with every difficulty there is ease

Dear brothers,

Trying time it is now. But just hold on. Each of us is promised of His sustenance, so as long as we work for it. I'm working on it, everybody's working on it. I know it's easy to despair in times like this but know that He would not make us go through this if He knows that we can't do it. 

"On no soul doth Allah place a burden greater than it can bear" 

(Al-Baqarah 2:286)

I'd be lying if I were to say that I never feel like giving up. I do, of course I do. I do have those moments. And it doesn't help when you've (still) got peer pressure around you to act or live the way they want you live. I hope you get what I mean. I know it must be harder on you around your friends too, sometimes (or most of the time). But you and I, we can't give up. You just can't surrender to things that are volatile.

The things that you want, you know I wish so many times that you didn't have to ask for them. So many times, I wish they come easy. But I guess, when you have them easily, you won't learn the value of the important things. For example, your health, you see how Papa is healthier now compared to when he was working his bums off in the office? Value of time, remember that time when we had the cafe and no one had time for each other? Everyday was spent manning the cafe, from the wee hours of the morning right up to midnight. I remember what baby brother used to tell me. "Na, I want continue college in XXX so that I can be close to Mak and Papa". The cafe was in the vicinity of the college. I mean how sad is that? Not to have those comfort at home. Those and a lot of other things.

 Something great is gonna come out of all this mess, trust me. Have faith in Him. These things, they make you learn and appreciate. Imagine having all the money in the world, but your family disrespect you. Or having all that, but during Raya you don't get to see your Dad because he needs to spend the day with his business partners. These are true stories and I don't want all that.

We didn't celebrate Raya together last year. This Raya, I hope that'll change.  

"Verily, with every difficulty there is ease."
surah Al-Sharh