Process versus Final Result Part II

my private collection

There is nothing I can do when my friends start to leave alternately, one by one. I know that they have to tread their own life path, which make their physical presence is no longer at my side. Escorting their fading footsteps, I only have a bunch of hope in my heart that I’m able to keep them in my memory.

 

And now I truly feel glad seeing most of them have attain their success, even though I’m still slumping in this corner of life where things seemed increasingly hostile day by day.

"I always believe that life is a continual process and not a mere final result," said a new friend replying my complaint. "There's always chances for us to be a better person. Beside, this life is too precious for regretting the past that will never return. Humankind maybe the only creatures that equipped with ability to complaint. Yet, spending time in that negative attitude does not necessarily make them humane. It is just not a wise thing to do, you know. "

I’m substantiate his saying; although I have to be honest to myself that I still have difficulty to replace a groaning complaint with sighs of gratitude.

"Once again, life is a process. Do you think your friends success that you told me is a final result of their life course? Think again. Life is a continuous process. The success or even failure you are experiencing today is in fact just a little part of your life process. Do you think that your circumstances now will guarantee your situation tomorrow as correctly as you have planned? You have to consider the 'x' factor. The unexpected things will always occur. Your response to what is happening now is actually a main determining factor to the end of your life journey. Because death is a mystery and the answer to that mystery is steps that we set in our life process. So, it’s better for us to keep learning to improve our attitude towards what is going on throughout that process rather than just imagining the final result that is not necessarily in line with our expectations. Do your best today, and be patient enough to wait what will happen next. "

Hearing his  explanation, I wonder if he have an ability to read minds. Since what he told me is as though answers all the questions that buzzing about in my mind. Honestly, reflecting on my past, I once questioned myself about what is actually drove me in my place today? My failure at college, my failure to go deep into arts that I’ve considered as my greatest interest, and my many other failures is definitely makes me wonder as if I was born as a failure. I'm not making this up. Just to be honest, I do think so. However, since I knew this new friend, my learning spirit is slowly re-emerging. His slap at my face that evokes my spirit is probably a shock therapy that I do need.

"I'll tell you a tale of destiny in the eyes of Mullah Nasruddin. You must have heard about him, right? Sufi tales from the land of 1001 nights reveals much about him. Well, one day a student asked Mullah Nasruddin, 'What is destiny?' And he said, 'Destiny is a series of endless and incoherent event, which affecting each other.’ But the students appeared to have his own answer and he said, 'That answer does not satisfy me, and I prefer to believe that destiny is more a causation matters.' Nasruddin seems to understands his pupil’s mind. ‘Okay, but let me ask you to look at the present execution cortege that passing us right now,’ said Nasrudding pointing to the crowd convoy at the street in front of them. Then, he continued, ‘That hand-tied person will surely be hang soon. My question, is that because someone had given him money so he could buy a knife and then he use to kill, or is it because a witness had seen him killing someone, or because no one has tried to stop him from killing?'* Life is a process, isn’t it? Or do you prefer trying to answer a question that has existed since the time of Ancient China about which came first, the chicken or the egg?"

Thank you my friends; all of you. Each of you that made me quite proud to claim you as a friend. Thank you to you all. Your presence at my side is part of my priceless life process. My happiness to you all; in the past, in the present and in the future.

* This story is adopting from Idries Shah, The Exploits of the Incomparable Mulla Nasrudin (New York: EP Dutton, 1972), p. 112.