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missmentelle · 4 years ago

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What abusers believe.

If you've ever had to deal with an abusive person in your life - like an abusive parent or partner - you've probably wondered what made them treat you that way. If you understand why abuse is happening, the thinking goes, you might be able to figure out how to make it stop.

So why do abusers do what they do? Do they have anger issues? Drinking problems? Past trauma? Personality disorders? Do they just need to get in touch with their feelings and learn how to communicate better?

Nope.

Abusive behaviours come from abusive beliefs. Abusers - whether consciously or unconsciously - hold specific beliefs about relationships that drive their behaviour and allow them to justify the horrible things they do. Even if your abuser has never put their beliefs into words, you'll probably recognize a lot of these abusive beliefs:

You are responsible for my emotions. It is never my responsibility to reflect on my emotional reactions or learn better coping skills - it's your responsibility to stop doing things that make me angry or upset.

I must act on my emotions. If I am angry, I am going to lash out. You have no right to criticize me for that, and it's not my responsibility to learn to manage my emotions - you have to stop making me lash out at you. Asking me not to act on my emotions is controlling and wrong.

You will always be responsible for my emotions. Even if the relationship ends, you will continue to be responsible for my emotions, and I will expect you to continue to prioritize my feelings.

If I have feelings about something, it's my business. If something you do or think causes an emotional reaction in me, then I have a right to get involved or tell you what to do. My feelings must be the priority. You don’t have the right to tell me that it’s none of my business.

You must judge me on my intentions, not my actions. If I didn't mean to hurt you or scare you, then you don't have the right to be hurt or scared. No one has the right to try to hold me accountable unless I meant to hurt someone.

I get to decide what your intentions were. If you hurt me, you meant to hurt me. If you make me jealous, you meant to make me jealous. Nothing you do is ever accidental or unintended - everything you do is intentional and malicious, even if it was a response to something I did.

My feelings are genuine; your feelings are manipulation. If I'm upset, my feelings are real and important. If you are upset, you have an ulterior motive - you're just trying to be manipulative and get attention or sympathy for yourself.

You have freedoms because I allow you to. Every freedom you have in your life - like wearing what you want - it's because I generously allow it. I expect you to be grateful to me for that. I have the right to take those freedoms away whenever I want, and I expect you to obey.

If you set boundaries with me, you are mistreating me. If you really loved me, you wouldn't set boundaries with me. You are doing this to intentionally hurt me, which means I don't have to respect those boundaries.

You holding me accountable for hurting you is worse than me hurting you. My pain at being called out is worse than your pain at being mistreated. If I feel bad about something I did, I have already been punished enough. You trying to discuss the issue or hold me accountable is just your way of abusing me.

If I apologized for something, you have to forgive me. If the relationship has ended, you have to reconcile with me. You don't get to ask for more time apart or more discussion of the issue - once I've apologized, the matter is closed for good.

The relationship is not over until I say it is over. So long as I want a relationship with you, you must have a relationship with me. Your feelings are irrelevant. Even if we have broken up, you must remain available to me so we can get back together in the future. Not wanting a relationship with me means you are mistreating me or being immature.

I am the authority in this relationship. I am smarter and more perceptive than you. I know what is best for both of us. My version of events is always the correct one. I have superior judgement, taste and opinions. If you question me or disagree with me after I've given you the correct answer, you are disrespecting and mistreating me, or you are simply immature and incapable of knowing what’s good for you.

I have the right to control you. It is my absolute right to decide what you do and who you associate with. You have no right to disobey me. I am owed obedience and control; if you don’t give me those things, you are wronging me and cheating me out of the relationship I deserve.

If you resist my control, I am allowed to do whatever I think is necessary to get it back. Once you’ve resisted me, I am justified in whatever I do to regain control of you. I am not responsible for my actions when you resist my control; you forced me to do it, and it’s your own fault.

I should be your main focus. Everything else in your life comes secondary to me. When you make decisions, my feelings should be your first consideration. You are expected to make sacrifices for me and put me at the center of your life; I am not obligated to do the same for you.

If I spend money on you or do something for you, you are in debt to me. You spending money on me or doing things for me does not erase your debt to me, and I am never in debt to you. You are indebted to me for as long as I decide. I may decide that your belongings and earnings also belong to me, since I allow you to have them. I may also decide at any time that you owe me for gifts I gave you, even if they were meant to be gifts.

I am not abusive, and you are not allowed to tell me otherwise. I know what abuse is, and real abusers are significantly worse than me. If our relationship has ever had any good times or positive moments, it can’t possibly be abusive. If you accuse me of being abusive, you are the one abusing me, or you have been led astray by bad influences.

Relationships should be effortless (for me). I am owed a relationship that is peaceful and requires no real effort from me. It is your job to make sure we have that kind of relationship. If there is any tension or conflict in the relationship, it is your fault, and you are depriving me of the relationship I deserve to have.

Abusers and victims alike often buy into the narrative that abuse is rooted in anger issues - after all, abusers are frequently angry, and anger is an issue that can be treated. But this narrative just isn’t true. Abusers aren’t abusive because they are angry. Abusers are angry because they are abusive.

A non-abusive partner is not someone who has learned how to control their rage whenever you spend time with your friends or get home 15 minutes late from work. A non-abusive partner just doesn’t feel any rage in those situations. An abuser’s rage is firmly rooted in their beliefs about relationships - they feel entitled to a relationship that meets their impossible expectations, and when they inevitably don’t get it, they bubble over with fury. Whether they know it or not, they have firmly entrenched beliefs about how relationships should be, and those beliefs are at the heart of their abuse.

Can abusers stop believing these things? Maybe. If they can acknowledge that they have these beliefs, accept that these beliefs are dangerous and unreasonable and let go of these beliefs, maybe it’s possible for them to no longer be abusive in the future. Maybe. But it’s not your job to hang around and find out. If you’re in an abusive relationship of any kind, you deserve better. There are many people in this world who don’t hold abusive views of relationships, and you deserve to find happiness with them.

#abusive relationship #missmentelle #askmissmentelle #emotional abuse #tw abuse #abuser #abusive parents #abusive #unhealthy relationships #toxic relationship #power and control #relationships

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amyrlin-of-starlight · 3 years ago

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What abusers believe

If you’ve ever had to deal with an abusive person in your life - like an abusive parent or partner - you’ve probably wondered what made them treat you that way. If you understand why abuse is happening, the thinking goes, you might be able to figure out how to make it stop.

Abusive behaviours come from abusive beliefs. Abusers - whether consciously or unconsciously - hold specific beliefs about relationships that drive their behaviour and allow them to justify the horrible things they do. Even if your abuser has never put their beliefs into words, you’ll probably recognize a lot of these abusive beliefs:

You are responsible for my emotions. It is never my responsibility to reflect on my emotional reactions or learn better coping skills - it’s your responsibility to stop doing things that make me angry or upset.

I must act on my emotions. If I am angry, I am going to lash out. You have no right to criticize me for that, and it’s not my responsibility to learn to manage my emotions - you have to stop making me lash out at you. Asking me not to act on my emotions is controlling and wrong.

You will always be responsible for my emotions. Even if the relationship ends, you will continue to be responsible for my emotions, and I will expect you to continue to prioritize my feelings.

If I have feelings about something, it’s my business. If something you do or think causes an emotional reaction in me, then I have a right to get involved or tell you what to do. My feelings must be the priority. You don’t have the right to tell me that it’s none of my business.

You must judge me on my intentions, not my actions. If I didn’t mean to hurt you or scare you, then you don’t have the right to be hurt or scared. No one has the right to try to hold me accountable unless I meant to hurt someone.

My feelings are genuine; your feelings are manipulation. If I’m upset, my feelings are real and important. If you are upset, you have an ulterior motive - you’re just trying to be manipulative and get attention or sympathy for yourself.

You have freedoms because I allow you to. Every freedom you have in your life - like wearing what you want - it’s because I generously allow it. I expect you to be grateful to me for that. I have the right to take those freedoms away whenever I want, and I expect you to obey.

If you set boundaries with me, you are mistreating me. If you really loved me, you wouldn’t set boundaries with me. You are doing this to intentionally hurt me, which means I don’t have to respect those boundaries.

If I apologized for something, you have to forgive me. If the relationship has ended, you have to reconcile with me. You don’t get to ask for more time apart or more discussion of the issue - once I’ve apologized, the matter is closed for good.

I am the authority in this relationship. I am smarter and more perceptive than you. I know what is best for both of us. My version of events is always the correct one. I have superior judgement, taste and opinions. If you question me or disagree with me after I’ve given you the correct answer, you are disrespecting and mistreating me, or you are simply immature and incapable of knowing what’s good for you.

#you are loved #red flags #abusive mannerisms #abusive patterns #thegreatsaiyaman3 #abuse #psychological abuse #abusers #do read this #PLEASE REBLOG

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undiscovered-horror-icon · 4 years ago

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SlipKnot Members [Part Two]

[All of this info was copied form the archive of this blog on Skyrock.com circa 2009 -2010: User: maggot777 on Skyrock. com ]

[I’m just sharing it and take no credit]

[This post will include the current members, circa 2010]

Name: Sidney George Wilson Position: DJ N ° 0 Nickname: Monkeyboy or Ratboy Born March 15, 1978, Sid is the youngest of the group and by far the craziest. His scenic escapades helped to build the reputation of SlipKnoT in its early days. Since the European tour where he accidentally injured a fan during the concert in London, he has calmed down somewhat. Although with British origins, Sid is American and was born in Des Moines. Passionate about music, he creates a posse of Djs called Sound Proof Coalition. It is thanks to this posse that he will meet the group during Dotfest in 1998. “I don't know why, but this skinny dude with his red T-shirt and green shorts caught my eye that day. And then it must be said that a guy who listens to punk while scratching on hip-hop is not common, ”Shawn declared. Six months later, Sid will go to the Hairy Mary Club to see the band in concert. That night Shawn jumps into the audience and comes face to face with Sid. From this impromptu meeting was born the friendly rivalry between them, the goal being to knock out the other during the concert. For the record, this is the only time Sid has beaten Shawn. After this concert, Sid will meet SlipKnoT and tell them that he wants to be part of the group. The legend says that Shawn will not think more than ten seconds before saying yes, estimating the man enough barjo to join the group. Since then, Sid has been a mainstay of the band, justifying his presence with samples and scratches on many tracks, he's also working on a more personal project for which he took over his DJ name Starscream and released a solo album called Full Metal Scratch It in reference to the movie Full Metal Jacket. The album announced for 2001 did not actually see the light of day until 2004 following a number of problems with the label that was to release the CD. In the end, it was N2O that played the role of distributing the CD containing most of the samples that Sid uses in SlipKnoT as well as in various other projects. He also collaborates with Ampt, a band from New Jersey that he joined as a DJ.

Name: Nathan Jonas '' Joey '' Jordison Position: Drums N ° 1 Nickname: Speedball Born April 26, 1975 at the Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, Joey spent all his childhood and adolescence in the small town of Yankee, located fifteen kilometers from Des Moines. Very introverted because of his small size (1.60 m), Joey has often served as a pain reliever for his classmates, but he knew deep down that one day he would prove to them that he was better. than them. Arrived in high school, he is deeply into Kiss and Black Sabbath and decides to start a group; he held the position of guitarist there. The guitar has always been his passion and he plays it whenever he can. However, the pitiful level of the drummer in his group pushes him to get behind the barrels. He finished his studies in high school and decided to get into music. One of his groups (Modifious, of which Paul and Craig were part) has had some success but not enough to make a living from it. There is a job at a gas station. Working at night, he occupies his days rehearsing with the group. One evening, his best friend comes to see him with a certain Corey Taylor. Corey doesn't make a good impression on him and the evening ends with a sentence to his friend about Corey (who is red-haired and had long hair at the time): "Bring Dave Mustaine (singer-guitarist of Megadeath) to to treat, it is too serious this guy. " Some time later, he will be contacted by Paul to join an even more obscure called SlipKnoT group. Outside of the group, Joey is involved in various side projects, the most successful of which is Murderdolls, a punk / glam band in which he is a guitarist and with whom he released an album. one owes the magnificent tribal S and as well as the logo of the group. SlipKnoT's capital K is due to the fact that at the time he drew it Joey was a mega-fan of Korn.

Name: Paul Dedrick Gray Position: bass, vocal backing N ° 2 Nickname: Porky or Balls Born April 8, 1972, Paul is the only member of SlipKnoT who is not originally from Des Moines. Born in Los Angeles, he followed his family when they moved to Iowa. Paul is one of the creators of the group along with Shawn. Very discreet and yet very influential, he played with Joey in Anal Of Blast and in various other groups before creating SlipKnoT. He had moved back to Los Angeles when Shawn asked him to come back one evening because he had an extra project he couldn't miss. He died at the age of 38 on May 24, 2010 of an overdose.

