Essay: Picture Perfect Life

Life is never perfect. I never recalled saying that the life I’m living now is perfect. Heck, it’s been one hell of a life. I’ve had my heart broken by the people I loved. I’ve experienced loss and broken friendships. It’s nowhere near what you would call a ‘perfect life’.

Define me ‘a perfect life’. It is a life without heartbreaks? A life where you have tons of money? A life where you get every single thing you wished for? I have asked a few friends for their opinions, and as expected, they came up with different interpretations on what they call ‘a perfect life’.

A close of mine said that a prefect life is when you can be with that somebody who is precious to you. In short, you get to be with your loved ones. Another friend said that a perfect life is just an imperfect life that we considered as perfect, as nothing is perfect in this world.

My junior surprised me with her matured answer, “Life is only perfect when you think it is. Life is only perfect when you’re happy. But sometimes people make your life better by walking into it while other people make your life better by simply walking out of it. So, I think there’s no such thing as perfect life.”

Life is never going to be a walk in the park, a bed of roses. There will always be something, or someone, trying to bring us down. Heck, life is never easy. It’s always going to be a roller coaster ride, sometimes with more downs than ups.

Everyone, at one point or another, will have to experience a situation where they’ll feel lost. Lonely. Hopeless. There has always been this insecure feeling somewhere inside of us, something that make us feel like giving up everything.

There’s nobody there to help you out. Nobody there to listen to your woes. Nobody there to lend you their ears. Nobody there to pull you up on your feet when you’re down. Nobody there to basically just care.

“And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive (to Allah)” [2:45]

People have always forgotten to turn to Him at times of troubled. We always blame our family, our friends, our loved ones for leaving us alone when we needed them the most. We blamed them for abandoning us, for hurting us, for ignoring us.

Don’t sit and count the many times people have hurt you and left you alone. Instead, count the thousands times you’ve hurt Him but yet He never left you alone. Haven’t you realized that yet?

“For indeed, with hardship (will be) ease. Indeed, with hardship (will be) ease.” [94:5-6]

As cliché as it will sound, everything in this world does happens for a reason. We might feel frustrated when we do not get what we wanted, but we never thought it might be for our own good. All we know is to ask for more, but we were never grateful for what we already have.

“Fighting has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not.” [2:216]

Instead of crying your eyes out, screaming out loud into your pillows, throwing every single thing your hands could grab, why don’t you turn to Him? Haven’t you realized yet, the only reason you’re alone is because He sent everyone away so He could be with you? Haven’t you realized that He gave you all sorts of pains so you could come out stronger?

Everyone is strong, and everyone is indeed special in their own ways. Never let anyone or anything tell you otherwise. Be strong, and be happy with your life. It’s one heck of a life. (: