My Truths – Playing With Fire

Negativity is like lighting a match and playing with fire… It starts off as a small flame dancing on the tip of a miniature stick. It is almost intriguing, drawing you in like a moth. Leave the flame burning for too long, and you risk getting burnt. Let go of the burning match and you risk leaving a blazing trail, having the flame engulf everything in its path!  Life is like that…you need to know when to blow out that flame.

Human nature dictates that negative events affects us. Maybe, to a large extent, even shapes us. We identify strongly with stories of loss and pain and sorrow. But these moments of desolation are only beneficial if we are able to scratch beneath the surface of these experiences, and tap into the lesson. Allowing negativity to creep in and take over your psychic space is not only toxic, but it is contagious! Negativity perpetuates itself and breeds and once it takes over and consumes your mind (or social media feed), happiness and positive energy is much harder to come by!
 

It is true that no news travels faster than bad news! Newspaper headlines, celebrity gossip…there’s nothing like a negative headline to get people intrigued and sales sky rocketing (or blog views soaring)! People are captivated by negativity. They embrace it and spread it faster than a story with a good moral and a happy ending!

The problem arises when we find the need to defend ourselves against these negative induced headlines, throw in our pennies worth, and in the process, lose our own peace of mind as we become embroiled in displays of angst and outrage. What people say and do is a reflection of their own reality… The problem is how we choose to respond! We can’t take responsibility for how others think or force a change of opinion, but we always have the freedom to choose our reaction at any given circumstance, and choosing to respond negatively is a catalyst for spreading even more discord!

My faith teaches me Peace, and nothing has the power to ruin your inner peace more than becoming consumed by the world. The ONLY way to defend our Faith is through peace, tolerance and compassion. Sometimes, in the face of adversity, these things are hard to hold onto… 

Being a silent observer of events gives me the luxury to reflect without submerging myself in debate. It affords me the opportunity to process things and find MY lesson! In our day to day, we will always encounter negativity…views, opinions, beliefs…people. You can either blow out the flame and walk away…or you can fan the flame, fuel it with responses and become engulfed by it yourself. The choice is always yours….

Ramadaan Kareem to everyone! May this month be a shield and
sanctuary from all the negativity of the world! Hopefully
we will all emerge from the month stronger and wiser!
 
Peace,
 
NAMU :)

 

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