Zed Peace

Ramadhan & Raya

Yet another Ramadhan passes us this year and one either took the opportunity to re-evaluate their lives and take initiatives to change it for the better, or let the month go by unattentively with minimal effort to cleanse body and mind. After all, to fast is a gesture of self control but it is the responsibility of the individual to discipline themselves in all other aspects of their day to day. Carry a healthy mindset the following year and you might end up achieving things you never thought you could. Such is the nature of positive thinking and affirmative action.

We enter the new month with fesitivites to symbolise self-achievement, and thus, complimentary celebration for all! At the same time, Raya some might claim is all about forgiveness first and foremost. Wrong-doings and mistakes are put to one side or forgiven in the hope that we all move on and progress. Raya as well is most effective when spent with immediate family, to be able to strengthen the bond with siblings and parents. If it's not too much to ask, just go up to them and minta maaf. God knows the type of things we do to hurt each other without us knowing it.

Communities can benefit a lot when families show respect and compassion to one another, and Raya can do exactly that. It assures mutual understanding that is crucial for the society's well-being. A moment when one decides to cut off relations with a relative or family member that did them wrong would be a tragic sight to see. The question of pride, or misplaced pride, or lack thereof, when it comes to forgiveness should not be taken too seriously. Why? Because a sincere apology, that is brought forth after a month of dedication to one's faith, can certainly touch the hearts of people.

The traditions we choose to follow have every bit of significance if it is followed with sincerity and honesty. As of late I haven't been too sincere with myself I suppose. What surprise is it then on the night I decide to pray for forgiveness for how hectic things have become, I'm awoken to find that my room was entirely flooded from the previous night's rain: the only one in the house. How flattered I must've felt.

Anyways, just wanna wish everybody Selamat Hari Raya and Maaf Zahir Batin. Hmm, at the end of the every year, perhaps a month of Ramadhan and a day of Raya is exactly what we all need. Don't you think so?

-Zed Peace.

The World

I always like to imagine the world as a country; albeit one that is currently free of government and hierarchy. Its nation states I like to treat as individual people, and ideally they all pretty much have the freedom to think and do what they wish, as long as they don't cause any harm to others, their surroundings and especially to their own selves. Even if they did though, there's no real punishment or prison to send them to, so the only real way to maintain order, as shown throughout history, is for the like-minded majority to create some sort of society in which all will have to be a part of. Exclude yourself from this society and you'll be left in the cold with little chance of survival. Unless of course the country decides to pack its bag and leave to another celestial body, there's really no other choice but to follow the norms of this world. Fair assessment for a relatively unfair existence, I suppose.

This spinning ball of earth and water will always encounter timeless problems of conflict which almost always start with the indifference that just simply is. And since there's no central authority or executive body to look after the well-being of the world, individuals rely on anything remotely meaningful to keep the situation in check. Economics (or the barter system), will always be seen as a good thing, as it ensures healthy competition, although there are always bad apples who will choose to practice dishonesty. Altruism and the idea that by helping others you'll help yourself is also a practical tool to make sure everyone's always looking out for one another. Politics can be another good thing, to make sure there is some sort of democratic value in the land despite it having no leader to represent the will of the people. Nor is there really a desire to have a leader in the first place. Humanity is still uncomfortable with the idea of a world government.

But it wouldn't be right to classify an entire nation as a single being, hence treat them the same way as real people with real lives. Although, I'm always one to see life through different spectacles, the rose tinted ones to be exact. Countries pretty much act like man: they age, they rest, they work, they get hurt and they have fun. Their relationship with each other is every bit as puzzling as ours. They even get married sometimes through bilateral agreements and treaties. Practice polygamy even in the form of multilateral agreements. They don't reproduce per se, and plus it would be disturbing to know that countries can have a penis or a womb. But old governments die and produce new ones and that cycle continues until the end of time.

I'm simply rambling my thoughts outloud with the idea that I am but a blood cell in a national body. I can't really tell it what to do, but the things I do can affect it, which is good to know. Not for the body I suppose: I wouldn't want to go around thinking the little men living in my elbows wish to see my downfall. And I'm not saying I wish to see the downfall of anything for that matter. But the world is a peculiar place if one were to think deeply about it. It's divided up into a wide spectrum of nations which have nothing but egotistic tendencies, yet united by the idea that peace can be achieved in this blatant anarchy of a globe without someone or something being voted into power. Some would like to think America as the closest thing to world authority. Others see the UN as a potential candidate. The more metaphysical thinkers among us believe in divine justice and fair game during post-existence. I, on the other hand, think that the world will always remain unclear and vague except when one finally becomes content with their reality.

And even then they're just as likely to spin into oblivion, the same way a star can explode and reassemble at any given moment. Or maybe the same way a supreme being can create a universe at a snap of a finger. Tomayto tomahto.

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