I was born a Pristine Nothing, then I became Something - the path to egoism and back to servanthood

I was born a Pristine Nothing

I was born a pristine nothing,

Though my mother and father

Undoubtedly thought me

Quite a something.

God bless their

saintly souls!

But as I grew old

I began to disobey,

Refusing to listen

And simply following

My nasty little ways.

So day by day,

I began to accumulate

Labels and stickers

Upon my pristine nothing,

Till nothing was left of my nothing.

I became something,

Defined, labelled and named

By the stickers and labels

Of my own making.

I am to be blamed...

I am no more that pristine nothing

That my mother gave birth to,

Sadly, this is me,

The sinner, the something,

The fool that you see now

Standing before you.

Do not worry, sunshine. I guess the prose is a little sad, but when you think about it, the beginning of a journey requires a reason. And this is the reason - for me to scratch and peel away at all the ugly labels and stickers which I, by my own failings, have stuck onto my pristine nothing. This is after all the Sinners' Almanac.

I have not come across the mirror of servanthood, so I have not seen the reflection of my spiritual form. But I know without even needing to look, my friend. I know that my spiritual form, with all the labels and stickers now upon it, is misshapen, deformed with weird sharp edges, sharp enough to cut anyone who comes too close to me. Otherwise, how is it that I often hurt people who are close and who love me? A biting remark, a scathing look... I can do all that very well.

So this is me, sunshine. And this is where I stand. I know you are a beautiful soul. But do not judge me too kindly simply because I can weave a beautiful yarn about God, Prophet, Humanity, Love and Compassion. I need all the prayers you can offer me, and all the kind thoughts and encouragement you can spare. I shall never be able to repay you, but for any kindness you show to this sinner, your recompense shall be with God. And I do believe, in spite of all my weaknesses in my faith, that God is Most Generous and Most Rewarding.

'Tis Thursday, have a blessed day.

wa min Allah at-taufiq.