The world today.

The other day, a friend mentioned how someone he knows owns a violin worth over 3 million USD. Of course, that person did not spend his personal money on it – it was sponsored by someone else/an organisation. I’m guessing that person is a professional violinist and that’s probably why he has sponsorship.

The first thing that came to my mind was why would anyone in his right state of mind – spend that kind of money, on a violin? Does it produce gold when it is played? I’m sure some from the music industry would be criticising me right now, sure I may not know a whole lot about instruments (although I can play Mary Had A Little Lamb using the flute) but let’s put it this way: 3 million USD can be channeled into feeding the poor and needy in Africa for months. The whole of Africa.

Instead, it was placed solely and entirely on producing a violin. From what I see, if you are talented, you can make a simple piece produce good tunes/music. Let’s not talk about those cheap ones you can get for less than a thousand. Perhaps you can get one that is worth thousands? But millions? In USD? It’s not only ridiculous, but also stupid.

On another note, did you guys know that you can help ease the hardship of certain people in certain parts of the world? What I’m saying is by sponsoring a child. If you are up for it, you can even sponsor more than one. There are thousands of children who need the help of those who are willing just so that they can lead an ordinary life and have three meals a day, maybe even just to have some clean water to drink and bathe.

Here are two links I discovered: link, link.

I sincerely hope people will really consider doing this small gesture, because it would mean the world to those needy children. You don’t even have to spend more than 150 RM per month, and imagine just a tiny amount like that every month you are probably saving the live/s of the children.

If you already own five pairs of shoes and you are thinking of getting another, why don’t you put the money into better use? If you have extra every month and you think, why not reward myself with something since I have additional cash anyway – why not use it for a greater purpose?

To be able to help others build a life on their own is not something you should be doing so that people will think you are great. You should do it for yourself because the feeling of knowing that you have done something to make a difference in the world; it’s enormous. You may not be able to change the world on your own but if there are hundreds of us to kick-start the journey, more will come to join and it will soon turn into thousands and eventually millions.

We are all citizens of Planet Earth. All of us should come together. We should not be divided by race, religion, citizenship, or skin colour. It all starts with you.

The world’s current breaking news.

The entire world was (perhaps still) in waves of shock and disbelief when the news of Osama bin Laden’s death circulated every inch of the media globally. Many were celebrating, some were doubtful, others didn’t really care. Let’s just get straight to the point: Yes, he was a terrorist. Yes, he was the mastermind of the 9/11 incident which caused the death of many innocent people.

Despite the things he did, a corner of my mind finds it wrong to celebrate a person’s death – regardless how he/she used to be during life. Maybe it is because I was not directly affected when it happened, I was not there when the suicide bombing took place, I did not lose anyone I love in the incident. But that’s not exactly what I’m trying to say.

Many would say he deserved to die. And I’m not disagreeing, I’m not saying he was not wrong or he was not a bad person. I guess what I’m trying to say is that when someone we care about dies, we mourn. Yet when someone we hate/dislike dies, we have a celebration. The bigger picture is that someone died. A death took place. Someone lost her husband (in this case, a few), children lost their father. At the end of the day, we are doing something that does not seem right – celebrating something tragic.

I guess it’s a mixed feeling. Do not get me wrong, I’m not saying terrorism should not be everybody’s ultimate enemy. I’m not saying we should feel bad for him because he’s dead. I’m just looking at it in a different perspective. It is a lot like because you’re a killer, I’m going to kill you. Gandhi once said, an eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.

Nonetheless, I am glad the people who suffered tremendous losses and agony due to the 9/11 incident can finally have some sort of closure, some sort of comfort knowing that justice has been served. They deserve at the very least, that.

But after 3,000 Americans dead on 9/11, countless more in the Middle East, up to half a million Muslims dead in Iraq and Afghanistan and 10 years trying to find Bin Laden, I think it is time for the world to finally work towards world peace and harmony. End every political conflict. Stop placing citizens sandwiched between two parties with one wanting to achieve greater power than the other. Move towards putting a stop at poverty, starvation, wars and what not.

On another note, I think it is time for people to brush off that mindset of “every Muslim with a long beard could be a terrorist“. After the 9/11 incident, Muslims get stopped at airport security checks. When you sit next to a Muslim with a turban on the plane, you have a little fear growing inside of you. The entire world sees Pakistanis as supporters of Osama bin Laden.

The thing is, most people in Pakistan just want to live. They just want to lead normal lives where they do not get branded as “the same type as the number one terrorist in the world”. There were hate crimes in certain Western countries discriminating against Muslims just because they shared the same religion and beliefs as the most wanted terrorist on Earth.

