Weighing Scales: Balancing Deeds and Destiny
By Kateb Nuri-Alim Shunnar
Life’s a constant series of quiet decisions, each one stacking up on a scale we can’t see. One day, though, those scales Meezan, as they’re called will tip, revealing the truth of who we are. Not by the cars we’ve driven, the applause we’ve chased, or the stuff we’ve hoarded, but by the sum of our intentions and actions. It’s not a scary thought, but it’s a sobering one a kind of final exam for how we’ve lived. And trust me, you can’t cram for this one at the last minute.
I’ll admit, I used to think life was all about chasing the shiny stuff: having girls, living in a big city, being surrounded by friends, and having the freedom to do whatever I wanted. Back then, I thought I had it all. But I was so wrong. That life, as glamorous as it seemed, left me feeling hollow like I was running on a treadmill, going nowhere fast. It took me a long time to realize that none of it mattered if my heart wasn’t in the right place.
The truth? If the Creator isn’t at the core of it all, all that so-called success becomes a weight dragging you down. It’s like carrying a pocket full of rocks and wondering why you’re sinking. And when it’s time for your scales to be weighed, none of it counts. What matters is the love you’ve shared, the wrongs you’ve made right, and the lives you’ve touched.
These days, I see the world around me unraveling like the moral fabric of humanity is worn down to threads. People are so caught up in their egos, letting their bad deeds pile up like dust in a forgotten attic. But the thing about the scales is, they don’t lie. They don’t care about your justifications, your excuses, or your distractions. They weigh the truth of your soul, and that truth is something none of us can run from.
At this point in my life, I’m cleaning out the attic of my soul. I’m sorting through the regrets, the grudges, the moments I’d rather forget, and figuring out what to do with them. It’s not fun, but it’s necessary because I know one day, every choice I’ve made will be weighed. And when that day comes, I want to stand tall, knowing I’ve done the work to make things right.
It’s not about being perfect I’ve messed up more times than I care to admit. But it’s about owning my mistakes, making amends, and learning to treat people better. I’ve started paying attention to how I speak, how I act, and even how I think about myself. I’ve learned to give grace because I’ve been given grace, and to show mercy because I’ve been on the receiving end of it more times than I deserve.
My grandmother, Celstine, used to say, “There’s not a leaf that falls without the Creator knowing it.” As a kid, I thought she was just trying to scare me into being good. I’d roll my eyes and think, There she goes again. But now? Now I get it. She wasn’t trying to frighten me she was trying to wake me up. She was reminding me that nothing escapes the Creator’s sight, that every action and intention matters.
That realization changed me. I stopped brushing off my mistakes and started facing them head on. I stopped treating people like they were disposable. And I started asking myself the hard questions: Am I living a life that reflects the grace I’ve been given? Am I building others up, or am I tearing them down? Because the Creator sees it all every careless word, every selfish act, every missed opportunity to do good.
Life is hard enough without adding to someone else’s pain. So I’ve decided to let kindness lead me, even when it’s tough. Especially when it’s tough. It’s not about being a saint it’s about being human in the best way possible. Because when my scales are weighed, I want them to tip toward love, compassion, and everything the Creator has patiently taught me.
The scales, to me, aren’t just about judgment they’re about balance. They remind me to check myself, to ask if I’m living in alignment with the Creator’s will. And more than that, they remind me to stay connected to the Creator because without that connection, even my best efforts won’t hold much weight.
At the end of our lives, we must face a truth that no one can escape: we will have to answer for the way we’ve lived. No excuse, no logic, no justification will hold up in that moment. The scales will reflect the truth, plain and simple. So today, I ask all of us to take stock of our lives. Let’s clean house, fix what’s broken, and do acts of kindness that matter. Let’s stop using our words and actions to hurt others and start using them to heal.
This is why I write. I write to inspire, to encourage, to motivate. No, I’m not much of a talker my verbal skills are pretty rough if I’m being honest. But I’ve found my voice through writing. It’s my way of communicating what’s in my heart, what I believe my Creator has blessed me to share. And through these words, I hope to remind others and myself that the weight of our deeds matters. That living with intention, love, and grace is the only way to tip the scales toward a destiny we can be proud of.
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