(51) If what you desire does not happen, then desire that which does
If you are obliged to do something or forced into a situation then you might as well enjoy it!. This is what I used to say to a young man who had diabetes. He used to drink tea without sugar and feel sorry for himself.
I would say to him, “When you feel sorry and sad while drinking your tea, does the bitterness turn into sweetness?”
“No”, he replied.
I said, “Then, so long as you are forced in to a situation, enjoy it.”
What I mean here is that the world is not always as we wish it to be, and this happens frequently in our lives. Perhaps your car is old, its air conditioner is not working and the seat covers are all torn. At present, you are not able to replace the car. What then is the solution? So long as you are bound by this situation, just continue to enjoy your life.
You apply for a seat in a particular department in the university, but your application is only accepted by a department in which you do not want to study. You try to change your predicament, but you can not. You end up having to study for 3 years in a department that was not your choice. What should you do?
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Enjoy!
You propose to a girl but she refuses and marries someone else. What is the solution? This is a situation that can not be changed so just enjoy it!
Many people think the solution is permanent depression, or grumbling over the situation, or excessive complaining to those they know and those they don’t! This does not help them acquire the provision they have missed out on, or gain provision that is not meant to be for them. So what then is the solution?
If what you desire does not happen, then desire that which has happened. The intelligent person is the one who readjusts himself in accordance with his situation, however it may be, seeing as he is not able to change it for the better.
One of my friends was supervising the construction of a mosque and during the process, its funds became restricted. So he went with his friends to some businessmen to ask for a donation.
When they visited one such man, the man opened the door for them, sat with them for a while, and gave them whatever he could. He then took some medicine out of his pocket to consume. One of those who were present said to him, “I hope everything is fine and this is nothing serious!”
He replied, “No. These are sleeping pills. For ten years I have not been able to sleep without them.”
They prayed for him and left.
On their way home they came across excavations and road works on the exit of the city, along with which there was an extremely loud and noisy electricity generator. The strange thing though was that the man guarding the generator was a poor worker who was lying down asleep on pieces of newspaper.
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Yes, live your life as there is no time to grieve. Deal with what you have in front of you.
Once, the Prophet Peace be upon him went out with his Companions on an expedition where their food supply became scarce and they became tired. He ordered them to gather whatever food they had, and laid down his cloak. A man would come with a date or two, or a piece of bread and leave it on the cloak. When all the food was collected on the cloak, they enjoyably ate. Perhaps none of them ate his fill, but at least they staved their hunger. One can only be generous with what he actually has.

A general view…
Not everything a man desires he achieves. Often the winds blow in unfavourable directions for the ships.
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