I am a staunch believer of fate and a non-believer of coincidences. I also believe that fatal accidents, sickness and old age are just excuses or benign reasons to lessen the mourning of a loved one's departure. Like it or not, Death is an inevitability that can neither be hastened nor delayed. With regards to these, though some might not share my Faith, it is a clear indication of what Life partly means.

I got to know a new friend recently and we are worlds apart from each other in terms of wealth and age. But one thing that bonded us together was our view on things and the problems that we faced. Just to point out, we have neither met nor seen photographs of each other but we clicked so well. It is amazing how one can proclaim good friendship via the Internet. To add on, he was like a long lost father when I needed one to talk to. This feeling was probably evoked a few days ago. I missed my Dad and Grandpa. They were great men of their times, but with flaws, nevertheless. Indeed, no one is perfect. These memories of them, in turn, reminded me of a conversation I had with someone, whose Father had just underwent a heart operation 24 hours ago. Thanks to Almighty God, it went smoothly and I pray for the man's health and well-being, God-Willing, Amen!

We can never be certain of what God has in store for us. This past month was a hectic one for me. I've never looked forward to weekends as much as these times. I rarely had time for myself and when I eventually do, I spent it all on sleep and rest. I've an aching body and a sore mind but then again, I've never felt so much fulfillment and satisfaction as much as this present moment. Why? Because I dedicated most of my time on friends who really mattered to me. I've never been so proud of myself as much as today. There was no monetary gains nor material benefits derived from it but the learning experiences shared during our dinner sessions, afternoon rides and late night calls/SMSes are precious gems that not many of us can acquire.

If there is ever any good advice that I can share with you right now, this list will pretty sum it all up:

1) Have TREMENDOUS faith and belief that no matter what happens, God will not place on our shoulders, burdens that we can't carry. The greatest fear that one should be wary of is the fear of being forgotten by God.

2) Be a F_ _ _ ing gracious person and cast aside that ego. Start by saying sorry for the things that are not your fault to begin with. It is not wrong to make a mistake as long as we learn from it. Never expose a person's flaws to the general public as much as you would not want to be greatly shamed by your enemies. If there is a need to, keep the secrets closely guarded among trusted individuals. Humility has become an almost extinct quality in this modern times.

3) Be extremely patient to those whom you care for and who are at the lowest point of their lives, during which time, they had actually approached you for help.

4) Donate your wealth whenever you can and wherever you go and if it is not money that another person needs, provide a listening ear. Some of them just need someone to talk to.

5) Stop complaining of what you do not have. Instead, be thankful of what you already have. However cliche it may sound, as long as we're called humans, we can never be truly contented with what we have.

6) Greater knowledge will be received if good knowledge is shared. Being selfish makes a man 'poorer'.

And finally,

7) Always, ALWAYS, ask God for help regardless of how many times we pray each day or how many trips we make to God's place of worship. A prayer doesn't kill a person but instead, it makes him realize how insignificant he is compared to God's Supremacy. This, in turn, will make him fully understand that Man has no control over everything else except for the decisions he make. Don't even think of

But as much as we would like to see our advice being followed because we have already walked that Path before and we know what the outcome will be, most of the time, God has a much bigger plan. We need to live with the fact that some are just unreceptive to our words. Not because they are of a lower intellect but because that's just the way Life is. We can't guide everyone and hold their hands all the time. Some just need to fall and get back up on your own. It's their destiny.