My darling, Nurhara,
I listened to one of Nick Vujicic's talks on YouTube. He and his wife have a routine of asking three questions every month. The questions are: "What am I doing that you want me to stop doing? What am I not doing that you want me to start doing? What am I doing well that you want me to keep doing?" Ara, my love, could you answer these questions for me? I’d appreciate your thoughts.
I'm taking a break after drilling for seven hours. Suddenly, I remembered our conversation on May 5, 2024, when you tried to soothe me while I was feeling down. You asked a simple question that I didn’t answer: "What does Imam al-Ghazali teach us during times of obstacles, abang?" Life is a struggle, and navigating each obstacle requires wisdom and patience.
Imam al-Ghazali, one of my favorite philosophers, teaches us a few things to do when we face troubles in life. What are they?
1. Tawakkul
2. Patience and Perseverance
3. Self-Reflection and Self-Improvement
4. Seeking Knowledge and Guidance
5. Gratitude and Contentment
Al-Ghazali emphasized the importance of placing trust in God and surrendering to the divine will. By acknowledging that God is the ultimate source of all outcomes and events, we understand we are part of a larger divine plan. He stressed the virtue of patience in the face of adversity, reminding us that challenges are temporary and part of our growth journey.
Regarding self-reflection and self-improvement, Al-Ghazali highlighted that during obstacles, individuals can reflect on their actions, intentions, and beliefs. We can strive to overcome personal weaknesses through introspection and self-discipline. I’ve done my self-reflection by writing notes, poems, or letters to you. Writing sharpens our thoughts and clears our minds.
As for seeking knowledge and guidance, Al-Ghazali emphasized the importance of gaining knowledge from the Quran, hadith, and wise scholars. By doing this, we can find guidance and inspiration to navigate obstacles in a spiritually meaningful way. We always need guidance, and the best guidance comes from our parents; they know us better than anyone else.
As we grow older, we encounter many difficulties far more complex than those from our youth. We often forget to feel gratitude in our lives. It's human nature to sometimes focus on what we lack. Al-Ghazali taught us to cultivate a mindset of gratitude for our blessings, even amidst difficulties, with a sense of perspective and appreciation for the good in our lives.
Today, I did water boring. I used my experience to locate groundwater without any tools for site assessment. Lacking a drill rig to create a borehole, I used a cane to drill until I reached water, typically through layers of soil and rock. Then, I made a casing pipe to prevent the borehole from collapsing. Instead of installing a pump to extract water, I used a technique similar to that of a well.
It's almost time to break my fast. See you, my love.
My soul misses your soul,
Smoothie