Poem: Doing Life

'You don't always get what you want, that's how life is.’ Daddy said.

'Let's see,’ said my cocky self, having never faced rejection before.

'I know you're ambitious, I know you're talented.’ added Maa. ‘May Allah bless you with everything you aim for!'

I said aloud, ‘there's only one thing I aim for, only one thing I want, and I will work hard to prove myself!’

It took me the effort of seven years, to build who I am, the hard work, the patience, the sacrifice and innumerable qualities that I added to my personality to be the 'ideal girl'. 

Hard work always pays, is what I was taught. I believed it, truly.

And when it was time for my hard work to pay off, it went like...'Hey Aaliya, I'm a little busy today, maybe sometime later?'

I laughed at my myself, at the reality that lay before me, but soon the laughter transitioned to tears, sadness, anger and frustration.

My parents were calm though, they had experienced life more than I had and knew that the world is partial, it refuses to see the best in people even when it can, even when it ought to.

This is how you'll learn to hop onto better things in life, grab on opportunities you never had before, and prove what you're really capable of.

That day I realised, my self worth is different and how the world sees my success is different. 

I don't need to seek validation from the world for who I am, and what I deserve.

I now know, that even if I don't turn out to be successful in life, or I face such rejections and failures ahead, I would not let it affect my self worth.

I am more than what you see, more than what you perceive.

The last thing I wanna do is prove it to you.

I feel more calm and relaxed now, life awaits bigger surprises for me and I'll get busy holding onto them. 

But in all these tough times, what I realised is, that no matter what, my family and friends will always be there for me, stick by me. 

They will appreciate me for who I am and in the end, that's all that matters.