The News And Videos Coming From Gaza Today Are So Beyond Horrifying And Grim.

Reginald Dwayne Betts, from Felon; Poems; "Temptation of the Rope"

[Text ID: The link between us all / is tragedy,]

Standing alone: Why I love Lin Beifong

(Spoilers, a very long piece of personal opinions and interpretations, ahead)

Let’s talk about Lin Beifong. And it’s kind of impossible to talk about Lin Beifong without talking about “LinZin”, but that’s the point. I remember her from way back in Season 1 Episode 6, “And the winner is”, when Lin’s voice and eyes soften when she tells Tenzin they are helping each other out at the Pro-Bending finals “like old times”. What a contrast that was, from the anger and coldness we saw from her before. I remember Lin asking Tenzin not to turn back when she jumps onto the Equalist airship for a battle to the death, all so Tenzin’s family has a chance to escape. I remember Lin turning her battle of words with Su to a real battle when Su flippantly brought up Tenzin in their argument. I know everyone has their own interpretation of the show, but I always thought it’s so painfully obvious that Lin hasn’t moved on from Tenzin, and I love LoK for showing us that despite all this, Lin can survive. 

There are too many stories – books, movies, TV shows – that focus on people finding the one, the one true love of their life, who will make their life and happiness complete. But what if the world doesn’t work like that? What if the world didn’t miraculously pair us all off for a happy ending? What are the stories of those people who end up alone for one reason or another? 

I love the “LinZin” story because it’s one of those stories. As far as I can tell, Lin’s separation from Tenzin was not rooted in a lack of love but differences in what they wanted in a future together. Tenzin wanted children. Lin didn’t. Perhaps they have always loved each other, but they won’t be happy together. In the end, they separated to pursue their own paths, and it doesn’t feel fair because Tenzin ends up with the family and Airbender legacy he wanted but Lin is still alone after all these years. And the loneliness bothers Lin. Lin, who withstood having her face scarred and her bending removed with determinedly dry eyes, broken down in tears when Korra reminds her that she is still a bitter, lonely woman. Although that happened during the “Metal Clan” episode, and the loneliness likely referred to Lin’s relationship with her family as well as her past with Tenzin, the fact still stands – Lin is alone, and she doesn’t really want to be. 

Unlike your typical relationship storyline, Lin’s romantic journey doesn’t end with Lin and Tenzin choosing their relationship over everything and everyone else, nor is about Lin resenting Tenzin for finding happiness with Pema, and nor is it about Lin finding love with someone else. It ends with Lin and Tenzin rekindling a friendship that probably defined their childhood, with the children of heroes becoming heroes in their own right, with two platonic friends fighting side by side to save the world. Lin chooses justice, kindness, and not to sacrifice the sense of self she held onto even as it drove her and Tenzin apart. Lin can bear the pain of losing a love, not by denying love or repeating it, but taking the best of it – the understanding, empathy, and camaraderie – and make something good out of that. Even though it takes a long time, Lin finds a place in the world despite her heartbreak. Maybe she will always feel the heartbreak in some parts of her, bur Lin’s life carries on in a meaningful, positive manner, even as she stands alone.   

(Toph and Suyin are no less pivotal figures in Lin’s story, but this post is getting too long as it is.) 

I love Lin’s story because in the end, it ends well even though it isn’t perfect. Her relationship with Tenzin is such a big part of her, yet she has to brave the emptiness and bitterness of being without him. She seems to have so much less, compared to Tenzin. She seems to have it so much harder, compared to Suyin. She ends up alone not because she wants to be alone, but because she didn’t find the right person with whom to share her life. Many villains in fiction have turned to the dark side for less.  And yet for all the horrible hands fate has dealt her, Lin comes out a hero. 

It takes strength to accept and bear the pain that will inevitably enter into our lives. It takes strength to stand alone in a world that focuses so much on the idea of romance and love. But that’s the kind of strength that helps Lin find peace in the world, and I think that’s the kind of strength that allows Lin the clarity to make decisions that make her a hero. 

Just be real, it saves everyone’s time.

Kalimat itu membantu saya untuk tegas berkata iya jika memang iya, dan berkata tidak jika memang tidak. Sebab tidak enakan membunuh kita perlahan-lahan.

Lebih baik be real, jadi kita apa adanya. Dan itu menghemat waktu semua orang.

Mungkin yang seperti ini tidak cocok bagi seorang politisi yang mesti menentukan timing paling cocok agar bisa berkoalisi atau oposisi.

Tapi buat orang-orang ngga enakan seperti saya, ternyata lebih nyaman dan melegakan jika ngomong saja langsung di depan.

Ada pepatah bahasa Arab, "fii sharahah, raahah", dalam keterusterangan, ada istirahat sebenarnya.

Memang sulit. Saya juga masih harus belajar. Tapi saya makin merasakan bahwa ternyata orang juga suka dengan terus terang. Ia jadi merasa lega dan tak ada dinding tebal keraguan.

"Jika Allah berkehendak, Dia Mahakuasa untuk menciptakan semesta sekejap saja", tulis Imam Al Qurthubi, "namun Allah mengajarkan hamba-Nya tentang kelembutan dan ketelitian pada segala hal..."