Name: Chris Fhen Position: percussion, vocal backing N ° 3 Nickname: Pornochio or Mr Piklenose Born February 24, 1972 in Des Moines, Chris is the little comic of the group. Always playing the puppet, he does everything to be noticed and is happy to go on stage. Chris is one of the last to join SlipKnoT. He joined the group after Brandon left and his integration was not without difficulty ... for him. Shawn called him in for a rehearsal in which he had to prove himself. After two hours of playing, the group reunites in the garden while Chris, alone at the other end, paces. After letting him run around in circles for thirty minutes, Shawn finally waved him over and said, "Sorry man, you're not up to par." Annoyed, Chris lowered his nose and said, "Okay, it's okay guys," turning on his heels. This is the moment that Joey chooses to say to him, “We're kidding, man! », Before bursting out laughing with the rest of the group. But that was just a little taste of what to expect. He's the one we hear vomiting on the hidden SlipKnoT track while Paul laughs beside him. This memorable streak was actually Chris' initiation into the "SlipKnoT spirit", the others having forced him to watch a hardcore movie. Chris played an important role in the recording and mixing of SlipKnoT. He helped Ross Robinson and Joey with the post-production work. Ross Robinson says of him, “Chris is a great guy. He really has his heart set on his feet. "

Name: James Root Position: guitar N ° 4 Nickname: The Peach Born October 2, 1971, James (or Jim) is the giant of the group, dominating the situation of his 1.90 m. He joined the group at the end of the recording of SlipKnoT as a starting point for the previous guitarist, Josh. Prior to being a part of SlipKnoT, James was playing in Atomic Opera and Deadfront with which he released an album and was about to record another when Joey called on him. The latter explains: “James was one of the best guitarists in Des Moines. With Atomic Opera, they were by far the leaders of the Iowa metal scene. And then I knew the guy, he had the job profile. He also stars in Stone Sour.

Name: Craig Jones Position: sample N ° 5 Nickname: 133 mhz (we nickname him like that because he's crazy about machines and 133 times 5 plus 1 equals 666) Born February 11, 1973, “This guy is definitely the most crossed out of the nine. He never says anything and that's what gives me the fuck. It is there and yet we forget it. Having said that, it's better if he doesn't say anything. The only time he opened it we had nothing but shit. This is how Craig is described by Ross Robinson. This is hardly flattering but nevertheless very true: Craig is the “ghost” of the group, always the last to arrive on stage and the first to leave. He joined SlipKnoT as a guitarist to replace Donnie Steele. He will prove himself during the recording of Mate.Feed.Kill.Repeat .. He also contributed to the ambiences with his samples, which really impressed Shawn in addition to his performance on the guitar. Seeing his mad passion for machines and computers, Joey and Shawn decided to promote him and integrate him full time into SlipKnoT. In three weeks, Craig went from replacement guitarist to official sampler of the band.

Name: Shawn Michael Crahan Position: percussion, vocal backing N ° 6 Nickname: Clown or Kong Born September 24, 1969, Shawn is at the same time the leader, the pillar and the dean of the group. SlipKnoT is her baby. It was he who chose who would be part of the adventure and that from the start. Before joining SlipKnoT, he set up various groups which were only successful with critics. Unable to live on his music, he then manages with the means on board. He was first hired as a welder (this experience would later be used for the creation of drum-kits). The savings he made enabled him to buy the Hairy Mary Club, a bar in Des Moines called to become the SlipKnoT's lair for a few years. As a wise businessman, he will regularly organize metal evenings in his club and the Saturday night concerts will quickly become an institution in Des Moines for any metal and rock fan. It is during this period that SlipKnoT is formed. The future members of the group all hanging out regularly in the club, convincing them to play together will not be very difficult. Next is the recording of Mate.Feed.Kill.Repeat. Which costs Shawn all his savings and pushes him into heavy debt. He sells the Hairy Mary Club to repay his debts, before the scale gained by SlipKnoT allows him little by little to live on music. The Hairy Mary Club having been sold, the group had no room to rehearse, and it was only natural that Shawn put his family to contribution: SlipKnoT invests in his parents' cellar. They spent almost two years there, Ross Robinson came to see them rehearse before signing them on his label. It was also in his parents' garage that the photo was taken that served as the cover for SlipKnoT (album). Married with four children, Shawn is a very cultured person; he adores Cézanne and Picasso, which contrasts quite a bit with the image of the slightly psychotic Clown that we see at concerts (I confirm). He also likes to philosophize about life around a bottle of wine, which makes tell Corey, “Shawn is a very smart guy, even if you don't always understand what he's saying. "

Name: Michael Thompson Position: guitar No. 7 Nickname: Log Born November 3, 1973, Mick spent his childhood in Des Moines. Big fan of music, his tastes range from Jimi Hendrix to the Beatles through Morbid Angel and Deicide. He joined a group for the first time at the age of sixteen. Subsequently, he is part of various formations with the future members of SlipKnoT, but seeing that it is hard to make a living, he decides to give guitar lessons. It was then that one evening, taking advantage of Donnie's departure, Paul called him and asked him to join SlipKnoT. “I was really pissed off at that time. When Paul called me I jumped at the chance, ”says Mick to explain his arrival in the group. Outside the group, Mick is a very discreet person; he describes himself as a person who likes to live at night.

Name: Corey Taylor Position: Vocals N ° 8 Nickname: Faith or The Sickness Born December 8, 1973, Corey is in a way the guru of the maggots. His singing, his tone of voice and his charisma (I also confirm) make him a unique singer in the metal scene. Corey initially wanted to be a drummer but decided to write songs after listening to Screaming Life by Soundgarden and Bleach by Nirvana. Born of an unknown father, (but now we know who he is) he lived for a long time with his mother and his sister, traveling the North-East of the USA and sometimes (even often) finding himself homeless to sleep. Completely addicted to cocaine from the age of fifteen, he overdoses twice. The second made him realize the fragility of life and he went to settle in Ohio with his grandmother, to be far from his bad company. It was there that he developed a taste for music thanks to his grandmother's record who listened to rock 'n' roll and in particular Elvis Presley, of whom he became a very big fan. At eighteen, he chose to take his independence and return to the roads to finally return to his hometown of Des Moines. There, he assembles the group Stone Sour, with which he begins to record some titles. On several occasions, his path crosses the path of the members of SlipKnoT. And it is finally after a Stone Sour concert that Corey sees Joey, Mick and Shawn unload in the sex shop where he works. Corey sums it up in a few words: “Basically, they told me that if I didn't join their group they would give me my birthday. I admit I hesitated a little but finally I said to myself that it was the right choice for me. " Corey is very involved in songwriting; his difficult childhood is a source of inspiration for him. However, he refuses to talk too much about it. In early 2004, he married Scarlet, his long-time fiancée, with whom he had a son, eighteen months earlier.

[Might do a part three on new guys, maybe]

[feel free to leave corrections in the replies]

#slipknot #slipknot members #sid wilson #joey jordison #paul gray #chris fehn #jim root #craig jones #shawn crahan #mick thomson #corey taylor #Micky is a fuck Log ammirght lads?

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headoverjojo · 4 years ago

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Ask box open? Ohmygosh, my patience has paid off!! 💕💕 Okay! Umm...Could I request hcs of La Squadra with an older Sister who is taller and physically stronger than them? She knows how dangerous and deadly they could be with their stands, but when it comes ti hand to hand combat she can whoop them no problem. And she embarrasses them sometimes when they give her some kind of attitude for treating them like kids, and she bonks them on the head very hard and fireman carries them into time out.

Hellooooo, darling!! Aaaaaa I’m happy to see you’re happy too ❤️❤️ Ooooh I loved this one!! I’m always soft for the squad and their family members :,) And so! Here we go! I hope you’ll like it :3

La Squadra di Esecuzione with an older sister who’s taller and physically stronger than them

(Under the cut for length!)

Risotto Nero

Risotto always deeply admired his big sister. She was strong, determined, and stubborn! She was also extremely fair, not holding back when she had to scold little Risotto when he was wrong; but, when he was right and she saw someone being rude to him, well… hell was unleashed. No one could dare to touch or be rude to her little brother! Risotto always watched to her and her example. He trained to be like her, he worked on himself to be as fair and charismatic as her… and it worked! Years later, his sister was proud of him. Yes, his profession wasn’t… common, but he never was an infamous man, even if he was the leader of a criminal team. He always had a certain honor, and she was still in his life… she couldn’t complain!

Even if she hadn’t red eyes or white hair, she was still as intimidating as her brother. She was really, really tall, even taller than him! And -and this was what impressed for real the other Squadra members- she wasn’t scared of Risotto, not even the slightest. She was maybe the only person in the world allowed to pinch his cheeks and to ruffle his hair. And, even if she was impressed and proud of his brother’s powerful stand, she wasn’t scared of it. Her brother wouldn’t have ever hurt her! As she wouldn’t have ever hurt him too.

While Risotto had the advantage of his stand, her sister had her strength on her side. It was almost impossible to believe -and Formaggio had to see it with his own eyes-, but Risotto’s sister was stronger than him when it came to hand-to-hand fights! Even after all those years, Risotto had still something to learn, and she was the only person he trusted to teach him some moves. Still, the sight of Risotto, that tower of muscles, whooped with easiness by a woman was incredible! Formaggio never told it to anyone -he was too scared to be whooped too-, but, oh, he surely never forgot it!

Even if he was the leader of the feared Squadra Esecuzioni, he was still her little brother, in her eyes. And she didn’t take well a certain attitude, even from him! Yes, a couple of times she accidentally was over affectionate while the others were present too, but this wasn’t enough to justify his grumbles and low complains! And, when she has had enough of his attitude, she gives him a little -for her standards- slap on the back of his head. Or, well, she did so until she accidentally hit him with too strength and launched his face right on the hard wood of his desk, making his nose bleed. From then on, no more slaps! Still, even those little accidents never made Risotto’s affection for her waver. He just loves his big sister!

Prosciutto

Prosciutto is the youngest kid from his family. He has four older sisters, but the one he loves the most is the youngest sister, who’s almost seven years older than him. While their parents were busy, she took care of him, passing him her same cockiness, stubbornness and creativity. Prosciutto respected and loved all his sisters, of course, but with the youngest one he always had a special relationship, even if they often fought, as they had a similar character. Maybe this was the reason they so fiercely protected each other, no matter what or where they were. All his sisters were family… but she was even more “family”. She was strong and confident, but also kind and gentle; she was the most incredible person he had ever met.

Prosciutto’s family had been blessed with a good height and this shows in his sisters too. They all are tall, but his favourite sister is the tallest. Even taller than him! And she likes to tease him about it, making him grumble and pout, like he did when he was a child. Everyone else would face his wrath, but he lets his sister do basically everything to him. He knows she doesn’t tease him in a bad way. And, when she sees him still pouty and offended, she always brings him a piece of his favourite cake, kissing his hair and apologizing for hurting him, while he hides a little, evil smile. Pouting always brings benefits, when her sister is around!

Being the kids of a leader of a small criminal gang affiliated to Passione, Prosciutto and his sister grew up knowing how to fight even before learning how to walk. But his closer sister was the most badass of them all! And the strongest, when it came to hand-to-hand fighting. Her punches were devastating, her kicks powerful; more than once she made men way bigger than her run away crying. Prosciutto always cheered for her and admired her strength; he wanted to be like her! And, also, he knew it was better not to make her angry; she would have swoop him in a matter of seconds, even in front of his friends, The Grateful Dead or not!

Speaking of stands, his sister always found extremely funny his stand. She always said it looked weird, but also cute, in a certain way, and that she found hilarious that it actually aged him to his real soul age. Prosciutto always huffed and pouted, but never used it on her; well, the only time he did, reversing her to an old lady, he was swooped anyway. Even then she still was stronger than him!

Pesci

Pesci’s big sister had always been at his side, helping him in every possible way. She was here when little Pesci was bullied and mocked for his appearance, and she was the one who furiously fought against her parents when they “sold” Pesci to the mob in order to repay their debts. The thing Pesci remembers more clearly from his childhood is his sister and how ridiculously strong and hot-headed she was. Even if sometimes he too had tested her strength -if he had a certain attitude he always received a slap on the back of his head-, he always admired the way she claimed respect from others and how vigorously protective she was towards people she loved. She was strong enough to protect her family… Pesci wanted to be like her too. He too wanted to protect his family and the people he loved!

Prosciutto was the one in the team who knew better Pesci’s sister, as he had taken the role of his big brother. She wanted to know him, to know him well; she couldn’t leave her little brother to some random weirdo! The first thing Prosciutto noticed about her -and how could he have missed it?- was how tall she was. Almost as tall as Risotto! And definitely taller than her brother and himself. Prosciutto learned soon that Pesci’s sister wasn’t a person to mess up with; he thought he was dying, after her powerful kick. He accepted that she was and always would have been part of Pesci’s life, whatever Prosciutto had to say about it!

Even when he was a mobster and, then, a member of the Squadra, Pesci’s sister always supported him. She was really proud of his stand, and always encouraged him to try to explore every use of his Beach Boy, both for daily tasks and missions. Yes, it wasn’t the life she had dreamed for her little brother, but now it was too late to go back. She could just prepare him and pray to see him coming home every day, safe and sound. And so, she always tried to teach him how to fight and defend himself when he couldn’t use his stand; Pesci learned a lot from her. Even so, he still couldn’t ever beat her, even if he was quite strong himself!

