Patience and Growing Up

Sometimes our heartache comes from our own minds. We feel so miserable when something doesn't go the way we want it to be. We will blame other people for not cooperating with us. The truth is, it's our own expectations that make us suffer in the end. 

So, should we give up? 

Do we have no choice but to stop putting high expectations? 

Should we run away from the things we have started because of our own heartache? 

Maybe a life without anyone would be better, we think.

Everyone has been in that state. A state where we think the world is unfair and we want to run away from it. A state where we think everyone else is just getting in our way to reach our dreams. The journey where we face the most difficult times and hit the wall that seems can't be broken. We're stuck. We feel depressed and keep questioning, "why can't this happen the way I plan it? I've worked hard. I've put a lot of effort into it?"

The answer for everything is very easy yet very hard to apply: patience 

That's right. Patience. It is a very simple solution for all of our problems in the world, but why is it so hard for us to be patient when things start to go wrong? Why do we choose to put our anger first instead of our patience? Everyone knows: an angry heart will never result a good thing especially when making decision, but we suddenly forget about that when something disappointed us. We may not be born with the same character and attitude, we will always find someone or something that doesn't match our character, but we don't have to face that with anger. We just have to be open-minded and again, always be patient.

"Oh, it's easy for you to tell us to be patient, you don't know what I feel, you don't know what I'm going through..!"

Some stubborn minds might think that way, but again, it's because it loses its patience that our minds refuse to listen to any advice. Life is about our process to grow up. Growing up isn't always about 12 to 25 and then you officially become an adult. Growing up is about the growth of characters as well. That's why even if you're going to 40 or 80, you will keep growing up as long as there's something inside of you that you need to change. As long as you keep trying to make yourself a better person, it's called growing up. The more we grow, the more patient we should be, because of the more challenging life ahead of us. That's why maturity is not just about numbers. 

And above all, we have to keep asking for His guidance so we will not get lost. Patience can be granted to you if you keep trying and learn to apply it in your life and as long as you keep asking for Allah SWT for it. Once you master the knowledge of patience, the world will be yours, because nothing can get you down and nothing can destroy your spirit. Be patient and be thankful, always.

Little Brother

Although he can be so annoying sometimes (or most of the time), we all agree that he's the clown of the family, our source of laugh, and without him around, it feels lonely here. But this is life. He's a boy, he needs to 'hijrah' no matter what so he can live independently. We are also proud of him that he managed to get into Sebelas Maret University. You know, we had to fight with him to force him to study so he would do well on the exam. A lot of arguments and fights before his leaving because we were not sure that he would be able to live alone in Solo. He's the youngest, and he acts like 12 years old most of the time, so it's normal for us to be worried. Anyway, we know that in the end, life would force him to get out of his comfort zone, and now it has been a month since he started living alone in Solo. Usually, my mom had to wake him up in the morning. Trust me, it is not an easy job. He sleeps like a dead person. But now, he is forced to wake up by himself if he doesn't want to be late for college. So far, I guess it went well. It must be a lot of trouble for him at first, but we have faith in him that he will do well. Life will teach him to live by himself. Maybe this way, he can finally learn to be responsible. 

But still... he is the youngest in the family, therefore, we love him the most. And I miss my naughty one, my partner in crime, one who fights with me and then forgives and forgets.

I wish he will do well and this will be a turning point in his life. We are family, we are bound to live separately in the end, but our hearts and souls are tied by one thing called love. That's the thing that will connect us with everyone that is dear to us.