Life shouldn’t always be about the perennial search for things to do or see which are unequivocally different or mammoth compared to the run-of-the-mill version of things that the majority of people might do. However, it seems this is the path that many have chosen to take. We are no longer keeping up with the Jones’. The Jones’ have been left trailing far behind. We are looking to set new standards ourselves.
But it’s a fallacy to think that bigger is a synonym for better. Or that what we desire is to be found elsewhere rather than right here. With that mindset, so much in life slips us by inadvertently. In the search for something that we think will enhance our lived experiences, it’s likely that we miss the smaller things that could just as well bring us great joy or spiritual elevation.
A case in point is a car journey I did yesterday when I took my son back to university with my sister as company too. Although there was nothing particularly special about the journey itself, it was an opportunity to catch up with my sister about our respective lives and cherish the time together. It also was a chance to appreciate the sprawling nature we passed by – green fields, rolling hills, copses of trees and canals. These are the seemingly mundane things which are too easily overlooked and yet are in front of us constantly vying for our attention. Busy with distractions, we fail to notice the susurration of trees, the birdsong in the morning or the wondrous sunrise and sunset.
And why is that? Personally, I blame the existence of the mobile phone and more broadly, the internet. As much as it has broadened our horizons, the internet has ironically enough, also simultaneously led to the death of the inquisitive mind. Our heads are cluttered with unnecessary information and images most of which serve little purpose and are of even less consequence. This has lead to a lamentable self-destruction not just of the brain and mind but also of the soul. We now look but do not see; we hear but do not listen.
This is why opportunities to completely detach from routine and take time to immerse myself in my surroundings, with a heightened consciousness, is absolutely key to my wellbeing. It brings a elevated spiritual state and is a testimony to my functioning intellectual self. I believe that that the intellectual persona is inextricably linked to the spiritual one which is why seeing the world and being present in it cannot occur without reflecting on Allah.
All around us, there are things to marvel at. From the myriad fruits that sustain us, to the unique symmetrical snowflake, there is plenty to contemplate and appreciate. It simply takes an enquiring, interested mind to nurture that curiosity and seek meaning in what would otherwise become a meaningless existence.
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