Money.

Money.Everyone loves money. Definitely. The people who don't have it, want it. The people who already have it, want more of it. You can't deny it's importance too. For food, clothes, housing, cars, leisure, shopping, marriage....just to name a few.

But everyone can't deny the dangers as well. People wage wars using money. A certain country (Country I) with a certain financial backing (Country A) is now trespassing on the grounds of a certain country (Country P). Country I has tanks, rockets, weapons, u name it, due to the backing of country A. The people of country P, are helpless, while being driven out of their own land, staying on something less than what we now call a country. Money has also the ability of recessing the economy. By nature, if the leakages are more than the injections, (money in is less than money out), the economy may be aiming for a recession. (A recession may be good, depends on the current state of the economy).

But bear in mind, money trading was the dominant cause in the recession of '97. (remember Mr Soros). Money is also the source of buying drugs, which then lead to junkies breaking cars and stealing radios and such just to get money to fund their addiction. Money also accelerates the 'escort' industry. In country T, the prostitution industry is said to be an important contributor to the economy. But what about the deseases, the morality, the value and honour?? Is it worth compromising all of that for money? Money is also the source of buying 'self-destruction' products. Think about alcohol, then think about the number of people dead on the streets because of drunk driving. Think about alcohol, and think about the number of people dead in alcohol-fueled street brawls, the number of teenagers binge drinking. Think about John Bonham, who died due to 16 shots of Vodka. Think about Bon Scott, who died due to axphisiation (choked on his own vomit). Think about smoking, and what smoking does to the lungs, to the heart. How many people die early due to smoking, and how many people live longer when they don't. Think about corruption, and the countries that are low on the index of Transparency International. Think about country I (In Asia), country M (also in Asia), country R (A slovakian country).

So money money money, ain't it funny?

When you think about it properly, who is actually to blame. We can't live without money, as termed by a peer of mine, it's a neccessary evil, or something like that. But the big picture of all this is how we use money, and how money can change a person, a country, a group, a business, an organization, a world.

Let's look at it in a small scale.

I know a friend of mine, who has money like the rest of us. He gets monthly income, like most of his friends who are also studying. Yet he does not use his money wisely. He spends too much on phone credit, making international calls. Always close to 300+ per month (according to sources). On eating and other expenditure, its also a bit overblown. This friend of mine loves to buy luxuries (games etc) which are not really necessities. Due to this weakness in avoiding the temptation of money, it starts to get worse. He starts borrowing from people (I hope it's borrowing, not taking money). He has unpaid rent, unpaid bills, and yet the lifestyle does not change much. After much urge from people, only then he starts to see this bad side of temptation. I hope he will mend his ways and pay his debts, and repair the relationship with his friends..Aminn.

What about marrige? Although I agree that the 'hantaran' is important in terms of finance and uphoding the 'adat', why must it be too high? Why must it be lower than the maskahwin. The maskahwin is for the bride, and it is Wajib in the name of God. Sometimes I think the 'hantaran' could be so high, that it can demotivate the groom to marry. Sure, the hantaran is an indicator of prosperity, as well as readiness to take care of the bride and the family. But then, how long do we have to work in order to pay that kind of money? It's okay if the money comes from his work. What if he starts borrowing from people. Or worse still, from loan sharks. I'm not saying that the 'hantaran' is bad, I'm just saying that it may be time for the number to be revised, so to fit the paycheck of the groom more readily. Help the situation, and don't make the financial problems worse.

Another story. A good family member of mine (Mr S) was talking to his friend, (Mr K) when then the issue of financial matters came up. Mr S, Alhamdulillah has his children getting scholarships for further study, which helps him a lot in terms of finance. Mr K however, had to fork up quite a figure to further his son's study. However, the thing that bothers me most is when Mr K tells Mr S: "You don't know how it feels, forking up money to pay for your son's education. Your son has a scholarship. You think it's easy ka??". Now when I first heard he story, I was thinking "This guy is bloody arrogant. So now it's wrong to get a scholarship??". Come on. Is Mr S to blame because his son has a scholarship and he does not need to fork out much money for his son's study? Is Mr K the hero for doing what he does? Look at the other side of the globe mann. If your son got the bloody scholarship, would you be saying the same bloody thing? If you didn't have the money, what are you complaining about? Go send your son somewhere where it does not need too much money. What about IPTA? What about Polytech?

