How is life treating you?

People never answer this question honestly, do they? You ask them, "What's up?" and they never say, "Oh brother, let me tell you," and start pouring out their troubles. Because people don't want to burden others.

But the reality is that many people are suffering in some way. They are dealing with:

■

Job stresses

■

Financial worries and debt

■

Illness, either their own or a family member's

■

Family problems

■

Loneliness

Life can be hard sometimes. It can be lonely, frustrating, confusing and painful.

But Alhamdulillah, although life has its challenges, it's still precious isn't it? Every moment is a chance to get closer to Allah, to express the talents He has given us, and to feel the sunshine on our faces.

If life is hard, hang in there. Ask yourself what steps you can take to make things better. Even if they are tiny steps – so small that they seem insignificant to you – have faith, they will make a difference in time.

In the meantime, count the blessings you've been given. In Surat Ar-Rahman, Allah asks us over and over again, "Fa bi ayyi aalaai rabbikumaa tukathibaan." "Then which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?"

Breathe deeply and feel your chest rise. Hold your head up. Bite into a grape or strawberry and taste the pure goodness of it. Step outside and feel the breeze or the sun on your face. Go the park, sit down with your back against a tree, and praise Allah. Life is hard, but it's precious.

I'm not dismissing anyone's problems. They are real. But don't lose sight of the other side of the equation. When I look at my daughter, I see that Alhamdulillah she is healthy, bright, and she loves me. So how can I ever feel despair, or be ungrateful to Allah? I cannot.

We should also notice the goodness of others around us. I teach a martial arts class, and I have one student who always shows up early, sets up the mats and the fans, and brings some equipment. I'm very grateful for him. The world is full of people like that, positive people who, no matter what they're doing in life, bring positivity.

Also, the world is full of heroism.

I just read an article in the San Francisco Chronicle about a woman in China who caught a falling baby. This is true, it happened in a city called Hangzhou a few days ago. The baby is a two year old girl named Zhang Fangyu, but known by the nickname Niu Niu. She was in her grandmother's care.

Well, the grandmother went out to the store and left the girl alone in the apartment. The apartment was on the 10th floor. Apparently Niu Niu managed to get out on the balcony and climbed up the railing, then fell over. The child grabbed on to the railing out of pure instinct and held on for a moment. Well, this other woman, a 31 year old mother, was passing by and she saw what was happening. Just as she saw it, the baby let go and began to fall. The woman kicked off her high heels, ran, and held out her arms, and SubhanAllah, she caught the baby. The woman was knocked unconscious, and her arm was broken. The baby suffered some internal injury but Alhamdulillah she's alive, and recovering.

The woman told state TV that when she saw the dangling baby, she thought of her own 7-month old son, who had recently fallen out of his high chair and cut his mouth. She said, "I thought to myself, I should stretch my arms to her. Because I am right here, I must get her. Then I made it. I caught her."

Real life heroes are ordinary people who do extraordinary things.

If you watch the TV news, you might think that the world is nothing but crime, robbery and war. It's important to remember that the TV news gives us a skewed perspective. Their motto is, "If it leads, it bleeds." The truth is that while we human beings are far from perfect, there are heroes everywhere, and the world is full of compassion, and life is brimming with small joys and pleasures from day to day.

Life is hard, and the world is full of troubles, but the sun still shines, and Allah's blessings are everywhere in our lives.