Assalamualaikum
Title: Accepting Life, As It Is
" In tertiary school, it is rare to find real true friends because many of them would do anything, and would stop at nothing, for the sake of getting a good GPA score. And that includes things like taking advantage of YOU. "
~ An advice(or so if you would call it), from one of my lecturers.
Well I guess, there are some truths to what my lecturer have mentioned. Its only been 3 months since school have started, but yet, assignments and projects works are already knocking hard on our doors and there are just so many deadlines to meet. And the hectic school life that I'm living in right now, only made me realise, how much secondary school life means to me. They say, secondary school life may well either be one of the most amazing experience you've ever had in your entire life, or be the one that is the most depressing period of your life.
Her statements is a mere reflect of her experience as a student, throughout her 3 years course in Early Childhood Education at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. And I think, that was like eons ago. Now, let's get back to 2011. Nothing much have change. People come, people go. Some went on to get their Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education at Wheelock College, while some went to work, with that Diploma certificate in hand.
And then I wondered, do I really just want to stop at a Diploma level and become a kindergarten teacher for the rest of my life? That question, have been bothering me for quite some time now because I came to realise that, Early Childhood apparently is NOT an easy course to score at all. What with all those report writing, project works and stuffs, they can really drive me crazy. You can forget about getting a place this course, if you can't even get at least a B4 and above, for your O-level English. That is the new regulation, laid out by MCYS(w.e.f from 2009). & now I know why you need to be strong in English, in order to be granted a place in ECE. The assignments require lots of write up. Lots and lots of write up and they have to be grammatically correct; else you'll get penalised for poor sentence structure.
Now you feel my stress?
So, the next time people come up to me and tell me things like: oh, you're just learning how to babysit, see if I don't turn into one horrible witch and turn them into ugly toads. I've had people coming up to me and say really hurtful things like:
- Aww, what could be so hard? You're just learning how to teach them ABCs and teach them how to count 1,2,3. Hahaha. Look, I'm in Biomedical/Pharmaceutical Science etc, it's a lot more harder you know!
- You sure you wanna stay in the Early Childhood field? I heard that it is really not worth it because the rate of pay here(in Singapore) for kindergarten teachers is quite low. It is really not worth it.
Ouch.
& I am really clueless to why, people look down on Early Childhood educators. I mean like hello? We touch the future, we TEACH. Isn't teaching a noble profession? Sure, our salary may not be as high than compared to that of a national school teacher. Just look at how ugly society is today. So, it has always been about the money issue hasn't it? I'm sorry Jessie J, but sometimes, it IS about the money.
But that's besides the point. My sole intention of writing about this issue down here, is not to vent out on my anger, my frustrations, or to gain sympathy from all of you readers out there. But rather, I would like to see how I could actually relate this back to Islam; well in someway or another I hope! Because sometimes, my thoughts just flow out like water as I write.
So first, let's talk about the so-called advice, given by my lecturer. On a personal note though, I begin to develop the feeling of fear. I fear the day, where people whom I thought I've regarded as friends, would come up to me, take advantage of me, be a big bully, and ruin our friendship that we have built altogether. But I trust that the circle of friends that I have now, wouldn't betray my trust.
But then again, I thought to myself. Why should I fear these narcissistic bunch of people? Aren't they a part of His Creations too? I should be fearing none but Allah! And mum always tells me that people don't just come into your life for no reason. There is a reason to why He has made it such that there will be instances where you'll bump into good people and there will be instances where you'll come bump into those really nerve-wrecking ones. Reason for all that? Allah Maha Bijaksana, mum would say.
Then comes the part about the pay being low for a kindergarten teacher. In response to that matter, I keep reminding myself that rezqi ultimately comes from Him. My rezqi does not lie in the hands of my employer. It does not lie in the hands of those people who thought that I couldn't survive in Singapore with that low salary. No, it doesn't lie in their hands. My rezqi lies in His hands. Why am I putting so much faith and confidence in Him? Simple, dimple, pimple. It is because everything, can only really happen if He wills it to happen. And besides, I think teaching is a noble profession and for so long as the line of job that I'm in, is legal and that my source of rezqi is coming from a halal one, then why should I bother about all these big hoo-haa about the pay being low? Tawakal Susu, tawakal. Do people's opinions really matter? I'm not living on earth to earn wordly gains, because nothing is better than Paradise.
Now comes the part, about my course being difficult etc. Life, is never easy. We're like fighting a battle. Dunia vs Akhirah. Everyone has got their very own problems and no problem is too big to share, nor to small to be talked about. People have got their own battle. But this, is my battle. And so I'm gonna fight this through, and I'm gonna win this big. At a time in which Muslims, like both you and I, are beset with endless trials, this should be a time for us Muslims, to continue being Muslims; a better Muslim at that.
A quote from the Quran to share: Verily, with hardship, there is relief. [Quran 94:6]
In a way, by leaving our affairs to Allah by depeneding on Him, trusting in his promise, by being pleased with His decree, by thinking favourably of Him, and by waiting patiently for His help, we will reap some of the greater fruits of faith insyaAllah. And when we incorparate these qualities, we will be at peace; especially if it concerns the future, because we will depend on our Lord for everything. As a result, you will find care, help, protection, and victory.
So I guess I figured that, I should just accept life as it is. If you read the Quran, you will see that all the Prophets went through trials and tribulations. Life is a test, so let us learn from the best examples of our Prophets. Dad also have always been telling me that, if we are pleased with our Lord in all kinds of situations, He will be pleased with us insyaAllah. Truly, the life of this world is so short and its treasures are few. ♥
And put your trust in Allah, if you are believers indeed..." [Quran: 5:23]
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