living in principles

what is it i hold on to in this life? what determines how i live my life and how i operate. how do i measure that i'm living successful enough. is it the money, or the properties, can it be number of friends, or do achievements fit in the list? too many questions too many answers dwelling. i don't know why i'm always in my depth thinking mode lately.

everytime i'm in search of myself, my beliefs, my faith, my personality, everytime i am in a rush for happiness, the seek of balance, i always go back to the principles. okay, now what differs principle from a belief? for me, a belief might be inconsistent and different from one culture to another, variance from one soul to another. but the principle, it's universal, stand alone, the "it depends" phrase doesn't apply to it, and it's timeless, unchanged and everlasting. for example, let's take a very simple one as better segregation. eating with hands, it's a malay culture, chopstick for the chinese, fork and spoon for the others, mostly. it varies. but whatever it is you are using to eat, it got to be clean. and that's a principle. it's consistent across all kind of cultures.

we have all kinds of religions in this very mean world. different faith, encouraging their followers for different paths and beliefs. but all religion stressed their convictions and doctrines to be good, to be kind, to show mercy, to have manners, to love each other, to respect each other, and so forth. and it doesn't change, be it in 17th century, renaissance, be it in industrial revolution, different caliphs rule, protestant separation, millennium, whenever, forever, it is the same.

so, i feel like i've been strayed too far for too long, so many times. but we are mere mortals. i make mistakes trillions of times, you can't afford to run from them, we all make mistakes. that what makes us human. so colourful, this life can be.

but what is more important is to learn from our mistakes and always streamlined ourselves back to the principles. cleanse ourselves, forgive ourselves, and seek forgiveness from Him. in order to have clarity, the balance for serenity. stick to my faith, my religion. so that my path is straight, and never astray. dear god, show me the way. insha'Allah. amin~