Easy or Hard?

Continuing my story during the camp, on the second day, we had fun with the outdoor activity. Since most of the activities were indoor, we got really excited when we were going to play some physical games.

TREASURE HUNT

Sounds cliché right? However, it is a bit different with the usual one. We were firstly divided into 9 groups.

Then, we were told to hide our most valuable thing in the group within 100 meters radius from the hall we were in. We decided to choose a pair of spectacles to be hidden because compared to phones, it is much safer to be left. Only two people of each group were required to go and find its hiding place. The rest of us stayed in the hall. It took about 10 to 20 minutes for all groups to finish the task.

Next, the two members had to write the directions to find the valuable things. Knowing that other groups will use that directions to find ours, we decided to make more complicated directions instead of straight forward. In the mean time, there was also laughter among other groups which I felt they were also doing the same thing. Maybe all of us was going to walk around and around to search for the things.

Our thoughts came true! We were then required to use other group's directions to find the valuable thing. And to our surprise, we got the directions with only 3 steps! Wow, it's going to be easy! Well, definitely, it was really really easy. In addition, one of our members saw the thing was hidden there during the hiding period, so he could easily find it back. In just two minutes, we accomplished our goal! Alhamdulillah, what a relieve... We didn't have to walk far away.

We were the first to arrive at the starting point. After taking pictures, we sat in the hall, having a rest after a tiring(is it?) search. About 45 minutes later, there were still three more groups didn't manage to complete their task. We were asked to help one of the group to find it. But also with our help, we couldn't find it! At last, the facilitator asked the one who hid it show where the actual place is.

As soon as we finished having our tea, we gathered in the hall for feedback session. The groups which couldn't find the things complained about the directions they got. Some of them were not precise. For example, they wrote “walk 20 steps” whereas in reality, they have to walk double the steps! That's why they were lost. To make matters worse, one of the thing was hidden with the cameraman! The direction helped the group to arrive at the destination where the cameraman wandered around. Although he seemed to be suspicious-looking, well, following the group members anywhere they went, they still couldn't figure out the trick. Finally, they gave up and the person who hid it revealed the truth. There were also some funny steps like “2 steps forward, 2 steps backward, 2 steps left, 2 steps right.” It was funny yet annoying.

After hearing some feedbacks and complains, the facilitators announced the winners. We thought it was us. But the actual winner was the one who wrote the directions, who ease us in finding their thing. Another winner(writer) explained that they did that because the thing was an iPhone. It was really really valuable (we were surprised how could she give it) that they wanted it to be found as soon as possible.

EASY OR HARD

The lesson I learned from this activity, we should try to do the best and easiest way to direct our friends. Although at first we made a mistake to joke in the given directions, we were relieved to get the easiest direction containing only three steps. Imagine the groups which did not manage to finish their task, they were really tired when they got back, plus with the feeling of angry about the hard directions they got. And the facilitators told it in a fun way. When the group made the easiest and direct ways, it is the one who won the game, not the searcher.

The same goes in the reality. Although competition is sometimes good, but it is much more important to do kindness to others. No matter what they did, kindness is always the best thing.

“Be like a fruitful tree. Thrown with a stone, reply with a fruit”

A simple example to be pondered. You always encounter a woman who always make an angry face to you. But you usually smile to her although she never smile at you. And one day, her heart is opened to smile. Isn't it great to make people smile? :)

Another example is in the seerah. Long ago, Rasulullah s.a.w. always fed a blind man at a market. When he was feeding, the man always talked about bad things about Rasulullah s.a.w. However, Rasulullah s.a.w. keep feeding him everyday without getting angry. One day, Rasulullah s.a.w. was gone forever. Abu Bakr r.a, Rasulullah s.a.w.'s best friend went to the market to replace his best friend. However, the blind man realized that it was a different person. When Abu Bakr r.a told him that the actual person who fed him was Rasulullah s.a.w, he cried and on the spot, reverted to Islam. Rasulullah s.a.w's kindness had made the blind man to regret his bad acts and eventualy turned over a new leaf.

Thus, make kindness to everyone, no matter he or she is kind or bad. Remember, your kindness will be rewarded if you do it for the sake of Allah.

“Verily every action is based on the intention...”

[Hadith 40 Imam An-Nawawi]