By: Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak, PhD
I don’t know the value of millions of dollars in the bank.
I don’t know the worth of an expensive car or a private jet.
I don’t know the luxury of a palace or a villa.
But I know the worth of a good book,
A beautiful poem, good music,
And a meaningful philosophy of life.
I can feel the pain of someone who is sick,
The weight of a serious illness dragging them down.
From ancient times, we’ve been told
That gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds,
And all other precious stones are priceless—
But I simply like to look at them,
And I’m not concerned with how much they’re worth
At the gem market.
I’ve never dreamed of possessing them.
When friends try to impress me with expensive items,
I politely turn them down,
Because I believe that friendship
Should never be measured by the price of a gift.
Instead, I invite them to sit with me
For a conversation over a cup of hot coffee or tea,
Accompanied by some simple biscuits.
To me, those quiet, genuine moments with a friend
Are nothing short of heaven on earth.
But I know—and deeply value—
How much true friendship means to me.
I know in a modern world, so full of superficiality,
It is hard to find a true and meaningful love.
People, caught up in a world driven by materialism,
Are desperately looking for true love
And a meaningful relationship.
Finding one,
We should cherish it—
A love and meaningful relationship for a lifetime.
As a man born during a bygone time,
I’ve learned to cherish
The meaning of what genuine love is.
Though money and fame may come and go,
Our families and friends
Matter far more
Than all the riches in the world.
Once a victim of poverty in childhood,
I understand the pangs of hunger,
And the silent suffering of the destitute.
And I know what it means
To live in peace and harmony—
In a world free from war,
Prejudice,
And racism.
(The views expressed are those of Dr. Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak from the Department of Fundamental and Interdisciplinary Studies, AHAS KIRKHS, IIUM, and do not necessarily represent the views of Potret Online.)
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