I've always wondered about people less privileged than I. Of course, I am not spoon fed and thankfully so, but still it makes you wonder. However, through out my life the thought of people who undergo hardships and have a difficult life was just that it was a thought. Apart from a little bit charity here and there however much and whenever possible, I did not understand the significance of this. And I believe that it is very difficult for all people who are following the typical model of life i.e: birth - studies - jobs - marriage, without any significant hiccups or speed breakers to fully comprehend this. I was once in the same boat.
My slap in the face and a wake up call came when I fell really sick. Few months of coma, ICU, a year of medication etc. This episode made me realise what is important. I am a software engineer by trait. Sure, I have a knack for those things and I am really interested in that subject. However, I believe I have placed too much importance on that. It is understandable that the world model that we have ensures that we all work for our lively hood. No free meals! Over time this model has been misunderstood, as we have grown to think how important it is to have a profession, make money etc. More money = more comfort. Some people even go overboard. The thirst of a solid profession/career at some point turns into greed and it just all becomes about money and social status etc. Pitiful.
My experience with this dependant and desperate life style taught me that even though the material things are important. These are only important to an extent. What really matters in life is your connections. Your connection with the supreme being and your family and friends. Not a day goes by that I do not consider myself blessed. Blessed to have a family, immediate and extended. I have a lovely wife, amazing children, great parents and wonderful sisters. Not to mention a great uncles and aunts, awesome cousins and really good friends. MashAllah! May Allah keep them all safe and healthy. Even with all that, this state makes me feel helpless and sometimes depressed. Sure I have all my connections to talk to but still, it is almost impossible to convey and explain what I feel or I am going through. And I do not mean physically. It is the psychological toll.
As such, I then again thought about people who have a difficult life and they are put through Allah's test. There are plenty of people who are alone in this world. I imagine that if I, someone who is so blessed, feel this pain. What do the people, not so fortunate, might feel. How desperate, they might feel, some even would've given up all together. Sure there would be exceptional cases, but there is nothing worse than a dependant life. All my life I've heard my father say that "May Allah take me, while I am still an able body.". Sure I understood this even then, but now, having lived through what I am living through, I truly understand the depth of this statement. It is hell on earth. When I woke up from my coma, I remember saying to myself that I would not wish this sort of an episode even for my worst enemy i-e; if I had any enemies. This thought about the helplessness of people less privileged than I, made me even sadder and I pray for these people and wish them well.
This realisation, has motivated me to think about what we refer to as "Khidmat-e-Khalq". As in service of people. And based on that I am of this sound resolution, that if Allah enables me, InshAllah, then I'll be steering myself in that direction, towards helping people. Sure I'll still continue to do what I like for my profession, but I'd equally invest time in enabling people and getting close to Allah. How I'll achieve this? I do not know yet but as always intention comes first and then Allah shows us the way.
After this harsh time of mine I've seen the real face of life and I understand what would/should give us true peace. Inner calm. I do not expect everybody to understand this because as mentioned earlier, we are so busy following the typical model of the expected lifestyle, that we do not consider these things or are unable to comprehend without having gone through something substantially impact-ful. Maybe not all but majority of us. I guess such is human nature. It has evolved or devolved to this point, where the real things that matter have taken a back seat which should not have been the case and I am sure this is not what we were created for.
Allah gave us free will, he wants to see which direction we will take and judge us accordingly. May Allah give us the strength, knowledge, courage and means to help each other. Aameen!