I think it is very important but very difficult – to make people see that what one man had done does not reflect his entire community. He was a terrorist, he was a horrible person. Does that mean his family members are too? All of his friends as well? Including his children? Imagine growing up being labeled as a terrorist’s child when all he/she probably wants is to be known as just another kid?

I think Islam is a good religion, just like every other religion because I believe every religion teaches good and only good. However certain people decide to manipulate it whether for their own personal gains or not – and it should not be the picture used to describe others who practise the same religion/beliefs.

Make the world a better place.

The world is so full of suffering and I can’t bear the thought that there are people who live so nonchalantly that it doesn’t bother them at all.

I want to make a difference, I want to help end misery and sorrow of those in need. I believe that everyone deserves a good life and no one, no one at all should have to suffer.

Not even animals. When I see strays by the roadsides, I feel sad. How horrible must their lives be? I want to establish a place to shelter strays. I want them to be provided with sufficient love and healthcare.

When I see elderly people alone, I feel sad. I wonder how lonely they must feel, each day passing by without a true meaning for them to look forward to. They have lived a long life, but did they get what they hoped they would? I want to make them happy, to know that life is still worth living even at that age.

When I see less fortunate people, I feel sad. Why do they have to endure so much of hardship just so they could go through the same routine the next day? How come they were not born in a better condition? I want to ease their burden, I wish I had enough to be able to do so.

I feel that there is so much sadness in this world and I mean real sadness but people fail to see it. It angers me when teenagers rant and whine about their imperfect love lives or their failed relationships. It disgusts me when all certain people talk about are where they have been and what they’ve gotten in life when they didn’t have to work hard for all of it.

So many of us are so clueless as to what a saddening state this world that we live in is, and we just carry living life in our own little bubble of joy without an inch of concern for others.

Some of us are so selfish and you can see that on a daily basis on the roads. Some are so emotional about boys/girls who don’t even give a damn about them but they choose to be stuck in this rut they call love.

Some complain about every single thing under the sun, how things did not go their ways or how incidents did not happen as planned.

Some don’t give a care about anything that is going on and they just wanna get on with life, just live each day as it comes. What’s the difference between that and just waiting for death?

And it makes me wonder, what are you living for? To make your own life better and that’s it?

Or are you going to make your life better by making this world better? What I’ve said is easy to comprehend, it’s not rocket science. But do you want to understand it?

A single hand will not be able to help the world but if we place our hands together, even mountains can be moved.

Imagine.

Everyone just needs to listen to this song everyday.

Have you wondered?

I have also wondered hard in my mind why life is unfair and people are of different statuses. Why do some deserve great things while others have to be contented with mere mediocrity. Then it hit me; this world will never be equal. People will never be the same. Not everything has an explanation to it.

If there were no bad people then good people simply don’t exist. You no longer have different people to make comparisons and decide who they are and how are they like. If there were no deaths and sickly diseases then there will be nobody wanting to be doctors to save lives.

If there were no criminals and crooks then nobody will dream of becoming a cop or a lawyer because such necessity simply does not exist. If you and I were all good people then we don’t need the law and politicians to run governments/countries and then, what would the world become?

You and I will have nothing to talk about, everyone appears identical and that would probably make sexual attraction towards others go haywire. We probably don’t have to undergo education because who wants to be professionals then? And the world would be so perfect we might die of boredom.

Now that’s a thought huh.

Does this make you feel anything?

As I sighed silently because the place I went to didn’t serve my fave dish during lunch, complained about the ridiculously hot weather & wished I could take my ovaries out due to menstrual cycle, 65 people died due to an earthquake in New Zealand while hundreds lost their loved ones. I’m ashamed.

Now you and I are probably sitting in comfort at our homes or somewhere safe while more than dozens of people are in chaos. Today might be an average or bad day for us, but it could possibly be the worst for some people.

Be appreciative that you’re alive today.

Series of events in life.

It’s amazing how a chain of events take place in a certain manner and in such order that things just fall into place and the outcome turns out to be a little, hilarious?

Everything that happens is by chance, I believe. Things that happen today are due to the actions we took yesterday. Metaphorically speaking. It’s funny how today we do something thinking it’s for the best but tomorrow, we realise that there’s another option – a much better one and we should have done that instead.

But usually when we come to this point of realisation, changes can no longer be made as it would already be too late. And it’s funny because what if we had given it a little more thought yesterday and chose the other road not taken, imagine the impact it will have on our todays.

Then again like I said, if we all knew what to do and what not, wouldn’t this world be perfect and we’d be living together happily ever after forever?