Somewhere between being a lovable, cute, cuddly child, an awkward teenager, and a young adult, many people lose their self-esteem, their sense of value and worth. There is no simple answer as to why this happens, so there is no sense in trying to explain it. But what we can do is get back to basics and rediscover the essential, innate preciousness of every living soul. What happens to many of us is that we learn to look in the mirror and then hate what we see.

The pure souls of children are eager to discover everything around them. They reach out and are willing to try new things and to take risks. If young children look into a mirror, they will laugh and will look at their eyes, nose, mouth, and hair and just accept themselves as they are with an open heart!

On TV, there are a number of programs that focus on "improving" people's lives by turning plain people (meaning not beautiful in worldly terms) into gorgeous (successful in worldly terms) human beings. The chosen person has to undergo all kinds of surgery, personal training, and then gets fixed up with a new wardrobe and a new image. Physical beauty is seen as the key to success; it's the indicator that "you've made it!"

If you notice the people before they have taken part in this process of outer change, you will see people who are depressed and sad, have low self-esteem, and feel isolated and unloved, as if they have no value. Because they live in a society that values physical qualities such as outer beauty, they obviously do not fit in. So the answer is (for them at least) to surgically change themselves to conform to the standards of their society rather than simply appreciate themselves for who they are.

It is important to note that today's modern, superficial, materialistic world is moving too fast. The world is now filled with people with eating disorders, depression, and indebtedness because they feel compelled to spend their money on the latest fashions and so on in order to be accepted. Ultimately such people wind up feeling depressed, in debt, and often in failed relationships because they have not learned to develop their inner selves and to be who they are.

Despite all this, deep down inside all the insecurities, paranoia, confusion, isolation, and depression, they are real people — who have real souls, real potential, real value, and yet remain unrecognized unless they conform to society's standards of beauty and success. You should hear the applause when the surgically transformed woman shows her new self to her peers and they celebrate her conformity to ritualistic beauty!

We walk the path of our lives, and along the way Allah gives us some of His endless bounties whether or not we deserve them — the sun shines on everyone! We have our faculties, intellect, insight, physical capabilities, the world around us, the people in our lives, the abilities He portioned out among mankind, and opportunities. He alone knows the decisions we will inevitably make because He is the All-Knower of the seen and the unseen. Every single soul counts! Every single person in this world is valued and accounted for by Allah!

Even as an unborn baby, each human being, including you, is known and recorded in Heaven. Your words, actions, and each footstep you take are recorded by angels that never leave you. You matter! You are an important and significant part of Allah's creation! He the Almighty created you! He created your sustenance! He created all the things you see, use, and enjoy in this life. And Allah is so wise and merciful, He doesn't look at our outer forms; He looks inside our hearts.

Only superficial human beings look at the outer appearance of people — their physical beauty or lack of it, skin color, level of wealth and social status, and all that — but such people, by being preoccupied with worldly measures, miss out on the real you — the living, breathing, thinking, feeling, dreaming, caring person who is housed within the outer form that so many people in the world are obsessed with. You matter!