Situations

You know, when it comes to understanding the way that our bodies and minds get sick,

the reason is often due to the way that we behave.

Unless we are careful, and know what we are doing,

what we do can easily do us harm.

The world around us is dangerous in all sorts of different ways,

and the first important thing about how to stay safe in it is to know the ways in which it is dangerous to us.

But it is not just the knowing that is important,

it is remembering these things.

When we are very young we don't even understand what a busy road is,

and that it is dangerous because cars are faster than us and harder than us,

and if they hit us can really hurt us or even kill us.

So when kids are old enough to run around, we warn them not to run into the road.

But if we are excited,

and playing, and maybe running away from someone,

it is easy to forget how dangerous roads can be.

We have to keep our actions under control,

so we learn the highway code, and make a habit of stopping at the kerb and looking for cars,

and that way we take care of ourselves and keep ourselves safe.

But it's not only ourselves we can hurt with our actions,

we can hurt other people as well.

And sometimes that can be by accident,

not thinking of the effects of what we do.

We can leave a trail behind us in the world as we move through it,

never thinking of how it will affect those who are coming through the world behind us.

When we throw a banana skin down on the ground, do we think of who might slip on it and fall over?

To us it may be rubbish, but to someone else it may be an accident waiting to happen.

But accidents are not the worst ways that we can hurt other people.

When we get angry or jealous there are times when we can hurt other people on purpose,

and those are the worst ways of all.

At times like that, because we feel bad, we think that hurting someone else will make us feel better,

but in the end we usually end up feeling just as bad.

So we need to find ways of keeping our anger and jealousy under control.

Indeed, along with our friends there may be those that we think of as enemies,

those who bully us or want to cause us harm,

but losing control of your feelings only shows a bully that they can hurt you,

which lets them win.

Better to have friends on your side who can stand up to the bully,

like a parent or a teacher,

then you don't have to face enemies on your own.

Of course, being muslim is enough for some people to treat you like an enemy,

but the Messenger taught us the way to act when facing those who want to cause you harm.

Anger and jealousy are painful for the one who feels them,

so it is good to remember that the bully is also feeling pain inside,

and remember that the Messenger loved everyone, and taught those around him to forgive their enemies,

not punishing them for being ignorant, but showing them love and the best way to behave if they want to be healthy and happy.