#27. Field Hockey and Mintonette

Salaam.

Dear Khaulah,

Present dreams are future realities. To some people, what they dreamed of might be far away both in distance and time, like your mom. A far cry from mine, I guess. Don't know if its my personality or I'm just lazy, I think I just don't really have a far place that I yearn to go except for Hajj, nor a big plan for the future. Perhaps this present reality that I'm in is my past dream. Perhaps my dream has always at this present, HERE and NOW.

Anyway, your mom is about to leave for Shanghai soon, for about a month. You should know already by now that you mom has always been the ambitious type ha-ha. Not that I've problems with that though, in fact I am grateful with this difference in personality. Like a phlegm, I'm quite tedious to start moving but when I do, I actually enjoyed it like traveling (your mom always need some time to convince me) xD I'm still wondering what both of us will do within the next month though. Oh and no of course I won't stop your mom from going, everyone of us can dream whatever we want for as long as it is to please Allah. Its just one month anyway, the Hajj pilgrimage is longer. Plus, in your lifetime, some if not all of us will take a leave much much longer and won't be able to return.

So back to the tittle, field hockey and mintonette (volleyball) were my favorite sports during high school and college. I used to represent the school, university and district in both sports alternately. During one of my senior year at the university, I was forced to choose between the two sports in a national level competition. It was a tough choice, the volleyball team consists of veterans while the hockey team mostly consists of my course mates who just learned to play hockey at the uni. Only then I learned that I've loved Volleyball more. Supposedly, I made the correct decision right? Choosing the one that I loved more, that is.

Nope, not really. While the hockey team really needed me as a player back then, the volleyball team actually had enough players. So competing with the veterans for a spot was hard and I was the bench warmer most of the time. That was when I learned a greater lesson that I will never forget, that if there happen to be a clash between two things that you love, choose the one that needed you more. 

Choose the one that will allow you to be of greater benefit to others,
choose the one that authorize you to do more good deeds and reap more pahala from Allah,
be kind to choose the one that needed you more, for without you around maybe they will fall apart,
and above all, choose Allah.

Yours Lovingly,
Ayah.