Is life full of problems beyond our control?

This entry was originally a reply to a comment on one of my notes on Facebook. The note is also published on this blog under the title: Too much to handle?

I personally disagree with the topic. Everyone is faced with their due share of problems, it all just depends on how one deals with them. I'm sure all of us have our share of problems and i am also certain that at times we also tend to think we can't handle them? There might be a few which seem beyond our control but most of them we are able to handle with the passage of time. Problem solving is severely a time utilizing process and the result is completely dependent on one's approach. The general trend is to fret and complain instead of searching for the solution or facing the problem head on. One has to learn to look outside the box, appreciate the small things, and when i say appreciate the small things i surely do not mean by verbal approval or prolonged appreciation, a smile that a funny joke brings to the face or a feeling of freshness that a nice scenic location brings to the soul is all that is required for one to rejuvenate and brighten up. The mind subconsciously does react positively to all goods in life.

I'm sure u agree with me when i say "All good things are difficult to obtain ", apply the same here, the good thing here is not something material rather it is the solution to the problem, solution to the problem = peace of mind. Being a staunch believer that one is not tested more than one can withstand reinforces my belief that no one is capable of reaching the breakdown point after which a nervous breakdown occurs if one stands committed and strong.

Consider the simplest of problems or the most confusing ones, all of them have two approaches, the pessimistic approach and the optimistic approach. Following the pessimistic approach strictly is when all the trouble begins. After all, we all are human and cannot be expected to be optimistic all the time but one has to realize that pessimism breads pessimism and pessimism never gives a fruitful result.

The irony is that optimism can also be judged in two ways, optimistically and pessimistically, the pessimistic approach would be to consider a optimistic person a partial hypocrite, a person who is afraid to face the bitter truth, a coward from inside and/or a person who is not ready to accept any wrong or bad. But one has to realize this approach of deception when considered optimistically leads to solutions and peace of mind. How ironic this may sound the truth is that in order to accept reality optimistically we are forced to live in an oblivion. We are compelled to look at the glass half full instead of half empty, patiently waiting for the so-called light at the end of the tunnel and think rather than act impulsively.

To conclude, its not that life is full of problems that people can't handle, its us which have tuned ourselves into believing the false and thus the nervous breakdown, unnecessary stress and other related problems. After all, it is easier to say than to follow.

Comments on this entry can be seen on Facebook

Too much to handle!!?

I was going through my facebook inbox and i came across a message from this one group i;ve joined.. One Ayah a day keeps ignorance away ... http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2319726580

It is a contribution by Maryam Ahmad. messaged to the group members by Ali Alhadithi.

While reading this message i came across this ayah from the Quran which i was aware of but couldn't cite it as i lacked the knowledge of the source..

Surah 23 Al Muminun, ayah 62:
'On no soul do we place a burden greater than it can bear: before us is a record which clearly speaks the truth. They will never be wronged.'

After pondering on this one tends to notice that the reality of this ayah and the part it plays in our everyday life, we tend to get depressed, feel sad but its never more than we can handle. If we start thinking out of the box we realize there is a reason for everything, and anything done with good intention ends up good.

Often when we are experiencing pain or distress we get depressed and start losing hope and the feeling of helplessness starts to settle in.

A quote from the message:

This ayah provides great reassurance in that Allah SWT in His wisdom knows that whoever the person is who is suffering, they can cope, because after all Allah is the one who created us, He knows what we can bear and what will break us. An example of this is the sheer number of people who have suffered in this world from mental and physical torture and abuse to the extent that many of us feel that personally we would not have been able to live if we ourselves experienced the trauma that these people have lived through. Miraculously so many of these people bounce back, despite being heavily affected by their difficult pasts they are able to progress and learn from their experiences.

May Allah give us the strength, patience and knowledge to conduct ourselves in the best possible way when we experience any hardship, and the wisdom to keep turning to Him for His forgiveness and guidance. Ameen.