#favoriteHadith : help the needy, help the grief, seek knowledge!

Diriwayatkan daripada Abu Hurairah ra. daripada Rasulullah saw., Baginda bersabda: “Sesiapa yang meringankan daripada seorang mukmin satu kesusahan daripada kesusahan-kesusahan dunia, Allah akan meringankan daripadanya satu kesusahan daripada kesusahan-kesusahan Hari Kiamat. Sesiapa yang memudahkan kepada orang yang kesempitan, Allah akan memudahkan kepadanya di dunia dan akhirat. Sesiapa yang menutup (aurat atau keaiban) seorang muslim, Allah akan menutup (aurat dan keaiban)nya di dunia dan akhirat. Allah sentiasa menolong seseorang hamba selama mana hamba itu menolong saudaranya. Sesiapa yang melalui satu jalan untuk mencari ilmu, Allah akan memudahkan baginya satu jalan ke syurga. Sesuatu kaum (kelompok manusia) tidaklah berkumpul di satu rumah (masjid) daripada rumah-rumah Allah, sambil membaca Al-Quran, saling memperbetulkan bacaan dan memahami kandungannya, kecuali as-Sakinah (satu makhluk Allah Ta’ala yang padanya terdapat rahmat dan ketenangan, serta ditemani oleh para malaikat) akan turun kepada mereka dan mereka diselubungi oleh rahmat. Mereka juga dilinkungi oleh para malaikat, serta disebut dan dipuji oleh Allah di kalanagan (para malaikat) yang ada di sisi-Nya. Sesiapa yang diperlahankan oleh amalannya (kerana amalannya sedikit), dia tidak akan dipercepatkan oleh keturunannya (keturunannya tidak akan mengangkat darjatnya).”

(Hadis Riwayat Muslim)

Abu Hurairah, radiyallahu 'anhu, that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said ; "Whosoever relieves from a believer some grief pertaining to this world,Allah will relieve from him some grief pertaining to the Hereafter.Whosoever alleviates the difficulties of a needy person who cannot pay his debt, Allah will alleviate his difficulties in both this world and the Hereafter. Whosoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter. Allah will aid a servant (of His) so long as the servant aids his brother. Whosoever follows a path to seek knowledge therein, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise. No people gather together in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that tranquility descends upon them, mercy covers them, the angels surround them, and Allah makes mention of them amongst those who are in His presence. Whosoever is slowed down by his deeds will not be hastened forward by his lineage."

Dear me,

1. Don’t obsess over others

I used to believe that happiness and confidence was only for the famous or well-liked, but that’s not the case. Comparing your life to others is dangerous because it normally leaves you feeling worthless in some aspect. They have something you lack or they’re leading a life that you think you want. Keep in mind that everyone is human, and part of being human is dealing with things that aren’t always pleasant. Instead of focusing on what you lack, focus on your goals, talents, and the things you enjoy doing most. Cultivate your passions instead of trying to change them.

2. It’s okay to work in silence

For whatever reason, our culture is led to believe that the loud-mouth, showoff, pompous people are the most confident of the bunch. We believe worth goes unnoticed if you’re not socially recognized for something. This, too, is not the case. It’s often the ones with the most humility, who prefer work out of the public limelight, who are the most confident. Someone who shows a true display of strength, depth, and pure self confidence is the one who can continue pursuing a dream without a constant stream of public appraisal.

3. Everyone isn’t out to get you

It’s not just you who thinks you’re a walking target. You’re not the only one worrying about how others think about or perceive you.  Sadly, and thankfully in this case, we’re all pretty self-absorbed. Our internal dialogue, when we’re not petrified that others are judging us, usually defaults to the bills we have to pay, the chores we wished our roommate did, or the rice we’re eating for the fifth time this week. Everyone else is fixated on something personal that’s looming, not the haircut you think looks bad or the small stain on your pants.

4. It’s okay to laugh it off

Everyone messes up from time to time. It’s pretty unavoidable unless you annex yourself somewhere deep underground or far into the woods, which would be a fairly anti-social existence. An easy way to boost self confidence is to accept your flaws, foibles, and failings in stride, with the understanding that mistakes build character. Every rejection or face plant is an opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed on the next try. Even if you can’t muster a chuckle when you fall, try at least smiling. :D

5. Let go of what you can’t control

Everyone wants to be in charge of their own life. The things that happen, the people they meet, the way things play out, anything and everything in respect to our life we want to control. Sadly, this just isn’t possible. In an effort to avoid a theological debate, no one can control everything that happens to them. What you can always control, no matter what happens externally, is your attitude and reaction. To echo the previous point, take negative happenings and occurrences in stride with the hope of growth and thankfulness for the learning opportunity.

