Learning, Growing

During the past three weeks I have been working on two fundraisers for the current famine relief in Somalia. I had never done anything like it before in my life and I didn’t know what to expect. Alhamdullah I have a very good friend and other good people behind this project and with their help the task has been easier for all of us.
Both events were successful alhamdullah. I am someone that believes we can always do better, we can achieve higher and for our first time doing something like this I am happy with the results. With all that is happening, with all the suffering happening in the Horn Africa, of needless death, death of thousands of people, children, mothers, and fathers from hunger when there is a surplus food in the world, it’s depressing, enraging and it feels what we did and will continue to do is very little. And it is not enough.

But a physician in one of the refugee camps captures for me the need to keep on pushing and helping despite the overwhelming odds, He was quoted as saying: “Some of them die on the way, some die in the wards,”. “What we are doing here can seem like a drop in the ocean but the ocean will be a drop less if we don’t do it. “
What I didn’t expect at all during this process was all the great life lessons I would walk away with. I have learned a lot about people and myself. I think with every situation good or bad it serves as an opportunity to learn and to grow. It’s important that we examine ourselves and our surroundings so that we can learn and benefit from that which we experience.

There are a mass of people in and around our lives, but very few will actually show up and put up. I learned most people are talkers and very few are actually doers. I cherish the doers and InshaAllah I hope to be in that category. I now value more than ever, the small kindness and helpfulness from those few individuals that do show up and put up. What they do is not much, they don’t lift mountains, but the effort, helpfulness, openness, and willingness to help does feel like they lift mountains. I cherish such qualities much more now and inshaAllah I will embody those qualities in my life.

I relearned that when you set out to do something you’ll face challenges and opposition from others, even if that something is as innocent as raising funds and awareness for those who are suffering.

I relearned people will question your intentions and doubt your motives.

I relearned how valuable positive outlooks and patience are in a situation to make the difference between success and failure .

I relearned you can never make everyone be on the same page, even for a noble cause such as helping the poor.

I relearned we all need advisors and making consultation with people of wisdom can save you from bad choices.

I relearned how selfish and self-serving people can be.

I learned two people with the same vision and goals can make a greater impact than a hundred people without the same vision and goals.

I learned you have to make a lot of noise and knock down doors to make something happen.

I learned to trust myself and my judgment in making difficult choices.

I relearned how much I adore the beauty of character. Indeed it is the best quality of a person.

I learned I thrive most when I am opposed.

I learned that in this world one’s credentials and perceived reputation can make the difference in one raising five thousand or fifty thousand.

I learned a lot of the politics at the masjid and the disregard for the noble traditions of the prophet scw.

I learned that one can be a worshipper of Allah, but have a hateful and jealous heart.

I learned that Somalis are a difficult bunch to deal with.

I relearned the great importance of unity, a clean heart and wisdom is very lacking.

I learned to never turn your back on someone who seeks your help even if it seems like the most reasonable thing to do.

I relearned you can’t let the small things bother you.

I learned I have a lot of learning to do.

I learned that experience is indeed the best teacher.