What is it good fo'? absolutely nothin'!

I'm getting more and more sure that Bryan needs Islam. I know it. He is completely lost. In orchestra today he was really ticked and hadn't gotten over the break up with his girlfriend. And he was also dressed in a suit and tie. Why? Because he had a court case. My God. But when Essence and I asked him what was wrong, he handed us a poem he'd written and told us to read it. I don't remember it all, but it was the sweetest, saddest thing ever. The only line I remember really well is this:
"When I say 'Oh I'm fine' I want someone to look into my eyes and say 'tell the truth'.
That made my eyes burn and I was about to start crying. Because I write the same thing in my poems. I knew exactly what he meant. Bryan was always careful to hide his feelings. But that poem was amazing. I didn't know he could write that well. The poem also made me positive to get Islam across to him. Islam, because it prohibited him from doing all the things that made teachers, others and even himself categorize him into the "bad people" category. It fit in perfectly.
Islam forbids drugs and alcohol. Something he drinks sometimes, but hates.
Islam doesn't allow dating. A habit he wants to break loose of.
Islam doesn't allow stealing. Bryan doesn't steal! he doesn't even take money even for a beat.
I remember something he said once about money. Zach (an 8th grader in our class) had told Bryan that he'd bet money on something. Bryan said no. So Zach said OK then I'll just give you the money. And Bryan burst, he said "I don't like money! It's what got me into all the trouble I've been in since I was 10!"
Somethings people say just stay in mind, and this is one of them. Continuing my list:

Islam forbids hanging out with bad people. Bryan has gotten involved with gangs at one point.
And so many other things I could sit and list. Bryan NEEDS Islam and I'm going to get it across to him no matter what. He says 'Nothing good happens in his life' but he's wrong. His life CAN change. It can.
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We watched a slide show in history today about the Vietnam War. And the song the teacher used in the background was "What is it good fo'? absolutely nothin'!" And it just made me think so much about stuff in life. Like so many things are good for nothing but we still do them. It really doesn't make a difference.This time, my long walk from schooll to home was not a really thought-provoking one. I just kinda walked and didn't think about anything because I don't want to. I just want to escape out of my thoughts and into the world of dreams. In Spanish, we're working on a project, making poster boards about a certaincountry of our choice for International Night at school. I chose to do it on Iraq just cuz I was born there, but now I really regret it. Just because googling "Iraq" on images doesn't get me anything I want, but war pictures and troops. It's not fair. And then what completely ticked me off was when a friend googled "Iraq" supposedly trying to help me, she was like "AWH! I googled Iraq on images and look what came up!" she says obnoxiously pointing to injured people that were victims of the war.
"And you think I don't know this stuff?!??" I reply.
She turns aways mumbling sorry and inside I was saying,
"Yea, my mom ran under bombs being dropped holding on to my baby brother trying to run to safety, while my dad was living hell too. Actually they were both living there then, the wars and things they've seen are miserable."

But really does it make any difference what I think? It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how hell-ish life was for my parents, it doesn't matter how much they've endured. Years ago, while people here (U.S.) were crying about not getting the dress/outfits they wanted,my dad and my mom were crammed into a basement trying to be invulnerable to the bombs and shooting with no food to eat, and my mom was pregenant with my brother (her first child), in the midst of all the bombing and war. that's why it gets me mad when people complain about the stupidest things ever, or are really obnoxious and stuck up. *sigh*
Anyways I had to get that out, it was really bothering me badly. I hope everyone is doing well and is in the best of health and iman.
Wa alaikom al salam.

4 thoughts:

nida said...

aww that title reminds me of Jacky chan lol....from rush hour. Anyway, that is a cute post sis - keep giving dawah inshaAllah it'll do well.

And if you are interested in the Vietnam War, I have read a great book called : "Iraq and the lessons of Vietnam" which i will give a review of soon inshaAllah. It's a collecetion of essays about the simillarities between the two wars - a very lefty view and quite insightful. :)

Fatou Thioune said...

i really like reading these kind of comments Macha ALLAH. it helps one to be more aware of this meaninglesss life

Umm Omar said...

Your posts are always so thoughtful. Give dawaa to Bryan. May Allah guide him to the truth and happiness.

Do you have any pictures from Iraq in a family photo album? Even pictures of happy people, weddings, people sitting at a dinner table, a park, a masjid, etc. Those would work just as well for an International Night project, I think.

controlled chaos said...

asalaam wa'alikum
that was a great post!!!!!
I think you're awesome now.

You might have a stalker now.