Being so protective, sometimes she slipped into a too motherly behaviour. On a normal occasion, Pesci wouldn’t have minded it, even enjoying his sister’s attentions; but he couldn’t do it when he was with his comrades! He hated to keep her far, but he wanted to be respected by his teammates, and he couldn’t achieve it when his sister was coddling him! The first time she was so hurt that he slapped him on the back of his head, making him stumble; but then, she understood she was wrong and, so, when he’s with his teammates, she stays quiet and calm. Until one of them starts to bully her little brother!

Formaggio

Honestly, having a big sister was Formaggio’s luck. If, in spite of everything, he still is a quite decent human being it’s thanks to her. When their father was too drunk to care for them, she did it in his place, making sure to send her little brother to school and trying to make their life as bearable as possible. There is no human being Formaggio respects as much as he does with his sister. She is the most important authority in his life, his rock, the person who taught him everything! Formaggio was a bratty and restless kid, and she had to work hard to keep in line. If someone was rude or, even, beat her little brother, she had no hesitation in going to beat them too -especially if they were older than Formaggio, and it was usually like this.- She was strong and her punches made more than a boy fall back; and not twinks, but big men, mountain of muscles! Formaggio always wanted to be like her. And, more or less, he managed to do it. She’s still taller than him, and stronger too, but he obtained a stand!

Formaggio never loses a chance to show her big sister his stand. He’s really proud of his Little Feet! And her sister is proud too. At least until he uses it to prank her in various ways, which always earns him a bonk on the back of his head. Formaggio learned it wasn’t a good idea to prank her sister when she bonked him when he wasn’t still at his usual form, making him fly to the other side of the room. She was so sorry about it! But she also couldn’t stop laughing, while Formaggio was grumbling and complaining, only to end up laughing too with her. He wanted to prank and, in the end, he was the one pranked!

Formaggio is really protective over his sister, as much as she’s with him. Other than his big sister, she was also, basically, his father and mother, as they were absent from their life. And, so, sometimes she slips into motherly behaviour, especially when it’s about food. She always grumbles that he has to eat healthy food, and that he has also to clean a little more his house! Sometimes, he talks back, mocking her scoldings, and this is something that makes her so damn angry. He’s still a brat, even after all those years! Not even Little Feet can save him from the punitive bonk on the back of his head. And, after that, even while grumbling and complaining, Formaggio always starts to clean or to eat healthy, at least for a while. He knows too well that his sister is able to whoop his ass in a second, gangster or not! He may have a stand, and a quite powerful stand, thank you very much, but she’s still the real powerhouse when it comes to hand-to-hand fight! Formaggio would never want to have to fight her. He knows he’d be KO in a matter of minutes!

Melone

Melone has always been smaller for his age, and too skinny. Due to his lack of good physical strength and “oddity” -he was the science kid, the nerdy kid- the other kids often used him as punching ball. Melone had a certain pride, however; he wanted to fix his situation all alone, and so he never said it to his parents, finding more and more excuses to justify his bruises. He confided the real reason of his bruises just to his big sister, the person he trusted the most in the world. She wasn’t much older than him, but she was already taller than average for her age, and she was way stronger too! She tried to respect her little brother’s will, but, when he came home bleeding from his nose and with a black eye, it was too much. She went straight to “talk” to the bullies, and, from that day, they didn’t come near Melone again. They were scared by his big sister! And his admiration for her just grew and grew. She was so strong and cool! He wanted so much to be like her…

Their paths, for a while, diverged. She went on with her life, and he entered the mob. But, finally, they reunited, and it was like nothing was changed in those years. She was still taller than him, stronger and protective! She wasn’t happy to know he was a mobster -he wasn’t expecting so-, but, despite everything, she decided to be part of his life when many other people would have chosen to just go without turning back. Melone was happy to have her back in his life, even if, sometimes, she was a little overwhelming! Especially when it came to his feeding. He was underweight and she had always tried to help him to reach a weight that at least didn’t show his bones. So, she always closely checked his meals, to be sure they were healthy and caloric. When he was a teenager, sometimes he snapped at her, earning a little bonk on the back of his head. He was her beloved little brother, but this didn’t mean he could be mean at her! And this didn’t change even when he was a grown man. He was still her little brother and she wanted to protect and take care of him!

She was surprised to come to know about stands. She was quite impressed with her brother’s stand! It was so peculiar and, in some ways, even nerdy, like he was! Still, she knew he would have never used it against her. And, when her brother had a stand, she still had her punches! Even her brother’s teammates had had a taste of them, when she caught them being rude to Melone. No one had to even think to hurt him, mobsters or not! Soon enough, everyone in the team came to respect and even fear a little Melone’s fierce sister. She wasn’t someone to mess up with!

Illuso

Illuso’s sister was the only person able to make him open up. He was a really reserved kid, who preferred to observe in silence and who rarely actively took part in whatever was going on. Just his older sister was able to make him live, to make him enjoy a little his life in Venice, a place he wanted to escape from with all his heart. And, as soon as he could, he did so, joining the mob. Still, he always remembered fondly his sister. She was tall, way taller than him, and ridiculously strong. When someone screamed at Illuso, calling him bad names, she was already chasing after them, making sure to send them home with a couple of bruises. She wasn’t scared of anything, and she was stubborn and, sometimes, even overbearing. At the same time, however, she was fair, kind and sweet, always knowing when her little brother needed a gentle word, more than an energetic prompt. Illuso loved his sister with all his heart and she was the only one of the family he still wanted to see, after joining Passione.

His sister was really curious about his stand. She didn’t even imagine that one’s fighting spirit could be embodied in something more or less physical! And Man in the Mirror’s power was amazing! She was impressed by the various and ingenious ways her brother thought for using it at his full potential. He had always been curious and inventive, and now these qualities were shining! Still, she was a bit bitter when she noticed that his teammates, sometimes, made fun of his stand, not particularly set for murders -not that Illuso ever told her what he really did for living; she just knew he was a mobster in a special team-. Once, she challenged them all to beat her at arm wrestling. Illuso felt cold sweat running down his spine; he knew too well what kind of powerhouse his sister was! And it seemed that his teammates understood it too, when they saw how intimidating and tall she was. She beat them all, and no one dared to go against her or Illuso again. Illuso never forgot that moment!

As much as he was quiet when he was observing something, Illuso was also a cocky little shit, when he wanted to. And, when he was so with his sister too, she didn’t even lose time to feel hurt or such; she slapped him on the back of his head, telling him to watch his language, no matter if they were alone or in front of his teammates. Once, she slapped him a little too hard, sending him right into the mirror world through the little hand mirror he was studying, making Prosciutto snort in his drink. From then on, Illuso always checked twice what he was going to say to his sister!

Ghiaccio

His relationship with his sister has always been… troubled. They share the same explosive character and, so, they often clashed in a spectacular way. Nonetheless, they would have killed to protect the other. They both were fiercely protective towards the other, even if people usually thought they hated each other, due to their continuous fights. Ghiaccio envied his sister because she was tall and strong; he tried everything to grow up to reach her height, but nothing worked, and, even in their adult life, she still outmatched him. She usually didn’t bring it, as he was still bitter over it, but sometimes she couldn’t resist to lightly tease him! And, to make amend for her little fun, she always offered to teach him a new fighting move. It always made him relax and even smile!

Ghiaccio was proud of his stand. In his humble opinion, White Album was the most powerful and awesome stand in the world, and no one could beat it! He always wanted to show it to his sister, every time they met. And his sister was really impressed! It was powerful and dangerous, but she wasn’t scared of it. At most, she found absolutely adorable the little cat ears on his helmet, making him grumble and complain! Even so, he never attacked her. Anyone would have been freezed to death, but not her. She was the only one who could talk to him as she wanted and who could even mess a little with his hair -another absolutely forbidden thing-; she had always been the only one who actually gave a damn about it, she had earned her privileges!

Being the older sister, she always felt the need to protect Ghiaccio from the world around them. Even now, and even knowing that he’s strong and absolutely able to protect himself, she still, sometimes, slips, ending up coddling him and being a little too protective towards him. If the team isn’t around, Ghiaccio doesn’t complain. He quite… likes, when someone actually cares about him. It’s a nice feeling. However, if his teammates are around, he doesn’t accept her attentions, ending up always chasing her away or telling her something rude, and this, usually, ignites another fight. And, White Album or not, if they come to hand-to.hand fighting, she always wipes the floor with his ass, no matter what. She’s actually the only one who can manage to do it, and Ghiaccio feels a cautious respect for her incredibly strength. He doesn’t say it loud, but he thinks that not even Risotto could outmatch her! And, even if she, sometimes, really gets on his nerves, he couldn’t be prouder of her. That’s his big sister, and no one can mess with her!

#jjba #vento aureo #la squadra di esecuzione #risotto nero #prosciutto #pesci #formaggio #melone #illuso #ghiaccio #big sister #la squadra's big sister #big sister who's stronger and taller than the boys #familiar relationship hcs #headcanons #sfw #anon ask

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arotechno · 4 years ago

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The Heartless: Chapter 6

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Chapter VI: in which a goodbye is too final

“What do you mean I can’t come?!”

With a weary sigh, I straightened up and cracked my back. Petra was staring at me incredulously, shovel held slack at her side.

“What?” I asked, wincing at the tension in my muscles as I wiped sweat from my brow. Summer had gone, but the noon sun was still blazing hot.

Petra gaped. “You’re being serious, aren’t you? You’re really not going to let me come!”

I dug my shovel back into the soil. “Don’t take it personally.”

“How can I not take it personally? I thought we were a duo now!” A despondent tone snuck its way into Petra’s voice. “You’re just going to go away and leave me here?”

Stunned, I turned my head to look at her. She hadn’t moved, and there was a pained look in her eyes. Betrayal.

“This is something I have to do for myself. And besides,” I went back to work, “I don’t know what’s going to happen when I get there, what might happen if the wrong people recognize me. You don’t need to be put at risk like that; I couldn’t justify it.”

Petra threw her shovel at the ground. “Stop treating me like a baby! You always do this, dancing around all these stories about your hometown as if I can’t handle the truth!”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Petra, I just—Look, can we just drop it? We have work to be doing.”

“Fine.” Petra picked her shovel back up and stomped away to the other side of the field.

* * *

I spent the next two weeks preparing for my journey, gathering supplies and settling final debts with the neighbors—there was no telling when I’d be back, or if I would be back, for that matter. Late one afternoon, Marley beckoned me into her shop from down the road.

“Ace, would you come here for a minute?” she called. “I need help with something.”

When I stepped inside, the memory of seven years washed comfortably over me like the warm scent of fresh wood. Every time I came back to the shop, I was wistfully reminded of those early days when Marley would patiently teach me how to shoot, never wavering even when I wasn’t very good at it, and even when I almost broke her window with my still-unsteady aim. Back then, I only came up to Marley’s shoulder; now, I stood nearly a whole head taller than her, her dark hair having begun to fade to grey and crinkles forming at the corners of her still-steadfast eyes.

“Wait here,” Marley ordered, jarring me out of my nostalgic stupor. She disappeared into the back room and returned a moment later holding a brand new bow. “I initially started drawing up designs for this when I heard you were training Petra in archery. I was going to wait to give it to you until later, but when I found out you were leaving on your big trip, I knew I couldn’t wait.” Marley smiled wistfully, the wrinkles around her eyes deepening, and held the bow out for me.

I gaped at her, my hands hovering over the smooth surface. “Wait, this is—It’s for me?”

She chuckled. “Yes, Ace, it’s for you.”

Carefully, I took the bow into my hands and gently ran my hands along its limbs. It was supple under my fingers, but sturdy, likely made of— “Is this white oak?”

Marley nodded. “I know it’s not the fanciest on the market, but I cut some limbs from that oak tree by the gates that you’re always sitting in. You’ve always seemed like the sentimental type.”

“No, yeah— Thank you, this is an incredible gift. I don’t know how I can repay you for all you’ve taught me.”

Marley leaned in, a resolute glimmer in her eye.

“How about you come back alive?”

* * *

Strangely, no nightmares plagued me the before I was set to depart for my hometown. I dreamt only of the far-away taste of warm apple pies fresh out of the oven in the fall, the wild berries Basil and I used to pick off the bushes at the edge of the woods behind our houses in the summer. It had been seven years, but I could still taste the crisp, sweet juices as if it had only been yesterday. I wondered if that was what nostalgia tasted like, or if nostalgia was more like the metallic taste of when I used to chew my lip until it bled, a nervous tic I had developed while on the run, constantly afraid of meeting the same fate as Basil.

The morning I chose to leave, I instructed Petra to meet me by the gates at sunrise. As I packed my things to go, Bertrand stood planted firmly in the middle of the room, watching me with that conflicted look on his face, like a small part of him wanted to stop me. That day and those leading up to it had been a different kind of tense than I was used to, like instead of dancing around each other out of anger we were dancing around the heart-to-heart people like us weren’t made to have, even if we wanted or needed to.

“Well,” I announced with an unwelcome uncertainty, tucking my old bow under my arm and straightening up in front of the door, “that’s everything.”

