Writer: Iffat Baig

From: Red Deer Alberta

ADVICE TO MY YOUNGER SELF

Have you ever thought about your life experiences and the lessons you learned along the way? Life has a unique way of showing us what really matters. With the passage of time, our ideas and how we develop opinions about a particular person or situation changes a lot.

When I was a young, naive girl in my early college years, I used to be deeply inspired and influenced by the fanciful stories of disney princesses and their dreamy lives in which a perfectly handsome and charming prince inevitably enters their realm and falls in love at first sight with them, living happily ever after in their wonderful world. At that stage, we were not properly taught about the practical reality of life and how to confront different problems on the journey. Famous writer Bano Qudsia once said that we are not presently training our children how to handle failures and disappointment.

I would like to guide my younger self about the factuality of life and its ramifications. Every young girl should have confidence in her own abilities and try to explore the talents Allah has awarded to her. Expecting too much from others and relying on others for one’s own happiness may risk hurting them. Life consists of ups and downs. Sometimes we stress over our petty grievances and the opinions of others, assuming that others are enjoying their ideal lives and we are the only ones facing obstacles. Now, at this stage of my life, I come across the fact that Allah tests His creations through different phases and circumstances, rewarding the ones who deserve jannah in the Akhirah. Getting to jannah requires our patience and a steadfastness on following the right path and becoming worthy of the pleasure of Allah SWT.

In short, I would like to encourage my younger self, build up her confidence and persuade her to have firm faith and trust on Allah’s Plans, leading life according to the teachings of Islam and not expecting too much from others. Last but not least ,my message to her would be;

 Don’t worry and Always be happy.