Mitch Albom in his book 'Tuesday with Morrie' quoted Morrie to have said this, “As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed as ignorant as you were at twenty-two, you'd always be twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. It's growth. It's more than the negative that you're going to die, it's the positive that you understand you're going to die, and that you live a better life because of it.”
Alhamdullillah. Another year, another set of memories carefully stored in my mind. From time to time, I will trace back my steps, and relive the moments. People say a picture is worth a thousand words. With the existing of new gadgets, the need to capture as many moments as possible becomes greater for some. However, I personally believe the best camera that I have is in my brain. All my happiness, frustrations, sadness, humiliations are recorded there, and the combinations of all those made me who I am today. Now at the age of 41, I just want to be myself and work in becoming a better person. Today I feel complete. Come what may, I pray that I be given the strength to face whatever Allah has in store for me in the future so that I will remain on the straight path. Ameen.
Surah al-Ahqaf - Verse 15
"And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his parents. His mother bears him with hardship. And she brings him forth with hardship, and the bearing of him, and the weaning of him [lasts] thirty months, till when he attains full strength and reaches forty years, he says: “My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds, such as please You, and make my offspring good. Truly, I have turned to You in repentance, and truly, I am one of the Muslims."
Note: This verse contains an instruction for anyone who reaches forty years of age to renew his repentance and turn to Allah with strong resolution – Tafsir Ibn Kathir.