Bertrand opened his mouth and closed it again several times before he finally admitted, “I think this is a bad idea.”

Ah, there it is, I thought. “I disagree,” I replied. “I have to do this, for me.”

“I think you’re going to only end up getting hurt in the end.” Bertrand’s mouth twitched with a distant sort of sadness, almost imperceptibly beneath his mustache. “But I cannot stop you, and I will not try. I am only warning you.”

I nodded. “If that’s the case, then it seems there’s nothing left to be said,” I said curtly, swallowing the thousand apologies that threatened to bubble up out of my chest, and turned to go.

Bertrand took a hasty step forward. “Ace, I need to apologize—”

“Save it,” I shot back. I looked over my shoulder at him one last time, my hand resting on the doorknob. Against my wishes, I felt the hard edges of my expression soften into a sad smile. “If we apologize to each other now, then I won’t have any reason to come back.”

Before Bertrand could say anything more, I walked out the door and did not look back.

Petra was waiting under the oak tree when I arrived, hands shoved deep into the pockets of her too-short trousers and a dismal expression on her face.

“Are you sure I can’t come with you?” she asked hopefully as I approached.

I shook my head. “This has to be a solo mission, Petra. Besides, someone needs to stay behind and look after everyone for me.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“I can’t say. But, here, I want you to have this.” I pulled my old bow out of the crook of my arm and held it out to Petra.

Petra sniffled, wiping her sleeve across her eyes.

“For me?” she whispered in disbelief. “You really mean it?”

I nodded firmly and bent down so we were at eye level. “I’m entrusting you to keep everyone out of trouble, okay, Petra? That means you, too.”

“Right,” Petra managed to choke out before the tears started to flow.

“Come on, now, don’t make this harder than it needs to be,” I murmured. “I’m coming back, yeah? You just need to hold down the fort until then. We’re a team, got it?”

Petra nodded and stifled a sob before throwing her arms around my torso. She pressed her face into my chest, and her hands clenching into fists in the back of my shirt underneath my cloak.

“You know you’re the closest thing to family I have, right?”

“I know,” I whispered, returning the embrace. We stayed like that for a minute, until Petra’s tears dried up and she finally released her vice grip on my shirt. I straightened up and headed toward the gate, willing myself not to get emotional. With one leg over the side of the fence, I turned back and said, “I’m counting on you to stay out of trouble, okay?”

Though her eyes were still red and puffy, Petra grinned with determination and threw a hand to her forehead in mock salute.

“And I’m counting on you to come back in one piece. We’ll be waiting,” she resolved.

“I know you will.” I swung my other leg over the fence and began marching resolutely eastward. I did not look back at the Village, not once, not even when the last lofty branches of the oak tree had disappeared from view, for fear that I’d be unable to stop myself from running back.

#The Heartless #aro #aromantic #aro writing #aro writers #writing #writeblr #aspec writing #aspec writers #op

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johannstutt413 · 4 years ago

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(requested by anonymous; continuing from this post)

Ch’en was walking on air after her date with the Doctor the night before; they got a bite to eat at a burger joint, saw the new Warriors of Steel movie, and held hands in public the whole time they were at the theatre. She’d wondered at the time if there would be any repercussions for that, but today, as she made her way to the office, all was right with the world.

Until she actually walked into the office, of course, and saw Dr. Kal’tsit trying to pull a move on her Doctor. “What’d I miss?” Ch’en growled as the latter managed to escape the former.

“Someone told her about our date last night,” he explained as he ran to Lungmen’s finest for protection, “and-”

“Miss Ch’en, we have a policy regarding workplace relationships. Namely, I have to approve them.” The Feline physician walked towards her, stopping in the middle of the room as [her stand] Monst4r manifested behind her.

She chose not to brandish her weapons in response, but did rest a hand on her hilt as the other took the Doctor’s hand. “According to my contract, I’m not an employee you can regulate in that way...and even if you could, your way of going about it is entirely unjust.”

“I was simply clearing up a misunderstanding,” Kal’tsit retorted. “He was mine before he lost his memories, and the memory specialists we worked with told me when I asked that reintroducing our relationship once he’d had some time to adjust would be fine.”

“Not the way she was trying; no explanation, just threw herself at me,” he muttered into Ch’en’s ear.

The Lung shook her head. “We both know you know you’re in the wrong here. Just spare yourself the trouble and leave him alone.”

“Leave my husband alone?” The Feline laughed. “Who do you think you are, miss homewrecker?”

“Homewrecker?! Your house fell apart months ago when he lost all his memories and you started treating him like a threat more than your ‘husband!’ Until today, how was anyone supposed to know you were even an item?”

She shrugged. “I’ve always been less tough with him than the rest.”

“Less tough- you know, I was going to just let you leave after that insult, but impinging on his honor like this and trying to justify it? No, I’m not letting this stand.” Ch’en drew her weapon. “We’ll settle this properly.”

“Um, Ch’en-”

Kal’tsit laughed. “You really want this one your record, then?”

“Ka’tsit-”

“If it’s for him, I don’t-”

“HEY!” The Doctor’s sudden and unprecedented shout stunned both of them momentarily. He turned to Dr. Kal’tsit. “I annulled our marriage nearly a month ago, when I was going through my legal records and found it. The man you married is dead, lost to time, and won’t be coming back. I’m dating Ch’en, and you’re going to get out of my office before I fill your inbox with harrassment training and misconduct forms.”

Both stared at him, the Feline managing a whispered, “Darling-”

“That’s not my name, Dr. Kal’tsit. Get out of my office.”

“...Okay.” She walked past them, through the door, but once outside, she turned back to them. “Are you sure?”

He glared at her. “Do I look unsure to you?” With that, he shut the door behind her and wrapped Ch’en in a tight embrace - the closest they’d actually been, since they’d only just had their first date.

“That was not how I wanted to tell the office we were together,” Ch’en mumbled as she held him close. “Are you okay? You’re shivering.”

“I’ve never been so angry in my life.”

She rubbed his back. “You did a good job.”

“It doesn’t matter who she used to be to me,” he continued. “Insulting you like that - I’d have fired her then and there if I had the power.”

“Because she called me a homewrecker?”

The Doctor shook his head. “Because she thought she could scare you into submission.”

“Oh.” Ch’en blushed. “I was scared, to be fair; she might not have any power over you, but she could convince the LGD to end our contract, and without that, I wouldn’t be able to stay here without leaving the LGD entirely.”

“She can’t actually do that; myself and Amiya are the ones who have that power, and even if she could convince Amiya, I have to agree to it. Besides, the marriage contract has been annulled; she has no grounds, legal or otherwise, to split us apart...and if she did, I could always join the LGD.”

She stared at him. “You...you’d do that?”

“If that’s what it’d take,” he promised. “My attachment to these people is that they brought me out of my coma; I’ve paid off that debt to them, and as much as I’ve enjoyed my position here, it’s not worth more to me that you are.”

“Doctor, you shouldn’t talk like this...We’ve only been on one date.”

The Doctor smiled. “And it was the best date of my life.”

“Um...Have you done any work this morning?” Ch’en was still in his arms and, admittedly, wasn’t sure she wanted to leave, but duty called. “I know the day’s only started, and she must have come in rather early, but-”

“I dealt with what was at my desk from overnight and the first updates from my current deployments. You should probably start on yours, I suppose - you have that salon appointment later today, after all.” He let her go and started walking to his desk.

She grabbed his hand. “Before we get started, Doctor...You didn’t kiss me last night.”

“I mean, it was our first date,” he shrugged. “I was going to wait for the second one before trying that.”

“Well, I was expecting one, so I’d like it now.”

The Doctor pulled on her hand, sending her stumbling forward and into his arms as he spun around, steadying her with an arm around her waist. “You would, huh?”

“Uh-huh.” Ch’en reached for his face. “Y-your reward for defending my honor.”

“If that’s what you want, my dear.” Of course, he wanted it at least as much, but that wasn’t the point...

#arknights #ch'en (arknights)#dr. kal'tsit (arknights)#more the former than the latter #arknights fic

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tawakkull · 4 years ago

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Forgiveness and Tolerance in Islam: Islam as a Religion of Universal Mercy

Life is the foremost and most manifest blessing of God Almighty, and the true and everlasting life is that of the Hereafter. Since we can deserve this life only by pleasing God, He sent Prophets and revealed Scriptures out of His Compassion for humanity. While mentioning His blessings upon humanity, He begins:

All-Merciful. He taught the Qur'an, created humanity, and taught it speech. (Al-Rahman 55:1-4)

All aspects of this life are a rehearsal for the afterlife, and every creature is engaged toward this end. Order is evident in every effort, and compassion resides in every achievement. Some “natural” events or social convulsions may seem disagreeable at first, but we should not regard them as being incompatible with compassion. They are like dark clouds or lightning and thunder that, although frightening, nevertheless bring us the good tidings of rain. Thus the whole universe praises the All-Compassionate.

Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is like a spring of pure water in the heart of a desert, a source of light in an all-enveloping darkness. Those who appeal to this spring can take as much water as is needed to quench their thirst, to become purified of their sins, and to become illuminated with the light of faith. Mercy was like a magical key in the Prophet’s hands, for with it he opened hearts that were so hardened and rusty that no one thought they could be opened. But he did even more: he lit a torch of belief in them.

The compassion of God’s Messenger encompassed every creature. He desired that everyone be guided. In fact, this was his greatest concern:

Yet it may be, if they believe not in this Message, you will consume (exhaust) yourself, following after them, with grief. (Al-Kahf 18:6)

But how did he deal with those who persisted in oppression and persecutions; those who did not allow him and his followers to worship the One God; those who took up arms against him to destroy him? He had to fight such people, yet his universal compassion encompassed every creature. This is why when he was wounded severely at the Battle of Uhud, he raised his hands and prayed:

O God, forgive my people, for they do not know.[ Qadi ‘Iyad, Shifa’, 1:78-9; Hindi, Kanz al-'Ummal, 4:93. ]

The Makkans, his own people, inflicted so much suffering on him that he finally emigrated to Madina. Even after that, the next 5 years were far from peaceful. However, when he conquered Makka without bloodshed in the twentyfirst year of his Prophethood, he asked the Makkan unbelievers: “How do you expect me to treat you?” They responded unanimously: “You are a noble one, the son of a noble one.” He then told them his decision: “You may leave, for no reproach this day shall be on you. May God forgive you. He is the Most Compassionate.”[ Ibn Hisham, Sirat al-Nabawiyah, 4:55; Ibn Kathir, Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, 4:344. ] 825 years later Sultan Mehmed II[ Sultan Mehmed II (the Conqueror) (1431-1481). The 7th Ottoman Sultan who conquered Istanbul in 1453. ] said the same thing to the defeated Byzantines after conquering Constantinople. Such is the universal compassion of Islam.

The Messenger displayed the highest degree of compassion toward believers:

There has come to you a Messenger from among yourselves; grievous to him is your suffering; anxious is he over you, full of concern for you, for the believers full of pity, compassionate. (At-Tawbah 9:128)

He lowered unto believers his wing of tenderness through mercy … (Al-Hijr 15:88)

… was the guardian of believers and nearer to them than their selves. (Al-Ahzab 33:6)

When one of his Companions died, he asked those at the funeral if the deceased had left any debts. On learning that he had, the Prophet mentioned the above verse and announced that the creditors should come to him for repayment.

His compassion even encompassed the hypocrites and unbelievers. He knew who the hypocrites were, but never identified them, for this would have deprived them of the rights of full citizenship that they had gained by their outward declaration of faith and practice. Since they lived among the Muslims, their denial may have been reduced or changed to doubt, thus diminishing their fear of death and the pain caused by the assertion of eternal non-existence after death.

God no longer destroys unbelievers collectively, although He had eradicated many such people in the past:

But God would never chastise them while you were among them; God would never chastise them as they begged forgiveness. (Al-Anfal 8:33)

This verse refers to unbelievers regardless of time and place. God will not destroy whole peoples as long as there are some who follow the Messenger. Moreover, He has left the door of repentance open until the Last Day. Anyone can accept Islam or ask God’s forgiveness, regardless of how sinful they consider themselves to be.