Okay that's deep :)

Sang Nabi ﷺ Pun Berproses

@edgarhamas

Salah satu inspirasi terbesar kehidupan Rasulullah ﷺ yang relate dengan semua orang adalah: betapa pentingnya sebuah proses.

Syaikh Hasan Diddou menyampaikan, "bahwa salah satu tiang yang menyangga kesuksesan Rasul ﷺ adalah At Tadarruj Al Marhaliyah", maknanya: berlevel dan berproses.

Baginda Rasul ﷺ menjadi manusia besar yang dipilih jadi utusan Allah tentu bukan dengan persiapan yang serba tiba-tiba.

Masa kecil dan remaja beliau menunjukkan pada kita semua bahwa Nabi ﷺ benar-benar dididik oleh Allah untuk jadi manusia yang kuat fisik dan mentalnya. Beliau ﷺ telah menjadi yatim sejak kecil, sang ibu wafat saat usianya 6 tahun, disusul sang kakek yang berpulang saat beliau 8 tahun.

Baginda Nabi muda telah bekerja mandiri sejak usia beliau 15 tahun, menggembala domba: yang ternyata hikmahnya pun luarbiasa.

Setidaknya, kata Ibnu Hajar Al Asqalani, Rasul muda dididik Allah sebagai penggembala domba dengan hikmah istimewa: agar terbiasa dengan kesepian, supaya memiliki sifat yang rendah hati, dan punya gambaran bagaimana cara memanajemen.

Rasul menjadi manusia hebat dengan proses.

Aku pun ingin bertanya padamu: bukankah Allah Mahakuasa untuk memenangkan Nabi Muhammad ﷺ 1 hari saja setelah beliau diutus menjadi Rasul ﷺ?

Ya, Allah Mahakuasa atas itu. Namun dengan hikmah luarbiasa, kita disuguhkan kisah perjuangan Nabi yang 23 tahun; panjang dan penuh tantangan.

Agar umatnya tahu bahwa berproses adalah cara kita mengimani sunnatullah. Allah adalah Rabb yang Mahabijaksana, Al Hakim. Dia menetapkan sebuah sistem dimana siapapun yang ingin berjaya; janganlah ia nafikan proses.

Bahkan, kau tahu kan? Langit dan bumi diciptakan dalam 6 masa.

"Jika Allah berkehendak, Dia Mahakuasa untuk menciptakan semesta sekejap saja", tulis Imam Al Qurthubi, "namun Allah mengajarkan hamba-Nya tentang kelembutan dan ketelitian pada segala hal..."

Maka, kawan, hargailah proses. Di situ sabar dan syukurmu terasa sangat bermakna.

Bekasi, 25 Januari 2023

Fr

I like my headcanon that Boba would read some romantic poetry to Fennec and she would laugh at his face, but then she'd realize: "Oh shit, you're being serious. You actually love me? Are you sure? 🤨"

And Boba would be like: "You didn't like it? 🥺"

And Fennec, who does not like to show her feelings, would be like: "It's kinda... neat."

fr

hot evil characters who i want to fix but will make me cry if i actually meet them in real life>>>>>>

And also they make Hannibal is so perfect and fbi so dumb. Even the smartest fbi agen became cannibal T_T

anyways

Okay, I see a glimpse of my forever in you really hit me. This would give me a good night :)

Source: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS8ntoeyw/

Man that's deep.. T_T

Tersambar Nasihat Lama

@edgarhamas

Adakah prinsip baik yang dulu kau yakini, namun makin bertambah umurmu kau mulai melupakannya?

Beberapa malam lalu, seorang guru membahas satu hal sederhana. Tapi bagiku ia bagai sambaran petir luarbiasa. Tausiyah itu berjudul: "Uluwwul Himmah", semangat yang tinggi.

"Kita tidak bangkit dan maju, karena himmah kita receh. Semangat kita redup", sebuah kalimat yang sebenarnya biasa, tapi ia menggugat kepala para manusia dewasa yang mulai menyerah pada mimpi-mimpinya.

Untuk bersemangat saja, banyak di antara kita yang mulai enggan.

Sihir rutinitas membuat kita mati rasa. Semangat besar yang dulu pernah berkobar bahkan kita senyumi sinis karena kita menganggapnya polos dan tak berguna. Beberapa di antara kita, sekadar semangat saja sudah tak punya. Apatah lagi untuk menyelesaikan impian dengan sempurna.

Dulu, kita yakin betul dengan mimpi. Dulu, kita antuasias untuk lakukan banyak hal dengan penuh energi.

Ya, aku tahu realitas membuat kita kaku. Kenyataan meremukkan ekspektasi. Komentar orang membuat kita enggan mencoba lagi. Tapi, apa cuma segitu kita pernah punya nyali?

Tausiyah malam itu, tentang "Uluwwul Himmah", tentang memiliki semangat nan tinggi untuk mewujudkan hal besar. Itu kan yang sering kita bahas ketika masih berseragam putih abu-abu? Ia hadir lagi menggedor pikiran dewasamu yang mulai menjalani hidup sekadarnya saja.

Pantas saja ada orang yang hidupnya hanya sampai usia dua puluh lima, tapi baru dikubur ketika umurnya tujuh puluh lima.

Mari merenung kembali atas perjalanan yang sudah lumayan jauh ini. Adakah ia telah menyerah; atau masih yakin dan punya kemauan mengubah keadaan?