This is another danger of money, in that it can rapidly change the personality of men, due to the power it gives and the temptation it presents.

In my view, whatever the size of the paycheck is, does it matter if the value, the morality and the attitude is compromised? Think about people in high places who have a big paycheck, but are involved in graft, corruption and bribery. Think about the people who live in dirty money, where the high figures involved had erased all sense of dignity and guilt. In the small scale? Think about people who borrow from friends, to fund their luxuries. Think about junkies, who steal to fund their addiction. Think about desperation, and the 'escorts' who resort to it. Think about guilt, and the lack of it so that people can steal money from others. ATM machines are being stolen, why? Human traficking is on high. Why? Corruption in countries. Why? Waging wars on innocent people. Civilians killed. Why? Drugs being traficked. Why? why? why?

Sure money is good. Think also about the charities. Think about people in high places who have money and donates to charity. Think about trust funds, and how it helps people. Think about flash funds, to help flood victims in Aceh, to help civilians in Palestine. Yes, money is good, important, but with every good man-made thing there comes a balanced evil that can come out of it.

So the issue? It's not money. It's the people. It's how people use money. It's how money can change people's lives, their perspective, their point of view. It's the failure to realize the responsibility of using money, that leads to the misgivings of men. So readers, decide. If you have money, ask yourself if you realize the responsibilty bestowed in using them. If money worsens you, control your perspectives. If money improves you, Alhamdulillah. If you can better your lifestyle without compromising the values and attitudes in life, by all means please step up your lifestyle. Remember the past, and what can happen if we don't take note. Use money wisely, and realize. With money, comes power, and with power, comes great responsibility.

Emotion

Emotion is a very strong word in my camp. I've always had different perspectives about emotions. During my early teenage years, I used to be very emotional toward certain things. The main emotion that governed my lifestyle during these times was maily anger. I used to always be angry, and I didn't know why, and it felt terrible.

After that, I moved on the see that emotions and emotional acting is not my ideal style of living. So in my remainder years in school, I decided to become a robot. Devoid of much emotion. Little that I realise that this charade I was playing to keep me from being angry, was actually making me feel lifeless and emotionless. After all, anger was not the only emotion, but I used to think that it was. And in the process of avoiding anger, I used to lie to myself in thinking I was happy, when actually I was not. However, this was at the peak of when I started learning to control my emotions. Little did I know, this would help me a lot in the future.

When moved on, and went to uni, I learned to have emotions again, but not to be emotional, which was great. I felt alive again, and the emotion that governed this period was happiness.

And my point?? (you bloody hell must be thinking this hehe)

In 18 years of living, I finally came to the conclusion that happiness is the BEST emotion to be felt. It brings a lot out of any man and woman. It's also relaxing, free annd unstressful. Only the hard part is to find it and to keep it. I also came to conclude that feeling emotion is important, but it should not be a dominant variable in some things.

I grew up with two totally different people in terms of emotion. One who is very emotional, and one who is not. (Lets not give names, just assume okay =D). Say for example, I discuss with the non-emotional one about a trip . Some of the things we might discuss are:

• Where I might be staying
• Who I'm meeting
• What places do I visit
• When I'm coming back

etc etc. Whereas if I discuss with the emotional one, some of the dialogues(in very very emotional tone) might sound like:

• "Jgn la pergi lama2. Nnt boring dok umah"
• "Tak takut ke pergi sorang2?"
• "Karang kalau ada apape jadi karang macam mana?? Susah hati nanti"

And as you can see, there is a vast difference. The first case is focusing on getting the important things across, whereas the second case always focuses on the emotional unimportance, and always the real importance of the discussion if often neglected.

So the point here is that while emotion is important at times, using it as a variable in doing things can be hard. The main goal would be harder to reach, due to uncertainty in the course of the discussion due to the emotions shown.

Aside from that?? I know a guy, Mr S, who fights with his girlfriend sometimes. Generally, Mr S is pretty emotional. When he fights with his girlfriend, he would cut class, monyok2 with friends, and would always feel sad and angry all the time. This is because he is so emotional, that he let his emotions get the best of him. Everytime I see him there must be some drama going on, and he looks so miserable all the time. He tries to cover it up most of the time but he's pretty bad at it too hehehe.