For this reason, a Muslim’s enmity toward unbelievers is a form of pity. When 'Umar saw an 80-year-old man, he sat down and wept. When asked why, he replied: “God assigned him so long a lifespan, but he has not been able to find the true path.” 'Umar was a disciple of God’s Messenger, the prophet who said:

I was not sent to call down curses on people, but as a mercy.[ Muslim, Birr, 87. ]

I am Muhammad, and Ahmad (the praised one), and Muqaffi (the Last Prophet); I am Hashir (the last Prophet in whose presence the people will gather); the Prophet of Repentance (the Prophet for whose sake the door of repentance will always remain open), and the Prophet of mercy.[ Hanbal, Musnad, 4:395; Muslim, Fada'il, 126. ]

Archangel Gabriel also benefited from the mercy of the Qur'an. Once the Prophet asked Gabriel whether he had any share in the mercy contained in the Qur'an, Gabriel replied that he did, and explained: “I was not certain about my end. However, when the verse: (One) obeyed, and moreover, trustworthy and secured (At-Takwir 81:21) was revealed, I felt secure.”[ Qadi 'Iyad, as-Shifa’ al-Sharif, 1:17. ]

The Messenger of God was particularly compassionate toward children. Whenever he saw a child crying, he sat beside him or her and shared his or her feelings. He felt the pain of a mother for her child more than the mother herself. Once he said:

I stand in prayer and wish to prolong it. However, I hear a child cry and shorten the prayer to lessen the mother’s anxiety.“[ Bukhari, Adhan, 65; Muslim, Salat, 192. ]

He took children in his arms and hugged them. Once when he hugged and kissed his grandson Hasan, Aqrah ibn Habis told him: "I have 10 children, none of whom I have ever kissed.” God’s Messenger responded: “One without pity for others is not pitied.”[ Bukhari, Adab, 18. ] According to another version, he added: “What can I do for you if God has removed compassion from you?”[ Ibid., Adab, 18; Muslim, Fada'il, 64. ]

He said: “Pity those on the Earth so that those in the heavens will pity you.”[ Tirmidhi, Birr, 16. ] Once when Sa’d ibn 'Ubadah became ill, God’s Messenger visited him at home. Seeing his faithful Companion in a pitiful state, he began to cry and said: “God does not punish because of tears or grief, but He punishes because of this,” and he pointed to his tongue.[ Bukhari, Jana'iz, 45. When 'Uthman ibn Mad'un died, he wept profusely. During the funeral, a woman remarked: “'Uthman flew like a bird to Paradise.” Even in that mournful state, the Prophet did not lose his balance and corrected the woman: “How do you know this? Even I do not know this, and I am a Prophet.”[ Ibid, Jana'iz, 3. ]

A member of the Banu Muqarrin clan once beat his female slave. She informed the Messenger of God, who then sent a message to the master. He said: “You have beaten her without any justifiable right. Free her.”[ Muslim, Ayman, 31, 33; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 3:447 ] Setting a slave free was far better for the master than being punished in the Hereafter because of a wrong act. The Messenger of God always protected and supported widows, orphans, the poor, and the disabled, even before his Prophethood. When he returned home in excitement from Mount Hira after the first Revelation, his wife Khadijah told him:

I hope you will be the Prophet of this community, for you always tell the truth, fulfill your trust, support your relatives, help the poor and weak, and feed guests.[ Ibn Sa’d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra’, 1:195. ]

His compassion even encompassed animals. We hear from him:

A prostitute was guided to truth by God and ultimately went to Paradise because she gave water to a poor dog dying of thirst inside a well. Another woman was sent to Hell because she made a cat die of hunger.[ Bukhari, Anbiya, 54; Muslim, Salam, 153. ]

Once while returning from a military campaign, a few Companions removed some young birds from their nest to caress them. The mother bird came back and, not being able to find its babies, began to fly around, calling out for them. When told of this, God’s Messenger became angry and ordered the birds to be put back in the nest.[ Abu Dawud, Adab, 164; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 1:404 ]

While in Mina, some of his Companions attacked a snake in order to kill it. However, it managed to escape. Watching this from afar, he remarked: “It was saved from your evil, as you were from its evil.”[ Sunan al-Nasa'i, Hajj, 114; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 1:385. ] Ibn Abbas reported that God’s Messenger, upon observing a man sharpening his knife directly before the sheep to be slaughtered, asked him: “Do you want to kill it more than once?”[ Hakim, Mustadrak, 4:231. ]

His love and compassion for creatures differed from that of today’s selfproclaimed humanists. He was sincere and measured in his love and compassion. He was a Prophet raised by God, the Creator and Sustainer of all beings, for the guidance and happiness of conscious beings—humanity and jinn—and the harmony of existence. As such, he lived not for himself but for others. He is a mercy for all the worlds, a manifestation of Compassion.

He eradicated all differences of race and color. Once Abu Dharr got so angry with Bilal that he insulted him: “You son of a black woman!” Bilal came to the Messenger and reported the incident in tears. The Messenger reproached Abu Dharr: “Do you still have a sign of jahiliyah (ignorance)?” Full of repentance, Abu Dharr lay on the ground and said: “I will not raise my head (meaning that he would not get up) unless Bilal puts his foot on it.” Bilal forgave him, and they were reconciled.[ Bukhari, Iman, 22. ] Such was the bond of kinship and humanity that Islam created among a oncesavage people.

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basicsofislam · 4 years ago

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ISLAM 101: Muslim Culture and Character: Dynamics of Spiritual Life:

ISLAM AS A RELIGION OF UNIVERSAL MERCY

All-Merciful. He taught the Qur’an, created humanity, and taught it speech. (Al-Rahman 55:1-4)

The compassion of God’s Messenger encompassed every creature. He desired that everyone be guided. In fact, this was his greatest concern:

Yet it may be, if they believe not in this Message, you will consume (exhaust) yourself, following after them, with grief. (Al-Kahf 18:6)

O God, forgive my people, for they do not know.[1]

The Makkans, his own people, inflicted so much suffering on him that he finally emigrated to Madina. Even after that, the next 5 years were far from peaceful. However, when he conquered Makka without bloodshed in the twenty-first year of his Prophethood, he asked the Makkan unbelievers: “How do you expect me to treat you?” They responded unanimously: “You are a noble one, the son of a noble one.” He then told them his decision: “You may leave, for no reproach this day shall be on you. May God forgive you. He is the Most Compassionate.”[2] 825 years later Sultan Mehmed II[3] said the same thing to the defeated Byzantines after conquering Constantinople. Such is the universal compassion of Islam.

The Messenger displayed the highest degree of compassion toward believers:

He lowered unto believers his wing of tenderness through mercy … (Al-Hijr 15:88)

… was the guardian of believers and nearer to them than their selves. (Al-Ahzab 33:6)

God no longer destroys unbelievers collectively, although He had eradicated many such people in the past:

But God would never chastise them while you were among them; God would never chastise them as they begged forgiveness. (Al-Anfal 8:33)

For this reason, a Muslim’s enmity toward unbelievers is a form of pity. When ‘Umar saw an 80-year-old man, he sat down and wept. When asked why, he replied: “God assigned him so long a lifespan, but he has not been able to find the true path.” ‘Umar was a disciple of God’s Messenger, the prophet who said:

I was not sent to call down curses on people, but as a mercy.[4]

Archangel Gabriel also benefited from the mercy of the Qur’an. Once the Prophet asked Gabriel whether he had any share in the mercy contained in the Qur’an, Gabriel replied that he did, and explained: “I was not certain about my end. However, when the verse: (One) obeyed, and moreover, trustworthy and secured (At-Takwir 81:21) was revealed, I felt secure.”[6]

I stand in prayer and wish to prolong it. However, I hear a child cry and shorten the prayer to lessen the mother’s anxiety.”[7]

He took children in his arms and hugged them. Once when he hugged and kissed his grandson Hasan, Aqrah ibn Habis told him: “I have 10 children, none of whom I have ever kissed.” God’s Messenger responded: “One without pity for others is not pitied.”[8] According to another version, he added: “What can I do for you if God has removed compassion from you?”[9]

He said: “Pity those on the Earth so that those in the heavens will pity you.”[10] Once when Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah became ill, God’s Messenger visited him at home. Seeing his faithful Companion in a pitiful state, he began to cry and said: “God does not punish because of tears or grief, but He punishes because of this,” and he pointed to his tongue.[11] When ‘Uthman ibn Mad’un died, he wept profusely. During the funeral, a woman remarked: “‘Uthman flew like a bird to Paradise.” Even in that mournful state, the Prophet did not lose his balance and corrected the woman: “How do you know this? Even I do not know this, and I am a Prophet.”[12]

A member of the Banu Muqarrin clan once beat his female slave. She informed the Messenger of God, who then sent a message to the master. He said: “You have beaten her without any justifiable right. Free her.”[13] Setting a slave free was far better for the master than being punished in the Hereafter because of a wrong act. The Messenger of God always protected and supported widows, orphans, the poor, and the disabled, even before his Prophethood. When he returned home in excitement from Mount Hira after the first Revelation, his wife Khadijah told him:

I hope you will be the Prophet of this community, for you always tell the truth, fulfill your trust, support your relatives, help the poor and weak, and feed guests.[14]

His compassion even encompassed animals. We hear from him:

While in Mina, some of his Companions attacked a snake in order to kill it. However, it managed to escape. Watching this from afar, he remarked: “It was saved from your evil, as you were from its evil.”[17] Ibn Abbas reported that God’s Messenger, upon observing a man sharpening his knife directly before the sheep to be slaughtered, asked him: “Do you want to kill it more than once?”[18]

His love and compassion for creatures differed from that of today’s self-proclaimed humanists. He was sincere and measured in his love and compassion. He was a Prophet raised by God, the Creator and Sustainer of all beings, for the guidance and happiness of conscious beings—humanity and jinn—and the harmony of existence. As such, he lived not for himself but for others. He is a mercy for all the worlds, a manifestation of Compassion.

He eradicated all differences of race and color. Once Abu Dharr got so angry with Bilal that he insulted him: “You son of a black woman!” Bilal came to the Messenger and reported the incident in tears. The Messenger reproached Abu Dharr: “Do you still have a sign of jahiliyah (ignorance)?” Full of repentance, Abu Dharr lay on the ground and said: “I will not raise my head (meaning that he would not get up) unless Bilal puts his foot on it.” Bilal forgave him, and they were reconciled.[19] Such was the bond of kinship and humanity that Islam created among a once-savage people.

[1] Qadi ‘Iyad, Shifa’, 1:78-9; Hindi, Kanz al-’Ummal, 4:93.[2] Ibn Hisham, Sirat al-Nabawiyah, 4:55; Ibn Kathir, Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, 4:344.

[3] Sultan Mehmed II (the Conqueror) (1431-1481). The 7th Ottoman Sultan who conquered Istanbul in 1453.

[4] Muslim, Birr, 87.

[5] Hanbal, Musnad, 4:395; Muslim, Fada’il, 126.

[6] Qadi ‘Iyad, as-Shifa’ al-Sharif, 1:17.

[7] Bukhari, Adhan, 65; Muslim, Salat, 192.

[8] Bukhari, Adab, 18.

[9] Ibid., Adab, 18; Muslim, Fada’il, 64.

[10] Tirmidhi, Birr, 16.

[11] Bukhari, Jana’iz, 45.

[12] Ibid, Jana’iz, 3.

[13] Muslim, Ayman, 31, 33; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 3:447.

[14] Ibn Sa’d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra’, 1:195.

[15] Bukhari, Anbiya, 54; Muslim, Salam, 153.

[16] Abu Dawud, Adab, 164; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 1:404.

[17] Sunan al-Nasa’i, Hajj, 114; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 1:385.

[18] Hakim, Mustadrak, 4:231.

[19] Bukhari, Iman, 22.

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rp-meme-central · 5 years ago

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Fallout 4 - yet more lines from audio clips I found - sentence starters

1. “From where I’m standing, ______ isn’t seeming like the guilty one here.”

2. “______’s not going to be pleased. I look forward to seeing that.”

3. “Don’t just stand there! Push a button! Push everything! Improvise, _______!”

4. “The first thing that jumps out at us is getting a _____ to the face.”

5. “I would like a _____, with a bunch of cherries, please.”

6. “This place would illicit fear in most individuals. Fortunately, my training prevents - wait! What was that?”

7. “My advice for hunting a ______: return to base and forget about it. You’ll live longer.”

8. “Never can have too many weapons.”

9. “Don’t worry. You’ll get used to sleeping comfortably under massive containers of highly flammable gas.”

10. “I don’t understand the logic in reading these illustrated manuscripts. The plots are ludicrous.”

11. “That mechanical animal lacks sufficient capability to serve as a proper traveling mount. What’s the point?”

12. “There’s something you’re keeping from me, ______. If I find out what it is, and I don’t like it, there will be hell to pay.”

13. “_____ are more valuable than treasure. They give us glimpses at moments in time that we’ll never repeat.”

14. “You might think you’re clever, but if you step out of line, I’ll melt you into slag.”

15. “So that’s the supposedly-terrifying ______? Didn’t put up much of a fight. I’ve killed ______ that are more tenacious.”

16. “Even though the proof states I’m a ______, I don’t feel any different than I did before. I still feel like a human.”

17. “My identity as ______ is nothing but a memory now. Everything I held dear, everything I ever believed in, is completely gone.”

18. “I don’t know if it’s friendship, or an anomaly in my programming - after all, I’m not really human - but whatever it is, I can’t deny that I’m feeling closer to you than anyone else I’ve ever met.”

19. “When my true identity was revealed, you still treated me with dignity and respect. I am forever in your debt.”

20. “I... I didn’t know you felt that strongly about our... about us.”

21. “This doesn’t make any sense. After everything ______ taught you, how could you be in love with... a ______?”

22. “Did you know you talk in your sleep?”

23. “Don’t pay ‘em any mind. Not that they’d know what to do with one, anyway.”

24. “Don’t worry, it’s still attached. Mostly.”

