THE CHOICE WE MAKE OR FATE?

I have been thinking lately about life,how fragile it is. One minute we could be happily living but the next minute we were gone. Some it is their time to go as they reached certain age or due to illness, but a lot died young unnecessarily. Some died because of fate but a lot also died because of bad choices they made.

As a Muslim we were taught to believe in Qadq and Qadr, a predestined life but depending on the choices we make. Confusing? I am not an expert on it so i cannot explain to you without making you more confused. But i believe that there are certain things that will surely happen along the way as the results of our right or wrong choices. As an example, if we get mixed up with the wrong hats despite our parents objections, and get caught breaking the law,and end up in a jail screwing up our lives in the process, then it is our own fault, we cannot blame it on fate. Fate is when no matter how hard we tried to be a good driver by following all the rules and driving carefully,suddenly we hit a pedestrian while trying to avoid a dog running across a street, and we end up in jail. It is cruel and unnecessary, and a life changing episode we wish never happened, but it did because it was fated.Then we started questioning GOD why? The problem is we never get a straight answers like in an E mail or sms. We are supposed to figure out ourselves. To some it is supposed to change some bad attitudes or behaviour that they have, while to others it could be to test their patience and beliefs.

Life is so fragile and when it is so fragile we would want to protect it and value it as much as we can. Like a piece of crystal glass so beautiful to look at but break to hundred of pieces if we drop it and all the beauty is gone in seconds! I see a lot of people especially some youths making the wrong choices by getting involved in dangerous illegal activities like illegal street racings on motorcycles and souped-up cars, and drug consumption during parties which could get them into trouble with the law. All of these in the name of fun and and to be accepted by their peers. But what if in a split second they lost control of their bikes and crashed against the barriers along the road injuring themselves in the process or worse end up dead? What if the drugs they took to get high end up bursting their blood arteries in their brains and caused instant death? All in the name of fun? Is it fun for the parents to find out that they lost their kids in this manner? Who are they going to blame? Are they going to blame themselves for giving too much freedom to their kids? Are they going to blame their kids' friends? The authority? Fate? Or is it the bad choices their kids made? To me it is better to be safe than sorry. There are tough decisions to be made in our lives but decisions made for the long term good are better than the short term gains.

In our lives we are blessed that we are given the opportunities to make the right choices so we can live a long and happy life. We have our parents to give advices based on their experiences in their lives so we do not make the same mistakes that they did. For those who do not have parents, they have friends to give them good advices and guidance. In schools and workplaces there are people who give counseling to help us make the right choices. Then there are public rules, regulations and laws that we have to abide by. There are NGOs out there formed to help the public like the Befrienders who can listen to their problems and give advice. There are columns in the newspapers which are devoted to give advices to anonymous people who are having problems in their lives. You can call Oprah? Well maybe not! Then there is the ultimate guidance on how to live our lives the right way given by the Supreme Judge - The Almighty.

However, despite all these available means to help us make the right decisions and live the the right way, we still incline to go the opposite way,and take the risks for the short term gain and fun, then we shall have no one to blame except ourselves when things go wrong in our lives, especially fate. I urge all of you out there to think of the implications to you and the ones you love before you start making decisions which can change your lives and the lives of others. Some bad decisions can end your life.