6. Compliment others

Being internally negative often results in outward negative habits like gossip, insults, and passive aggression. An effective way to help change your negative internal dialogue is to consciously change your habits of praising others. Take a stand against focusing on irritating things other people do and look for the best in them instead. Also, honesty and sincerity go a long way with compliments. People can tell when it’s forced or fabricated. If you try to actively bring out the best in others, you will in turn be well very well-liked.

7. Take yourself out on a date

We’re existing in the most interconnected period in the history of mankind. With the advent of social media networks, it feels like we’re always having six conversations at one time. Even though a slew of likes, comments, and post shares can elevate your self esteem, it can also leave us feeling worthless in times when we’re not getting any social media engagement. Sadly, lots of people, especially millennials, are letting their happiness run parallel with the amount of likes their latest Instagram post received.  This is far from healthy. Try taking a step back, leaving your phone in a safe place, and spending some time alone doing one of your favorite activities. I've tried since i had my exams coming, and it felt so good. I think people give too much value to the likes on facebook, instagram. People are addicted. We are so driven by this drug, getting just one hit elicits truly peculiar reactions. It's just... sad.

8. Be kind

A simple idea that’s often the hardest to practice. One of the easiest ways to elevate your self worth is to do worthy things for others and yourself. Going the extra mile to help a friend in a pinch will instantly make you feel confident. And, much like the sixth point above, kindness and “good vibes” always seem to find their way back to you. 

Being kind is a vital way of bringing meaning to our own lives as well as the lives of others. Being kind allows us to communicate better, be more compassionate, and also to be a positive force in people's live. 

:)

Some people just seem to float through life with a relentless sense of happiness – through the toughest of times, they’re unfazed and aloof, stopping to smell the roses and so on. They may not have much to be happy about, but the simplicity behind that fact itself may make them happy.The main philosophy employed by the happiest includes the idea that life’s simply too short: life’s too short to let things get you down, to take things for granted, to pursue absolute and unrealistic perfection. For some, employing these characteristics is a second nature – they do it without knowing. For others, a conscious effort must be put forth every now and again. Self-Awareness is key.

#selfImprove : Reasons I Like Humble People

The world is full of self-important, self-absorbed, and self-promoting people.  I prefer humble people.  They are truly a breath of fresh air when I meet them

 

1.  The Humble Are Rare

It is ironic that people today spend so much time declaring they are unique.  They want to stand out in a crowd and be noticed.  Unfortunately that is becoming a majority.  Humility is truly unique. It is the humble who stand out.  When I find a humble person, I know I have found someone special.

2.  The Humble Are Selfless

Self-important, self-absorbed, and self-promoting.  When you put your self first, this is what you become.  The humble put others before themselves.  Being selfless doesn’t mean you think less of yourself.  It just means you think of yourself less.

3.  The Humble Are Confident

You can be humble and confident simultaneously.  But, arrogance and humility are always in opposition.  While an arrogant person is often preoccupied with promoting his capabilities, a confident person does not need other people to know they are capable.

4.  The Humble Admit Mistakes

It takes humility to admit when you blew it.  The humble do not see the need to be perfect, because they already know perfection is impossible.  They see themselves realistically. Therefore, admitting mistakes does not damage their ego.

5.  The Humble Show Maturity

Some people are naturally humble. Some people gain humility through experience.  Either way, humility is a sign of maturity.  How mature is a petulant child who needs everyone’s attention?  Now compare the humility of aging sport stars versus the people they were during their playing days.  Lack of humility is a sign of immaturity.

6.  The Humble Are Good Listeners

The humble are very comfortable learning about others and demonstrating the lost art of listening. They do not always dominate the conversation with stories about their own accomplishments or their children’s accomplishments.  The humble always tend to make others feel important instead of making themselves feel that way.  They do that by listening.

The Bottom Line:

I think the world believes humility is a sign of weakness.  The strongest people I know exude humility.  I like being around them because they are not concerned about their position.  They are not concerned about getting the spot light.  They are concerned about what is important.

Humility is a character trait we should all aspire to.

Think about it.