25. “Hey, you find any pieces of my ______, you grab ‘em.”

26. “It’s all right. I’m sure the rocks at the bottom would break your fall.”

27. “The difference between ______ and ______? Well... we’re prettier, to start with.”

28. “Parts from ______ don’t usually fit ______. Trust me, I’ve tried.”

29. “Are there any machines you can’t charm?”

30. “No one would pick a password that dumb. Oh. I stand corrected.”

31. “I’d like not to have to say this again. No.”

32. “Found alcoholic spirits in here. Try not to get drunk.”

33. “Patch yourself up. Your arm looks like swiss cheese.”

34. “Ouch. That’s a nasty head wound you’ve got there. Can you even see straight?”

35. “Poor animal. It appears to be in dire need of medical attention.”

36. “Some might consider this junk. To me, it’s a treasure trove of possibilities.”

37. “If it was up to me, I’d take anything that wasn’t nailed down back to _______.”

38. “It’ll be a cold day in Hell before I let anything bad happen to you.”

39. “Don’t know what karma I cashed, but I definitely don’t deserve someone as good as you.”

40. “I hope this little thing we have going lasts forever. I don’t want to go back to the way things were.”

41. “Happy. For the first time in my life, I’m happy. Can you believe it?”

42. “Mind your fire down here. Couple of stray bullets and this whole place could blow up.”

43. “You smell that? Is that coming from the water, or did we stumble onto a crime scene?”

44. “All the resources they’ve got, ______ could do a lot of good. Shame they want to wipe out my kind instead.”

45. “Only madmen could justify trying to wipe out an entire people, just because they were made, not born.”

46. “Be careful, ______. I couldn’t stand losing you.”

47. “If its fun you’re looking for, you’ve found the _____ of your dreams.”

48. “Letting my guard down around you isn’t easy for me. Give me some time.”

49. “Take a bullet for you? I might be in love, but I’m not out of my mind.”

50. “The muzzle flash really brings out the color of your eyes.”

51. “You keep laughing at death, someday death’s gonna laugh back.”

52. “Nothing needs that many limbs.”

53. “That is one mad bug.”

54. “These things have mandibles, armor plating, and numbers. Makes you wonder how humanity has managed to survive at all.”

55. “I’m not a fan of anything that has more legs than brain cells.”

56. “A nest of these things set up one summer in _______. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard.”

#rp memes #sentence starters #fallout 4 #tw: bugs #tw: injury

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healinghurtssometimes · 4 years ago

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The Cycle (Pt. 1)

I’m not really sure where to start, so I’m going to opt for my current situation and how I got here. This blog isn’t meant for attention, but rather a way for me to get my experiences out in the open. Maybe some people will find this, relate, and somehow become my tribe. Let me tell you, I need good people. If you stick around long enough, I’m certain you’ll quickly start to see that. With that being said, I’m going to start with a very rough outline of the past 14-15 months.

For just a brief back story, I got offered the best paying job I’d ever had in January of 2017. A lot of stuff had happened (which I’ll cover another time) and I would have been stupid not to take the job when it was given to me. After 2 years, I got my Real Estate License since the company required it for all Property Managers, and I got promoted. The problem was that we were used to running our office with 3 Admins - one had been taken to fit a different role months earlier and still hadn’t been replaced, and I was the second one to be moved while the company STILL did not make an attempt to refill those roles until AFTER my promotion was finalized. I got stuck doing my job as an Admin AND my new job as a Property Manager with all training put on hold until those roles were filled, while also being expected to heavily assist in training the new Admins they hired since I had been there longer than the last Admin standing and was damn good at my job.

I then spent months filling multiple roles, being asked to train people coming into the new roles (including another Property Manager when I STILL wasn’t trained), and being asked regularly to go out of my way to do things face-to-face with/for my residents that was not being asked of my peers (many of which took up a substantial amount of time, like delivering portable AC units and having to walk through someone’s whole house with our Field Manager for maintenance complaints that I had no authority over). I BEGGED for help getting the new Admin team to fulfill the tasks I was trying to delegate to them, begged for training, begged for clarity on expectations that were never laid out. I begged for help for 6 months, and was consistently met with “we don’t have the resources,” “we aren’t properly staffed,” “there isn’t time,” etc. I was buried up to my nose from the day I took the position, and not one person agreed to help me dig myself out of the dirt. Instead, they buried me and then fired me for not being able to fulfill the role to their expectations (while the other two Property Managers weren’t expected to do ANY of the extra stuff they’d put on me to deal with). That was early September 2019. I filed for unemployment, and my now-former supervisor dug up information from my role as an Admin that had been approved by the District Manager at the time until they both got in trouble for letting me slightly stagger my schedule to make sure I could take care of my kids and be able to pay my rent after a HUGE change in the custody and child support of my children (a situation I’ll cover at another time). I didn’t get the notice letter for the unemployment appeal meeting until after it had taken place, about a week before Christmas, at which point I was VERY depressed, stressed, and couldn’t begin to fathom taking on a multi-million dollar company on my own. I now owe the state almost $900 in “overpaid unemployment benefits” that I have yet to be able to pay back.

I spent the next few months trying to find another job. Hoping to find something still in the world of Property Management, even if it wasn’t the same role or anywhere near the same pay or if it didn’t come with the same benefits. The company I worked for is well-known and very disliked by the ENTIRE property management community in the area I lived in at the time. They’re a very young company that is buying up houses left and right and helping make rent prices SOAR for those that aren’t able to buy a house (or just like renting instead of owning the home they live in for whatever reason) - they make it their goal year over year to increase renewal rates as much as they can get away with, knowing many people won’t do the research, question their numbers, or walk away from their house...they’ll just pay the rent increase and keep moving through their complaints of how high their rent is for the lack of improvements the company makes and their poor excuse of a maintenance department that’s directed to penny-and-dime every vendor and look for any reason the resident could possibly be held responsible for higher priced maintenance items. They’re in 20 different states and their maintenance department for their entire operation runs out of ONE state with a local “liaison” at each office that’s function is only for vacant homes. Hopefully they’ve changed some of this in the past year, but I don’t have any reason to believe they would have made things better for anything outside of their own bottom line. I won’t use their name because I don’t want to get sued, but if you know, you know.

I had to take the name of the company off of my resume, replaced with the word “Confidential,” in order to start getting call backs for interviews with other property management companies...all of which ended up being for apartment complexes where I was used to single-family and the two worlds are vastly different from one another. I had ONE company that actually offered me a job sometime around October/November 2019, and it turned out to be an absolutely awful situation to be in. They lied about what they offered for health insurance in my interview, treated their residents like garbage, their property manager played favorites and treated other staff like they were incompetent toddlers, leasing staff and maintenance weren’t allowed to communicate with each other outside of breaks and absolute emergencies, and operated with a LOT of drama. One situation got brought into our leasing office (while open to the public) where their outsourced IT guy and management proceeded to yell at each other in the lobby, calling each other things like “fucking liars” and just generally making a big scene, which made me incredibly uncomfortable to be around. I was already dealing with not having my much-needed anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications, and the way this company was operated was making my already spiraling mental health WORSE. So after a few weeks, I left knowing that they were not a good fit for me nor I for what they apparently needed. I applied for literally hundreds of jobs, got a few interviews, and never got offered another position.

All this time, I’m just trying to figure out how I’m going to pay my rent (my now ex-boyfriend’s parents were paying our $1500 monthly rent and all of our utilities at this point so we wouldn’t get evicted with my kids), how I’m going to pay my phone bill or my car payment, dealing with being uninsured and ashamed of the situation I was in, debt piling up all around me with no way out of it, no health insurance, battling withdrawal from my heavy dosage of SSRI drugs. I know I haven’t talked much about them here, but all of this was really starting to affect my children - who were only 5 & 7 at the time - which was really making the entire situation SO MUCH WORSE to deal with. I was self medicating with marijuana and was high 98% of the time, or in the process of getting high. While weed by itself is not an addictive drug, I developed a dependency on it like I had come to depend on my mental health medications, because it was numbing the reality of the situation I was in and helping keep me somewhat functional and kept me from falling deeper into the darkness as my world crumbled around me.

At the end of January, I finally decided that I couldn’t justify staying in the place I’d lived my whole life anymore. I had lost my job, all of my income, my health insurance...I was on the brink of losing my car, my relationship was failing due to financial strain (though I was also done with the relationship beforehand and started cheating on him before I lost my job anyway and was really only with him at that point for convenience...not a moment I’m proud of by any means), I wasn’t able to support myself or my kids and was no longer able to hide the situation from them for what it was. The only thing I was able to protect them from was KNOWING I was always high, which I’m sure from my own experience with my parents, they’ll end up figuring out when they’re older and weed is legal across the board. So I started thinking “what’s next, how do I change this situation?”

By January 2020, I’d been back in contact with an old high school boyfriend for a number of months. Not only was he an old boyfriend, but he was also one of my best friends in the whole world. I trusted him with every fiber of my being, he is the only soul that knows me the way he does, and he has stuck by my side through all of the mud trudging I’ve gone through since I was 15 other than our own disastrously messy breakup. He was roughly 400 miles away from my hometown, and was the only viable option for me to ask for help in the form of a roof to look for work and try to get myself back up on my feet. So I took my kids to their dad (who is a very petty and ugly human) because he is/was at least financially stable, packed a few things, and went looking for work 400 miles away. 3 days in, I was offered a menial serving job...but hey, working on 6 months of no consistent job or income, it was better than what I was working with back home. I started that job the end of February. For anyone that’s been alive this year, you know what’s coming next...4 weeks later, the restaurant was shut down for COVID lockdowns, and I immediately started looking for another job to take on once those shutdowns were lifted. So now, I’m 400 miles away from my kids and my family, and I’m also unemployed.

I thought I found one doing leasing with an apartment complex. I got the job offer, the offer letter, was working on finalizing a start date even though some of their requirements were ridiculous (like not being able to how any semblance of a tattoo or piercing not in your ear and only being able to wear black and white on the job). Then I asked what they were doing to protect their employees, residents, and potential residents from COVID. I lost that opportunity for asking questions, because they were the ONLY complex locally that was not observing any pandemic-related precautions, and had referred to a colleague as a “titty baby” for simply asking them to step up their game by providing hand sanitizer and a thermometer for their offices. I opted not to go back to serving over precautions for COVID so I could still go home and see my kids again at my dad’s house, as my step-mom was dealing the return of her Breast Cancer after nearly 2 years in remission and no way of getting treatment until the doctors decided it was safe again for her to be in a hospital or cancer treatment center.

Realizing now that I’ve only gotten to sometime around April/May, I’m going to leave this post for now and come back for a Part 2. If you’re still reading this and are planning on returning for the next installment, thank you for taking this journey with me as I lay my life out one piece at a time in the hopes of healing.

#depression #depressionawareness #anxiety #self healing #mental health #mental health awareness #unemployment #unemployment through COVID #healing

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edales-drabbles · 5 years ago

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Flamelust

Theme; fantasy,slavery, life debts and magic

Summary: Alec has been enslaved for most of his life to one Master or another. To save his life, he accepts a new master. What will be in the cards for him this time?

—————

This was how it was going to end for Alec. In flames and fire, betrayed by his master and ultimately alone. How this had so gone bad, he wasn’t sure. He had followed his orders, obeyed the rules and his teachers and yet… He was about to be consumed by the very element which had granted him safety.

Fire.

It burned through his veins. The pain sharp as his blood turned to lava, angry red lines pulsed along his arms and pounded his chest as the pressure grew. He was turning from human into something else. Something that wouldn’t be him anymore. A monster. He had been betrayed. He had trusted the wrong people. Or was it that there was no one to trust to begin with. They had been kinder. Maybe that should have been the sign that they couldn’t be trusted.

Dimly he was suddenly aware he was screaming. The sound almost alien as his mind seemed to retreat. Pain was everywhere, it was all he was aware of but something was cutting through hit. A voice was in his mind, one he knew vaguely but not fully. A voice which demanded his attention.

“Boy,” it breathed, rumbling slightly like it was echoing. “Open those pretty eyes of yours,” it ordered.

Maybe it was magic but Alec forced his eyes open. A harsh orange light surrounding him but a dark figure broke through it. A tall man wearing black armour in a distinct design, the design of the enemies of Alec’s betrayers, the Moltenstalker Dragon clan. His enemies still. Afterall, he was a flame user. It was what was killing him. And Dragons hated flame users, for good reason.

The man walked up close to him, looking far more noble than anything Alec had ever been. Fire reflecting off his armor and magic surrounding the both. The flames and burning dimmed and with it the pain did too. Not gone, not by a long shot but quiet now, letting Alec breath again. Tears ran down his face as the man knelt down beside him, cupping his face.

“You,” Alec whimpered, not sure what was happening here as the man studied his face intently. He had seen that look before and it never led to good things.

“I can save you, if you accept the cost,” the man murmured softly, a deep rumble still in his voice but it wasn’t aggressive by any means.

His eyes were full of pity and it made Alec’s stomach twist in disgust. How low did you have to fall before the people who hated your existence looked at you like that? Apparently low enough to have your flames turned against you. He didn’t want the dragon’s pity but then again, he didn’t want to die either.