So now what?? Suddenly feeling emotions and being emotional makes you the bad guy all of a sudden??

No no no and no. I'm not saying that at all.

Imagine a world without it. Cmon mate.. Being in love would be soooo boring. No 'manja2' or 'jiwang2' hehe. You don't really know if people care or not. Everything would be monotonous and the same. So life without it isnt a perfect life either. If the world is devoid of emotion, there would be no music. No theatres. No movies. And surely, it is against the 'fitrah' of humans.

My point here, is simply that emotions have the right time and place. I am not saying that it is wrong to show emotions. Nor am I saying that feeling it is wrong. It just needs the right time and place, and also chanelled in a good way. Look at music, or theater. It does no harm, and its fun. Given the correct time and place, emotions can help a lot, and also, the otherwise is true. So, as an endnote, learn to control it, and don't let it get the best of you. Think of Mr S!!

Random #1

• Why must a husband and wife always have some sort of competition between them? Isn't marriage supposed to mean that both persons are on the same side?

• A person's power really depends on how people look at them. Good and bad does not matter anymore

• There are a few types of friends. Friends with benefit, who we do not really know, but gives benefit to us. When the benefit is gone, we slow down in becoming friends. There are also pretend friends. We pretendto like them because our other friends like them, or maybe because it's our girlfriend's/ boyfriend's friend. There are also real friends. We befriend them for genuine reasons. We like to be around them. We respect them and are always concerned about what happens to them

• Today's world is governed and influenced more by speech then substance

• Humour & laughter are important. I relaxes moods, helps interaction, a source of happiness and a way of being truthful to people.

• The fun in games should not be neglected. It's effective, mood lifting and often unconsciously will require a degree of thinking

• There are a lot of things that adults can learn from children. Some of them are having a positive point of view, having and endless barrage of energy, having a great sense of curiosity and always wanting to learn something new.

• Late bloomers will tend to learn things thoroughly and properly.
  

The people we meet

We meet people everyday. People who we know, and also who we don't know. Old people, young people, babies, strong guys, pretty girls....

Things to ponder upon:

1. What is the chance that the people we meet today(at a glance), will become our friend tommorow.
2. Is there a chance that we 'meet' the same person everyday, without us realizing it?
3. Is that same person thinking about the same thing?
4. If we see someone today, a random person, will we see them again someday?
5. what are the chances that the person we once saw at a certain time, and place, is actually related to us?
6. What if 10 years down the line, we will be wed to this person?
7. If 2 random people do meet again someday, is there a chance that they will remember each other?

And for sure, with every question pondered upon gives way to more and more questions.

So why suddenly this thought occurs? Because for the whole of my life so far, I had been 'meeting' with a lot of people. Some things I remember:

1. A father and daughter in a train. The daughter was reading a book, then she fell asleep. The father marked the page she was reading and kept the bok for her. She kept of sleeping and leaned on his shoulder.
2. A tourist asking me for directions to Buckingham Palace(In the UK). I gave him the correct train stop.
   
3. A pretty Middle Eastern girl in the corridor, at UniSA
4. A Singaporean lady at KL Central. The bus was an hour late. She offered me her umbrella.
5. A rude bus driver on the way to TTDI from Sunway. He did not have change for 10 ringgit.
6. Another rude bus driver, screaming to back of the bus to the Indonesian women, whom he thought didn't have tickets, when actually they did.
7. A pretty girl at the airport. My sister spotted me watching this girl (kantoii)

And these are just a number of encounters in my life. After most of my encounters, the same set of questions played in my mind. But then one thought, or remark came to me.

"Why did God 'arrange' my 'meeting' with these people?"

After all, God already knows what is going to happen in my daily life. Everything happens for a reason. So, my conclusion is that while the people whom I meet everyday are random people who I do not know, or never seen before, God arranged me to meet these people for a reason. While fate brings us together, even for a split second, there must be a reason of our encounter and therefore must have an effect, whether directly or indirectly. And this I am sure had happened to other people as well, whether thay had actually realized it or not.

So will we 'meet' someday?? Only God knows.