the story of the pencil

Bismillah

The topic actually comes from the writing of Paulo Coelho from the book, 'like the flowing river'. Paulo has written quite an inspiring book, though some contents might be contradictory to my beliefs. However, i wanted to share with readers out there 5 lessons (i call it lessons, the original writer calls it qualities) one can derive from a pencil. Let's emulate the pencil.

Many perceived that the words written with the pencil are the most important thing. The pencil is actually a mighty tool. Just like humans. We are the most intelligent of all beings created by the Almighty, and we are capable of doing anything. Yet, we must never forget that even with our capabilities, we can never surpass that of God. No matter how capable we are, there is always a hand that will guide us according to His will, and that hand is Allah.

That's the first lesson.

Lesson 2: Now and then, we need to sharpen the pencil. Yes, the pencil will suffer, but afterwards it is much sharper. Same goes with us. We have to bear pains and sorrows, because they will mould us to be a better person. Because we will try our best to overcome them, we, in return, become stronger in the face of adversaries.

Lesson 3: The pencil is equipped with an eraser at its back. It allows us to rub out the mistakes we might have done. This means that correcting mistakes is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps to keep us on the road to justice. Everyone is not without mistakes, but only the great can admit and correct their mistakes.

Lesson 4: What's important in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. That's applicable to us too. We sometimes think too much how others look at us on the outside, but we rarely pay attention to our inside. Yet, the outside reflects the inside. When the inside is pure, then the outside will shine.

Lesson 5: A pencil always leaves a mark, be it words or pictures. In the same way, we should know that whatever we do, we will leave a mark. No matter how simple our action or gesture may be, the effect is there. So try to be concious in every action.

We might think what use the wooden pencil is to us, especially now when we rarely use it. But we can see that Allah s.w.t actually reveals his knowledge through many things, and many ways. Even a lifeless pencil can give us much to think about.

Wallahu 'alam