Are We The Walking Dead?

As I put it, ‘life is a highway’ where you barely get to reverse or make a u-turn.   It is an open highway with exits that lead to other roads and eventually the next highways.  That’s what makes life so interesting.  And for me, there’s nothing more depressing than to see life wasted - that is to live but not actually alive like the zombies of the Walking Dead series.  

How many of us have actually stopped to think about life?

I may not be a religious person though I admit that I think of dying every day.   But that doesn’t mean that I have to stop living.   I believe that Allah has put us here on earth to live and therefore, has provided us with guidelines on how to live – that is, the Al-Quran.  The natural resources of the earth, the amazing universe and the brain to figure everything out are evident that Allah wants us to live.

But it is just so sad to see how many of us simply don’t know how to live.

We used to hear how some Muslims get so obsessed with dying that their ultimate dream in life is to die.  For that, they strapped bombs to their bodies and blew themselves up along with others.   They believe that they die a martyr.   I don’t know whether they did die a martyr but I do know that suicide is the most sinful act which you can’t repent later because there’s just no ‘later’ anymore. 

And some Muslims may not be so obsessed with dying a martyr but all the same, they live to die.  They simply refuse to learn the skills to live and force the same idea on their children.   Hence, they send their children to religious schools since at very young age so that their children will become ‘good and well-learned’ Muslims ie. tahfizs, ustazs, ustazahs, imams, kadhis, syariah lawyers or judges etc..with the believe that they have better chance on going to heaven when they die compared to other Muslims.  

They believe that the complexity of science, mathematics, physics, arts and other knowledge that is needed to live is not worth it as it won’t take you closer to heaven.  In other words, they take their Allah’s given brains for granted by refusing to master the skills of living but only focusing on dying.   

This is the kind of mentality that got us, the Muslims, nowhere.  While the others are ruling the world, exploring the universe and inventing good stuff for the use of all mankind, bringing out the best from the miracle of Allah’s given ‘brains’, we, are still struggling on whether or not CCTV’s recording can be used as evidence in the court of law.

Not to forget that there are also Muslims who are obsessed with other people’s lives or more accurately other people’s sins.  They spend their whole life looking, evaluating and judging others in the ‘effort’ to ‘stop’ others from living in sins as if Allah will judge them based on other people’s sins and not their own.  Well, I personally think that this is the worst way to waste your life. 

On the contrary, there are also Muslims and non-Muslims who are obsessed with their future life instead of the afterlife.  For this, they spend their whole life climbing the corporate ladder or simply chasing fame, wealth, power and status.   Their whole time and energy are being focused on achieving these goals.    And when they finally get what they wanted, they realized that they have no more energy and time to actually live and enjoy what they have painstakingly managed to achieve.

Of course, all these climbing and falling and flying high are the part of life or the process of living.   

But even then, we don’t really live until we are able to notice and savor each and every little rock that we find during the climbing, or the bed of flowers that we fall upon when we fell, or the sunrays that shine on our faces when we are flying high. 

That little rock, that bed of flowers and that ray of sunshine are the good ordinary days where you get to wake up with butterfly kisses from your loved ones with a cup of freshly brewed coffee waiting on your table and the cool refreshing air that touched your nose as you walk down your porch to your car.   These are the little things that we usually missed or simply forget to appreciate.   These are the little things that we take for granted.  This is life. 

I don’t think we all have actually lived until we truly understand that the ordinary day matters, and not just what we are struggling to achieve – be it dying a martyr, going to heaven when we die or just being at the top of the corporate ladder or keeping a straight record of other people’s sins.   Whatever the goal is, first, we must live – explore, learn and appreciate because that’s what Allah created us for; not to sit, pray and wait for the day we die. 

In order to really live, we should all push our talent and potential to the limit, boost our brain power to the extreme by learning and discovering new things every day, explore our curiosity to the fullest but never ever forget to enjoy life along the way.  Should there be setbacks and failures, it’s ok because the highway goes on.  Just sit back and relax, engage your gear, continue driving and enjoy the music, the fresh air and the scenery. 

Today, I may not get to be what I wanted – well, I wanted to be everything as a matter of fact, but what the heck.  I find peace with myself and my life – not that I don’t have regrets though.  It’s true that there is always the question of ‘what if ...’ when looking back in life but you know what?  It doesn’t matter anymore.   

I had the best ‘ketam goreng telur masin’ by the beach last night on a sort-of a date with my other half.    This morning, I spent 4 hours in and out the pool and the jacuzzi with my family before we took a stroll on the beach.  (Yes, I’m on vacation) And now, it’s kind of boring because we are all too tired to go out of our room even though the weather is so fine, and I’m forced to entertain my little girl by playing Scrabbles with her while blogging at the same time.  But I have no complains.  

I know now that there is no need to rush in life and I believe that I’m done climbing the ladder.  In fact, I doubt whether there was a ladder.  All I can see is an unending highway.  The travel had been hectic and exhausting but it has recently become very cool and calm. 

So, whether or not I have achieved my goals, I’m okay, for I know that I am living my life to the fullest.   Are you?