“Cost?” Alec croaked, his voice dry, fear filling him at the idea. Cost. Something he was used to at least. Pity or not, the cost of something was always something he was unable to pay.

“You are aware of how thing go in the dragon courts? Archivist as you were,” The dragon rumbled, his thumb pulling Alec’s cheek.

The heat from the flames was not enough to stop the rock of ice forming in Alec’s stomach. “How did you know..” he whispered, shivering. Only his master had known about his past. Why did this dragon now?

“Your soul sign. You were never meant to learn the ways of the flame. But there is no shame in seeking more from your existence. Even given where it has lead you,” the man smiled sadly at him. Alec shivered again. The man in front of him could read soul signs? He was definitely able to save him then. It was just the cost of the thing. “Now focus on right now boy. Do you know the ways of my people when if comes to life debts such as this?”

Alec thought, the heat making it hard for him to focus even without the pain. It had been a long time since he had been trapped in the library but the knowledge came to him. Locked away in children stories and poems of long dead bards. “An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. Trade of something of equal value,” he murmured.

“Correct,” the man favoured him with a smirk, before his face turned serious. “I will save you life, but you in turn must become my steward.”

“You mean slave,” Alex said feeling tired. “A change in masters, again,”

“You will be fed, clothed and given a purpose. And I won’t try to turn you into a weapon. Given how your previous masters have treated you, I don’t think I will be a worse existence,” the Lord pointed out. He had to be lord with how he was talking about doing such a thing. Only nobles thought nothing about enslaving a person and justifying it by being fed and clothed. “Make your decision quickly, boy. Soon even the firelord himself won’t be able to save you from your flames.”

Fresh tears rolled down Alec’s cheeks. Death or slavery, this time to a dragon who lived in human form. “I never wanted this,” he whispered, the lord watching him with soft eyes. “I just wanted to see the world instead of reading about it. I just wanted to not have to hide from the librarians who wanted to hurt me. Why must I always have to pick between death and being a slave?” he demanded, his voice breaking as he yelled the angry words.

The hand on his cheek, wiped the fresh tears away and the hand moved to the back of his neck. The man gently pressed theirs heads together. “I’m sorry you have been treated so but that does not change the way things are. You will see the world, I promise it. Now, call me by my title and I will save you from your flames.”

Alec closed his eyes and sobbed softly. The choice was clear. He had taken it before, he would take it again. There was nothing else that he could do. Vision blurry with tears as he opened his eyes once more to look into the blood red eyes of the dragon, he let the words come to his lips.

“Please, Master. Save me,” he pleaded.

He was too much of a coward to die. He had been a slave in some form his entire life. He just would serve the dragon as he had served everyone else and hope that his words were true.

The face smiled. It was not a pretty smile, it was the look of a predator and Alex felt a pang of horror in his chest. Maybe he had made the wrong decision. Was the man about to taunt him. More tears ran down his face but the man only leaned closer. Lips touched his and the fire erupted around them for the briefest moments before everything turned to black.

When Alec came to life again, his body ached painfully. It almost seemed the thrum with pain but he was no longer burning. He was warm but not on fire. The dragon had kept his word it seemed and saved him from being burnt alive. Now it was time to pay the dues and accept his new life. Even if moving seemed like an possible thing to do at the moment.

Forcing his eyes open, he found himself in a dimmly lit room, on a bed which was far softer than any other he had slept on beofre. Silk beneath his fingertips, it made it hard for him to sit up with little purchase to it. His shoulders screamed at him fro the action, but he managed it, looking around the new place he found himself. It was far too fancy for the likes of him, meaning he was in his new master’s bed. A thought that made his heart beat fast. Just what kind of slave had he agreed to be before accepting?

Dimmly, he felt inside himself for his powers. They were muted, and very hard to find but it was there. Almost depleted, barely a spark left but it was there. He drew it close, cradling it for a moment. Foreign magic surrounded him, but didn’t stop him as he held his magic with no desire not to use it. It was far to fragile right now. It would recover, as long as it was still there.

“Lifh,” a voice murmured, his new master appearing in a doorway wearing a robe and little else. He looked tired and seemed almost amused at the sight of Alex sitting up. “You need to rest longer. You still have many weeks of recovering yet,” he scolded, walking over and gently making him lie down again. “You are hurting.”

“Master?” Alec croaked softly.

“Yes, Lifh?” the dragon said gently.

“Nothing, Master. Sorry for bothering,” Alec whispered, losing his nerve as the man combed his had hand through his hair. He had so many questions and was too afraid of the answers to ask them.

“We’ll talk in the morning,” the dragoon promised, a hand stroking through his hair. The bed dipped as the dragon got into bed with him. Alec tensed, his back complaining at the movement of muscles, but the man didn’t move close to him.

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365daysofsasuhina · 5 years ago

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[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day One Hundred Forty-Seven: Sugar Coated ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ] [ AO3 Link ]

If there’s one thing Sasuke can consider a pet peeve...it would be people sugarcoating things. If you’re going to tell him something, just...tell him! Don’t beat around the bush or talk in circles in an attempt to soften whatever you’re trying to say. He himself has always been rather...blunt. He’s got no time to dance your dance for the sake of niceties or social decorum. He’d much rather get to the point, and move on. Life is short, and he’s got things to do.

But not everyone feels that way.

When he met Hinata - or rather...when he met her again - he could immediately tell she was one of those people. Both because of her nature, and her upbringing. It’s not a Hyūga’s way to simply talk plainly. Oh no. They have to obfuscate and speak in circles as to avoid being too direct. To be direct is to be rude.

Too kind to simply speak her mind, too diplomatic to risk offense, and with a slight stutter that further slows her speech, Hinata takes her time with her orating. At first it threatens to bring about a kind of irritation. Is she really going to be the sort to drag out every conversation they have?

But, to Sasuke’s honest surprise...she doesn’t. The stutter is, admittedly, hard to avoid. But he can’t fault her for that. He’s certain it’s born from a meek nature...which in turn, he soon learns, was brought about by her father’s treatment of her when young. True, she’s grown a lot since then - and he’ll soon learn just how much. But a lifelong verbal tic isn’t something one can simply drop.

Look at Naruto.

One of the first times Sasuke speaks to Hinata after the war is after his brother’s revival. Given Itachi’s rather...precarious position (he’s still an S-ranked missing nin, after all), it’s been suggested that the Hyūga lend their strength and standing to the remnants of their cousin Uchiha.

In all honesty, Sasuke’s pride is...rather stung. He’s one of the two most powerful shinobi in their world. To suggest that he needs help - especially from a clan as haughty and stuck-up (in his opinion) as the Hyūga - is a major insult.

But...he’ll admit, there’s some logic to it. They’re cousin clans. And the added numbers might spare them some agony. Sure, Sasuke (and once he’s recovered, Itachi) can take care of himself just fine. But it would still be nice to avoid the little squabbles from people stupid enough to insult him to his face. Did he make mistakes? Yes. Both brothers did. But they’re also moving forward. Being stuck in the past and harassing them about something they’re making amends for is a one-way ticket to pissing him off.

Besides, Hinata’s friends with Itachi’s...well, he might as well call her wife. She was one of the medics that helped save her life after Neji’s assault back in the chūnin exams.

...weird to think back that far. It’s almost like another life.

She also helped heal her friend after Pein’s assault. Add in her hand in reviving Neji, and she’s got pretty good standing with the Hyūga. In more than one way, the main house owes her debts.

Something she hints at taking advantage of. Which...shocks Sasuke, in all honesty. She doesn’t seem the type to do that. But she also knows that the Uchiha need all the help they can get...especially with her children so young and so vulnerable.

And Sasuke will do anything to protect his brother’s son and daughter.

So...he swallows his pride, and takes up the Hyūga on their offer.

Which means speaking to Hinata.

She’s not heiress anymore - hasn’t been for a number of years by now, if he remembers right. Hanabi’s taken that mantle. But that doesn’t mean the elder sister isn’t involved in clan politics. Still trained in diplomacy, it’s she - not her precocious sibling or haughty cousin - they send to speak with him.

Wise. The former Sasuke wouldn’t be able to take seriously, heiress or not. The latter he’d almost certainly butt heads with. Neji’s too...staunch for his liking. Too far up his own ass...though he’s gotten better since they last spoke.

Dressed in her typical attire, Hinata meets Sasuke at the Hyūga compound gate. “Hello, Sasuke-kun,” is her soft greeting, given alongside a bow.

Managing a nod in return, he just replies, “Hyūga.”

“Um...given that arrangements are still being made, and official terms drafted, this isn’t an official meeting. That will have to wait until the Uchiha clan head is...is present.”

Clan head referring to Itachi. It’s a position he’d have inherited anyway, had the clan lived. And Sasuke sure as hell doesn’t want it.

“Understandable. Aniki is still recovering.”

“Yes, I...I heard. But...given that we’re going to be in talks for...quite some time, I wanted to formally introduce myself.”

“Hyūga, we were in the Academy together. I know who you are.”

Her cheeks pinken. “I - y-yes, that’s true. But...we rarely spoke, and...it’s been q-quite some time since we’ve really, um...been acquainted. I thought it would be - would be wise to have a sort of...clean slate? To start over, and build anew.”

Her nerves are starting to make his itch. All her starting and stopping, and all these...formalities. It’s such a waste of time. “Listen, Hyūga -”

“Please, call me Hinata.”

Ignoring her cut in, he goes on. “I get what this is. But you don’t have to be so...stiff. I’m not about to rip your head off. Don’t be so nervous. I’m not a crazy nukenin anymore, either.”

She jolts a hair in surprise. “I…” Her demeanor softens. “...I never thought you were...crazy.”

A brow perks, finding that hard to believe.

“Granted, we weren’t...friends. But everyone knew what happened. And that you wanted revenge. If I were in your shoes…” She trails off. “...well, I don’t know if I - if I could have gone that far. But I understand. As someone with a clan, and...knowing what I know...I think you were more than justified. Especially given the hand the village had in it…” Hinata’s head shakes somberly. “...you had e-every right to be angry, and want justice. You...you might have taken things a bit far, but...given the actions taken against your kin, it only seems fair. Because...that was too far. Far too far. It never should have happened.”

Single dark eye watching her, Sasuke...doesn’t sense any deception from her. She’s not kissing his ass. She’s just...being honest with him. “...you don’t think I’m dangerous?”

“No.” Her answer is too firm, too certain to be a lie. “...well, true, you’re very powerful. But...I don’t think you’re going to hurt anyone. Only...only if they hurt you, o-or your family, first. And in that case...I think you’d have every right. I would do the same if someone tried to harm my sister, or my cousin.” Pale eyes look up to him, and Sasuke sees a kind of...firmness that wasn’t there when he arrived.

Something about the subject has...shifted something in her. The formalities of his visit are forgotten as they discuss something else entirely. Here, and now, they’re just...people. Reminiscing over something neither of them have to be shy about.

Should be shy about.

“...well, you’re about the only one who thinks that way,” he sighs, tone a tinge bitter. Even his own teammates have been treating him like an explosive tag: just one spark from igniting. It’s...exhausting, really.

“Well...to be fair, I’ve been given perspective some people don’t have.”

“My teammates know the truth.” Sasuke’s brow hardens, and for a moment, he forgets himself and speaks a bit too openly. “...they knew before the war even started. About the council, and the coup, and the massacre. And what did they do? Not a damn thing. Still thought the best course of action was dragging me back to the place of my clan’s sanctioned genocide.”

At the blunt truth, Hinata can’t help a small flinch. “...I-I think...Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan lack a bit of...um...perspective. Sakura-chan doesn’t have a clan. Neither does Naruto-kun...he doesn’t have any family. It has to be hard to...fully comprehend. But you and I...we both come from long-standing, powerful clans. And…” She ducks her head, somber. “...while yours may be gone, you still had that world view. That...experience. As I did. While I can’t fully c-comprehend what you’ve gone through...I’m in a position very similar to what yours once was. It could have been my clan that was mistreated, a-and eliminated when we tried to stand up for ourselves. It’s...easier for me to imagine that loss, given that I have that much to lose. They...they don’t.”

...he...hasn’t thought of it that way. “...hn.”

The air suddenly tinges awkward, and Hinata goes pink again. “...I-I’m sorry, we’re...so off-topic -”

“It’s fine. You’re right. You…” A pause. “...you have the perspective few do. Between being part of a big clan, and also knowing what you know...you’re about the closest person to understanding. It’s…” Another hesitation. “...refreshing. To be understood.”

Large eyes blink, expression a bit taken aback. Then Hinata gives him a soft smile. “...I don’t want to treat you any different, Sasuke-kun. It’s clear you’ve changed. And...I hope that you’re going to get the closure you need. Something should still be done about...about those who orchestrated the massacre. Until then...you have e-every right to be wary of Konoha. But...I hope you know that the rest of us? We’re rooting for you. Even if some are...worried. I’m sure that will fade in time. We all just...need to reacquaint ourselves with each other. A lot of time has passed...and a lot has changed. That can’t be undone so quickly.”