If I told you I wanted you to meet a unique person who was selfless, confident, able to admit mistakes, mature and a good listener, doesn’t that sound like someone we would all want to spend time with?

Questions To Ask Yourself To Stay Positive When Facing Difficulties

Everyone faces difficulties from time to time. It’s a natural part of the cycle of life. Just like we can’t really know hot without knowing cold, we can’t really know the good times if we don’t know bad times.  Sometimes the difficulties we face in life come from situations out of our control, and other times our difficulties are a direct consequence of the decisions we make.

In life, we cannot change events or their outcome.  We can, however, choose the emotion and meaning we attach to them.  It’s like the saying goes “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react”.  Our brains are designed to store information and then, at every single second of every day, when new information is received, our brains search for a reference memory to lay the foundation for our response.  Think about it, this is why if you have a bad experience on a roller coaster or eating a certain food, for the rest of your life you have an automatic impulse reaction whenever you come across them.
We have to retrain ourselves to see the positive in even the most challenging times.


Am I Still Breathing?

Sometimes the best we can do is breathe.  During overwhelmingly difficult times, our stress levels rise, our breathing gets shallow, and our body’s natural rhythm gets all out of whack.  At these times it’s essential to stop and ask yourself, ‘am I breathing?’.  If you are then, hey, you live to fight another day.  If you find yourself highly stressed out, take 10 minutes, find a quiet space, and just breathe deeply.  Diaphragmatic breathing has been shown to lower stress levels and helps relax your automatic nervous system.  One of the keys to staying positive is to be relaxed, and making sure you’re breathing correctly is the best way to start. 

What Is In My Control? 

When life feels completely overwhelming, we often lose sight of those things we can change. Assess your situation honestly, and look for those things you can control.  This will help you to feel more centered, more focused, and assist you in being able to tackle the challenge. 

What Is My Part In This?

Notice this said your ‘part’, not your ‘fault’.  There’s a huge distinction in these two words.  One is acknowledging and accepting your responsibility for your current situation, the other is self-defeating and simply assigns blame.  Focusing on your part instead of just casting blame reduces the challenge you’re facing to a more manageable size. Sometimes there’s things we just cannot control.  Whether it’s other people, mother nature, or just plain bad timing, no matter how much we want to, we cannot control everything.  Take time to look at your difficulty, identify the things that are out of your control, and then let them go.  Too often we view the totality of our difficulties and it is overwhelming.  Being able to segregate what you can and cannot control makes the problem smaller, your stress levels lower, and often the path to the solution much clearer. 


What Is The Most Important Thing I Can Do Right Now? 

Sometimes the best thing we can do is nothing.  Sometimes the best thing we can do is make a phone call.  Focusing on and doing the best thing you can do right now when in the midst of difficult times helps center you and relax your nervous system.  It also increases our confidence in ourselves that yes, we can weather this storm.  Progress is progress, no matter how small, and progress towards resolving a difficult situation will boost your self-esteem 


What Can I Learn From This? 

With every difficulty comes a lesson.  As crazy as it sounds, if we can see even the smallest lesson, the smallest purpose in the trial we’re facing, it gives it positive value.  It also gives us an outcome to move towards, whether it’s improved health, more stability in finances, or fixing a broken relationship.  Suffering without purpose leads to a feeling of helplessness.  Shift your belief from “Why me?” to “What can I learn from this?” turns the challenge from just a random happenstance of bad luck into a problem to be solved. 

“Dan sungguh Kami benar-benar akan menguji kamu dengan sedikit rasa takut, kelaparan, dan kekurangan harta, hilangnya jiwa, dan sedikitnya buah-buahan…(Surah al-Baqarah : 155)

 

What Is My Emotional State? 

Making decisions when we’re overcome with the emotions that are inherent in difficult times is about the worst thing we can do.  We’re more likely to make poor choices when we’re in the wrong emotional state.  Being able to recognize that we’re not ‘of our right mind’ in the middle of our trials allows us to stop, breathe, and get ourselves in a better emotional state, allowing us to make better decisions.  When we make better decisions, we’re more likely to feel better about our circumstances because it gives us a sense of empowerment. 

Am I Taking Care Of Myself? 

There’s an abundance of evidence that stress wreaks havoc on our physical health.  There’s also abundant evidence that our physical health directly impacts our mental health.  When challenges arise, the most common things we do are eat less, sleep less, and get less physical activity.  Overwhelming challenges have a tendency to cause us to completely shut down.  Don’t.  Sacrificing your physical health isn’t going to make the challenge go away any faster and may actually make the challenge worse because now you’re a physical wreck.  Maintain a normal sleep schedule.  Eat healthy.  Stay hydrated. Get some physical activity.  Maintaining your physical state is a key to maintaining your mental and emotional states.


What Are My Choices? 

Make a list.  Write them down.  Weigh the pros and cons.  Creating a list of choices brings clarity to the path we need to take to overcome the difficulty.  It also helps us realize that we actually have choices, which is a big thing when we feel powerless.

Will This Matter 5 Years From Now? 

Don’t sweat the small stuff… and really, 95% of our difficulties are all small stuff.  Looking into the future and thinking about whether or not the current difficulty will matter 5 years from now often brings it into perspective.  We’re naturally oriented to turn molehills into mountains and imagine the worst possible outcome to every challenge.  If you’re having difficulty with this, try to think of a difficult time you faced 5 years ago that you thought was the ‘end of the world’.  Very few difficulties have the kind of impact that resonates through time.  Take heart and have faith that what you are facing now isn’t as bad as you’re imagining it to be.

Setiap yang diuji itu semuanya baik-baik belaka.

“Sungguh mengkagumkan urusan seorang mukmin. Sesungguhnya semua urusannya adalah baik. Dan hal itu tidak akan diperoleh kecuali oleh seorang mukmin. Apabila dia mendapatkan kesenangan, maka dia bersyukur. Maka hal itu merupakan kebaikan baginya. Dan apabila dia ditimpa kesusahan maka dia bersabar. Maka itu juga merupakan kebaikan baginya.  

(Imam Muslim)

Apabila seseorang itu telah mencapai tahap kebergantungan dan keyakinan yang sebenar-benarnya kepada Allah, maka segala ujian yang menimpanya itu akan diterima dengan redha dan kesabaran. Sekiranya datang kesedihan dalam hatinya maka bersegeralah dia beristigfar memohon keampunan kepadaNya dan akhirnya hatinya kembali tenang menerima ujian yang sedang menimpanya. Pada mereka, setiap ujian itu semuanya baik-baik belaka.

Khabar gembira apabila diuji

RAsulullah SAW bersabda yang bermaksud :
“Tidaklah ada suatu musibah yang menimpa seorang muslim melainkan Allah akan menghapuskan dosa dengannya walaupun duri yang menusuk badannya.” (Imam al-Bukhari dan Muslim)

 Challenges and difficulties are a natural part of life.  We can stop from feeling overwhelmed by finding and focusing on the positive in our lives.

Allah berfirman yang bermaksud :

“Sesungguhnya tiap-tiap kesukaran disertai kemudahan.”  

(al-Insyirah : 6)

What makes a good person?

There is a common saying: “Bad things happen to good people.” It never really irked me before, but it got me to thinking: What makes a person good? Is it the way a person carries him or herself through daily life, or is it the way a person carries him or herself when sh*t hits the fan? What does it even mean to be “good”? What separates one person from the rest of the pack? I firmly believe bad things don’t happen to good people but, in turn, create them. Everything in life is situational, and the way you react to these situations is what molds and transforms you into the person you are.Your being is a sum of all of the experiences you had and eventually will have. How you embrace and understand those experiences will shape your mind, body and soul.When life throws you a curveball, you have two ways to respond to it: You either let it destroy you, or you thrive and become a better person because of it.

LIFE LESSONS i've learned from TRAVEL

Assalamualaikum wbt, my name is Siti Fatimah Zaharah Zulkapli. I was born and raised in Melaka, Malaysial. Currently, I’m residing in Olomouc, Czech Republic as a final year medical student in Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic.

Traveling and studying abroad fascinates most of the students around the world. I started dreaming about it since i was little when my dad furthered his studies abroad in UK and he brought us to live there with him. Since then, i told myself that i will follow his footsteps (studying abroad) while fulfilling my dreams of becoming a doctor.

After 2 years of struggle, battling with IB (International Baccaleaurette) for preparation course in Mara College Banting, alhamdulillah, finally, i was offered to pursue medical school in Moravian region of Czech Republic, Palacky University of Olomouc.

14^th September 2009 was a historical date  in my life timeline. It was the day that I flew off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Vaclav Havel, Prague, Czech Republic. And now it has been 6 years later. How time flies! Throughout 6 years of studying abroad in Czech republic, it has been one phase of life changing experience!