She’s...starting to get a bit long-winded again, but he finds he doesn’t mind - she makes a lot of good points. “...I’ll try to be patient.”

“So will we. But...that’s p-part of why the Hyūga want to stand with you! To show solidarity. So...hopefully others will follow our example in welcoming you back.”

“And have less incentive to mess with us,” he adds, smirking a bit in amusement at the obvious point.

“I...y-yes,” she admits sheepishly. “N-not that many would dare, I imagine. But...yes.”

“...well, I guess this counts as an introduction?” Sasuke then offers. He’s anxious to get home and check on his brother. See his niece and nephew, too.

“Oh, y-yes! Um...well, this wasn’t exactly what I had planned,” she laughs nervously. “But, um...I suppose it did acquaint us…?”

“Yeah. Well enough. Besides, something tells me I’ll see more of you soon.”

“I’m sure you will.”

“See you around, Hyūga.”

To his surprise, she puffs a bit. “Please, call me Hinata! There’s too many Hyūga to just call me that!”

Before he can stop it, Sasuke chuckles. Rather than answer, he turns and waves.

Maybe they’ll get along better than he’d feared.

This is...kinda random xD Wasn't really sure what to do with the prompt, and tbh not...sure I pulled off the idea I had as well as I wanted. Buuut I tried lol Poor Hinata just wants to be polite! But Sasuke has no patience for formalites. He just wants to talk, and talk quickly. He's got better things to do than sit and blab! But it seems he doesn't mind sitting and chatting with Hinata. She just...gets him in ways others don't. So I'm sure they'll be talking a lot more ;3c Anywho, it's past this nerd's bedtime! Thanks for reading~

#sasuhina #uchiha sasuke #hyūga hinata #a light amongst shadows [ canon verse ]#365daysofsasuhina

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luckycheesefoodie321 · 6 years ago

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Look, I love Shi Miao...(spoilers, long post)

And I totally understand why she felt the way she felt towards the end of the show and why things escalated the way they did. The show was actually addressing how dangerous Shi Fen and Shi Miao’s codependency could be if allowed to continue...Fen had a tendency to decide things on his own, keep his own emotions and turmoils and thoughts locked away and keep Miao in a bubble of safety that ultimately didn’t keep her safe or happy. Maybe when she was younger, there was a need to protect her from the harsher truths of their situation, but she’s old enough to understand why certain decisions must be made and definitely old enough to be consulted and participate in making those decisions, and Shi Fen did wrong by her in this way. That reward was just the tipping point in realising how much he kept from her, and it’s totally not cool to think you’re being recognised for your efforts, but this recognition is conditional in that “you’ve done well, despite being poor” and with a girl who has struggled throughout to prove herself and succeed, this is a shitty prize to be given...

ALL THAT SAID, and here are where some inconsistencies show...this shit I do NOT agree with: (HOPEFULLY CUTS OFF HERE)

Valid. Shi Miao reeeally doesn’t understand what her brother has done for her, what he’s had to deal with (e.g. finding his dad beat up bc of debt collectors on NEW YEARS EVE), also being labelled as “poor” and not getting things he wants, having to mature quicker than he should have to given their unstable household and alcoholic father while all the while being treated kinda shitty by his teachers who underestimate him and don’t believe in him friggen all of the time even when he’s genuinely serious!

AND THEN THIS BIT UGH MAH LORD WTF. WHAT DO YOU EVEN MEAN SHI MIAO??? He did this to you??? He told you when y’all were KIDS to stay with your dad. Ok sure. For one, he was a confused and distraught kid who just didn’t want his family to break apart any more than it already had! He did his fucking best to raise you when there was no real parental presence in the household. While still a kid himself. Like so many times throughout the show, people would look at him as Shi Miao’s guardian (they even outright state it during the teachers meeting) and his own father asked him what he should do about the debt and he has to REMIND THESE DUMBASS ADULTS THAT HE’S STILL BASICALLY A KID TRYING TO STRUGGLE ALONG AND FIGURE OUT HIS LIFE!!!

Biiiiiiish whut. Then why didn’t you go find your mom and her rich friggen husband??? Like idk why she decided to declare Fen the root of all evil when she’s actually had a decent life despite their troubles and also I’m sorry Shi Miao, did I IMAGINE those happy, previous episodes??? Did I fake those sweet brother-sister moments??? WAS IT A MALFUNCTION WHEN YOU AGREED TO CHERISH EACH OTHER MORE???? Idk how she managed to forget all that stuff in this hot rage fit she’s throwing and only remembered it while wearing that head massager which she thought was a memory eraser...

Also Shi Fen’s face. He is 1000% done with Shi Miao’s shit. He loves her and possibly more than she loves him and wants to take care of her and keep her safe, and feels justified in his actions because of this mentality, but he absolutely despised the fact that they’re fighting...and he mostly he just looks scared and angry that she’s acting this way and knows that to some degree, he’s at fault. But like her, he’s stubborn and doesn’t know how to resolve any of what she’s talking about.

And then just look at Wan Sui and Kai Xin just agonising in the background while watching the siblings fight. They friggen hate this too but can’t do anything about it. But even as they follow Shi Fen, they look back at Shi Miao because they know she must hate this and feel so hurt participating in such a horrible exchange with the person she loves most in the world.

And that face says it all. Indignation. Anger. Hurt. Confusion. And a touch of regret. She doesn’t want him to walk away but she doesn’t want him to stick around either.

They both have super valid arguments and I defs see where Shi Miao is coming from but goddamn do I DESPISE this line of thinking and it just makes for some weird in-continuities because the whole bit where Kai Xin and Miao Miao are acting as messengers between the Shi Siblings, she actively gives a more focused, and rational reasoning for her feelings. Here it’s just like “I’M BLAMING YOU BECAUSE YOURE THE CLOSEST AND YOU OWE ME EVERYTHING”...

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wisdomrays · 6 years ago

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FORGIVENESS AND TOLERANCE IN ISLAM : Islam as a Religion of Universal Mercy

All-Merciful. He taught the Qur'an, created humanity, and taught it speech. (Al-Rahman 55:1-4)

All aspects of this life are a rehearsal for the afterlife, and every creature is engaged toward this end. Order is evident in every effort, and compassion resides in every achievement. Some "natural" events or social convulsions may seem disagreeable at first, but we should not regard them as being incompatible with compassion. They are like dark clouds or lightning and thunder that, although frightening, nevertheless bring us the good tidings of rain. Thus the whole universe praises the All-Compassionate.

Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is like a spring of pure water in the heart of a desert, a source of light in an all-enveloping darkness. Those who appeal to this spring can take as much water as is needed to quench their thirst, to become purified of their sins, and to become illuminated with the light of faith. Mercy was like a magical key in the Prophet's hands, for with it he opened hearts that were so hardened and rusty that no one thought they could be opened. But he did even more: he lit a torch of belief in them.

The compassion of God's Messenger encompassed every creature. He desired that everyone be guided. In fact, this was his greatest concern:

Yet it may be, if they believe not in this Message, you will consume (exhaust) yourself, following after them, with grief. (Al-Kahf 18:6)

O God, forgive my people, for they do not know.[ Qadi 'Iyad, Shifa', 1:78-9; Hindi, Kanz al-'Ummal, 4:93. ]

The Makkans, his own people, inflicted so much suffering on him that he finally emigrated to Madina. Even after that, the next 5 years were far from peaceful. However, when he conquered Makka without bloodshed in the twentyfirst year of his Prophethood, he asked the Makkan unbelievers: "How do you expect me to treat you?" They responded unanimously: "You are a noble one, the son of a noble one." He then told them his decision: "You may leave, for no reproach this day shall be on you. May God forgive you. He is the Most Compassionate."[ Ibn Hisham, Sirat al-Nabawiyah, 4:55; Ibn Kathir, Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, 4:344. ] 825 years later Sultan Mehmed II[ Sultan Mehmed II (the Conqueror) (1431-1481). The 7th Ottoman Sultan who conquered Istanbul in 1453. ] said the same thing to the defeated Byzantines after conquering Constantinople. Such is the universal compassion of Islam.

The Messenger displayed the highest degree of compassion toward believers:

He lowered unto believers his wing of tenderness through mercy ... (Al-Hijr 15:88)

... was the guardian of believers and nearer to them than their selves. (Al-Ahzab 33:6)

God no longer destroys unbelievers collectively, although He had eradicated many such people in the past:

But God would never chastise them while you were among them; God would never chastise them as they begged forgiveness. (Al-Anfal 8:33)

This verse refers to unbelievers regardless of time and place. God will not destroy whole peoples as long as there are some who follow the Messenger. Moreover, He has left the door of repentance open until the Last Day. Anyone can accept Islam or ask God's forgiveness, regardless of how sinful they consider themselves to be.

For this reason, a Muslim's enmity toward unbelievers is a form of pity. When 'Umar saw an 80-year-old man, he sat down and wept. When asked why, he replied: "God assigned him so long a lifespan, but he has not been able to find the true path." 'Umar was a disciple of God's Messenger, the prophet who said:

I was not sent to call down curses on people, but as a mercy.[ Muslim, Birr, 87. ]

Archangel Gabriel also benefited from the mercy of the Qur'an. Once the Prophet asked Gabriel whether he had any share in the mercy contained in the Qur'an, Gabriel replied that he did, and explained: "I was not certain about my end. However, when the verse: (One) obeyed, and moreover, trustworthy and secured (At-Takwir 81:21) was revealed, I felt secure."[ Qadi 'Iyad, as-Shifa' al-Sharif, 1:17. ]

I stand in prayer and wish to prolong it. However, I hear a child cry and shorten the prayer to lessen the mother's anxiety."[ Bukhari, Adhan, 65; Muslim, Salat, 192. ]

He took children in his arms and hugged them. Once when he hugged and kissed his grandson Hasan, Aqrah ibn Habis told him: "I have 10 children, none of whom I have ever kissed." God's Messenger responded: "One without pity for others is not pitied."[ Bukhari, Adab, 18. ] According to another version, he added: "What can I do for you if God has removed compassion from you?"[ Ibid., Adab, 18; Muslim, Fada'il, 64. ]

He said: "Pity those on the Earth so that those in the heavens will pity you."[ Tirmidhi, Birr, 16. ] Once when Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah became ill, God's Messenger visited him at home. Seeing his faithful Companion in a pitiful state, he began to cry and said: "God does not punish because of tears or grief, but He punishes because of this," and he pointed to his tongue.[ Bukhari, Jana'iz, 45. When 'Uthman ibn Mad'un died, he wept profusely. During the funeral, a woman remarked: "'Uthman flew like a bird to Paradise." Even in that mournful state, the Prophet did not lose his balance and corrected the woman: "How do you know this? Even I do not know this, and I am a Prophet."[ Ibid, Jana'iz, 3. ]

A member of the Banu Muqarrin clan once beat his female slave. She informed the Messenger of God, who then sent a message to the master. He said: "You have beaten her without any justifiable right. Free her."[ Muslim, Ayman, 31, 33; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 3:447 ] Setting a slave free was far better for the master than being punished in the Hereafter because of a wrong act. The Messenger of God always protected and supported widows, orphans, the poor, and the disabled, even before his Prophethood. When he returned home in excitement from Mount Hira after the first Revelation, his wife Khadijah told him:

I hope you will be the Prophet of this community, for you always tell the truth, fulfill your trust, support your relatives, help the poor and weak, and feed guests.[ Ibn Sa'd, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra', 1:195. ]

His compassion even encompassed animals. We hear from him:

Once while returning from a military campaign, a few Companions removed some young birds from their nest to caress them. The mother bird came back and, not being able to find its babies, began to fly around, calling out for them. When told of this, God's Messenger became angry and ordered the birds to be put back in the nest.[ Abu Dawud, Adab, 164; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 1:404 ]

While in Mina, some of his Companions attacked a snake in order to kill it. However, it managed to escape. Watching this from afar, he remarked: "It was saved from your evil, as you were from its evil."[ Sunan al-Nasa'i, Hajj, 114; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 1:385. ] Ibn Abbas reported that God's Messenger, upon observing a man sharpening his knife directly before the sheep to be slaughtered, asked him: "Do you want to kill it more than once?"[ Hakim, Mustadrak, 4:231. ]

His love and compassion for creatures differed from that of today's selfproclaimed humanists. He was sincere and measured in his love and compassion. He was a Prophet raised by God, the Creator and Sustainer of all beings, for the guidance and happiness of conscious beings—humanity and jinn—and the harmony of existence. As such, he lived not for himself but for others. He is a mercy for all the worlds, a manifestation of Compassion.

He eradicated all differences of race and color. Once Abu Dharr got so angry with Bilal that he insulted him: "You son of a black woman!" Bilal came to the Messenger and reported the incident in tears. The Messenger reproached Abu Dharr: "Do you still have a sign of jahiliyah (ignorance)?" Full of repentance, Abu Dharr lay on the ground and said: "I will not raise my head (meaning that he would not get up) unless Bilal puts his foot on it." Bilal forgave him, and they were reconciled.[ Bukhari, Iman, 22. ] Such was the bond of kinship and humanity that Islam created among a oncesavage people.

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