Let me introduce to you what are the impacts of  medical school on  me. Medical school was fun! But there's at times of medschool , that makes me feel like your head is going to explode if you try to fit one more obscure fact into your cranium. Well, here is some proof that it's possible.Let me show you some crazy statistics about the most complex and least understood organ in our body.

I know all you wanted to see it some more numbers and facts about the body.

Don't worry, there's no test for this....

At times medical school can become stressful and monotonous, especially during the first three years. Spending  days and nights with piles of material to get through before eat, sleep, and do it all again the next day. Breaking up the day with a quick run garnished with a bit of inspiration is just what you need to make the pre-test push. So if you beginning to feel the pressure of an upcoming exam or just need a little pick-up, look no more.

So if your medical school or your everyday life is anything like mine, there will be a constant buzz in the air about what to do during the summers and breaks. AND TRAVELING IS MY KIND OF ESCAPISM.

Cut to my life. Travel is my passion. To be honest, my neurons impulsively make me think of what and where places that I can find excitement and challenges. I have a strong and irresistible impulse to travel. I never feel more focused, fulfilled, or alive than when I am boarding a train or listening to the pilot welcome me aboard. Travel feels like home to me. Because of this passion I have, I travel every chance I get.

I have visited 33 countries on 4 continents. I had the opportunity to meet some of the most intensely interesting people on this planet and make friendships with people the world over. I was honored to be able to take in the sites, sounds, smells, and cultures of a great many places, if even for only a few fleeting days. I rode on trains, buses, cars, planes, subways, bicycles, and just about every other mode of transportation you could envision, in pretty much every condition imaginable

There’re so many beautiful memories I have gained throughout my traveling years. One of the best ones was my trip to Bosnia 3 years ago in September 2012. Alhamdulillah, thanks to the Almighty, being in Bosnia and Herzegovina  was a dream come true. It was a childhood dream of mine to come over to Bosnia. Since i was little, i watched through the television screen Bosnia war that happened there, and now its 20 years after the war, how life would be like in Bosnia? How do you go on after living through hell? This was the question i asked myself again and again.

Photo : 6^th september 2012. Overlooking the Neretva River and the Old Town of Mostar

Photo : got a kissed from a nanny!!! :')

And alhamdulillah, Allah has given me the opportunity to fulfill my dreams and most of the questions lingered in my mind were answered throughout the journey in Bosnia. And how could i forget the moment of kissing a beautiful Bosniak little baby; She stared at me from afar and her sister brought her to me, and let me kiss this adorable,  and I was also  kissed by a lady who reminds me of my grandma since they shared the same name, Zainab. It broke me to tears at heart because I was terribly missing  my beautiful grandmother and little nephew, Izz  back  at home. There’s so much love in Bosnia’s atmosphere.

Photos : Meanwhile in Sarajevo city, we met this little baby who stared and smiled at us from afar and her sister brought her to us. So, i gave her a kiss!  (September 2013)

I smiled every time I reminisced  the time my friend and I went on hiking in Plitvice National Park, Croatia with baju kurung. Believe it or not, we forced ourselves to walk on the rocky routes just to get the same view that we saw in Google, and we did it! During this summer break, my friend, Farhana and I experienced fasting in Ramadhan and Eid away from our family. So, we decided to do 'Salam Perantauan' shot for our beloved family in friends on the top view, after enjoying a fabulous panoramic view of Plitvice lakes.

Photos : 3^rd September 2012, berbaju kurung for hiking, there’s nothing impossible for Gadis Melayu!

Traveling also pushes one’s limit. When you have the opportunity to do stuff  that scares you…like jumping out of a plane; it’s about  conquering your fears, no matter how great or small, that generally get further in life than those who settle for the safety confines of mediocrity.  It’s about pushing your boundaries.

Sometimes, simply ask yourself “What’s the worst that could REALLY happen?” For me, I had a fear of both skydiving and bungy jumping – I mean, seriously: with skydiving your life is in the hands of another person, wearing a backpack, falling 15,000 feet from the sky.  ALL KINDS OF STUFF could go wrong!  And bungy jumping – forget about it.  Your life hangs in the balance by a glorified rubber band.

Fortunately, I took the time to research both experiences.  Although the ‘worst that could happen’ was that I could die, I realized that I was more likely to get injured in the car on the WAY to either event than when actually doing them.  I weighed the pros and cons and decided that the risk of both adventures weren’t nearly as big as I had made it out to be in my mind. More often then not, the worst case isn’t life threatening or even that bad; also, it’s usually temporary, while the payoff from the risk could be monumental and life-changing. 

Photo : BUNGEE JUMPING at AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand - New Zealand's Highest Bungy Jump, 134m

 Photo : SKYDIVING at Kunovice Airport at 13000ft with the one and only female pro tandem pilot in

Czech republic, Milka

And imagine this, you're in 20 meters below the ocean's surface, gliding silently through the water. The only sound you can hear is you slowly breathing in and out. And suddenly, you're face to face with a group of sharks, or manta  rays  and you can't even swim faster. They just swallow you with no mercy.

Hahhh, just kidding!

Sounds pretty amazing, doesn't it? It's even more remarkable to experience scuba diving first hand in the deep blue see and witness colorful corals and the beauty below the surface. Subhanallah, Glorified Him who creates outstandingly beautiful creatures!

Photo :(30^th August 2013)  Together with Atie and YC, we're proudly flying the Malaysian flag at the depth of 12m , in remembering of the 56^th Independence Day

Say all that not to brag or gloat, this entry was just to show how passionate I am in traveling. I travel because I can’t stay still. I need to be constantly exploring and learning about the world. Since I began traveling, I’ve become less selfish and I’m more interested in understanding why the world is the way it is and how I can do my bit to make it a slightly better place for those less fortunate.Travel has made me more empathetic, less self-centered, and more confident. I’m independent and love backpacking by myself, and I can make friends anywhere.

Learning more about this globe we live on is what motivates me to travel and there’s no better way to do that than the experience things firsthand. My goals in traveling are to learn and understand more about this world and to have amazing experiences.My present goal with travel is simple: to soak up as many experiences as possible that serve as constant reminders that I’m alive and to be grateful for this life because it is so brief.

I’m motivated by these small, special moments that gather together when each is exciting in its own way, such as a good laugh with the kids, the excitement of seeing a new flower, the surprise from the beauty of nature. My goals are discovering new cultures, making new friends, meeting new people, having new challenges and just to tap into new adventures.

I prefer to select destinations that are less travelled.

When you are thinking about what to do with your upcoming break or future in general, don't just think about which box you can check off on the list of things to do in medical school or in life. Draw your own  box! Find a way to leverage your passion into a life experience that you can grow from. If that's travel, GO TRAVEL . BREAK OUT OF YOUR SHELL!

 Photos :  Family photos taken  with the school kids in Granada, Spain; somewhere in January 2010.

That is why traveling is known to provide people with a whole new perspective, whether that means no longer sweating the small stuff or promising to get out there and meet new people upon returning home. Those who have left their comfort zone and headed for a foreign land have done the right thing; there is nothing like a trip to make you a new man who has no choice but to fend for himself. Whether alone, with a partner, or in a group, your development surely speeds up when you're abroad. Don't let fear or insecurity stop you from trying new things. Believe in yourself. Do what you love.

If you're a passionate knitter of hats, DO THAT (then give them away to kids who are bald from chemo). If it's research, by all means research till your blue in the face! Volunteer in a hospital or research WHILE you travel (abroad programs). Be innovative with it, be creative, but most importantly... do it. If you are in love with what you are doing, it will show through to the people that matter. Cliche yes, but no less true.

Photos : Impromtu  hiking trip with Hradec Kralove medical students to Snežka Hora, the highest mountain in Czech Republic

There’s a big world out there, and we can choose to spend our limited time trying to see it and doing things we enjoy, or we can spend time accumulating material things and doing things that don’t make us happy. I also like to think that we can choose to live within the comfortable bubble that we know, or we can choose to experience how life has manifested across the globe and personally grow as part of the process. This doesn’t mean you need to drop everything and travel for the rest of your life; it simply means that if you’re interested in travel, you can make it happen by adjusting your priorities.

Photos :worth  a selfie with beautiful background of the city of Kotor, Montenegro , 2014

Insyaallah, in 10 to 15 years ahead, I’m imagining myself as a volunteer doctor someday, working somewhere in the midst of armed conflict, epidemics and natural disaster. I’m praying hard so that Allah will choose me to serve as a doctor in Palestine, Syria or  any places where children are severely malnourishes and large segments of population are denied any form of health care. Insyaallah.