As the months and years go by, I realise that there is so much I have yet to see and do. In today’s terminology, I guess these things would form my ‘bucket list’. It’s not that I know what all of them even are as I know that there are some things out there I have yet to discover but when/if I do get to try them, I’ll know that they were things I’m so glad I tried.
A case in point is my recent road trip to Spain with my sons and others. This expedition was something that came into fruition only recently and at the first mention of the idea, I absolutely rejected it. However, some weeks later I found myself driving through France all the way to Southern Spain and relishing every minute of it. It wasn’t about the destination per se but the journey in and of itself was something to cherish.
There were many moments I would retreat into my own thoughts, despite seemingly being totally present in the company of others, only to reflect and wander in awe how Allah had given me yet another opportunity to marvel at life. From the people we encountered to the stunning natural vistas and captivating architectural splendours, all of these facets collided to create a feast for the senses. At some points, I simply couldn’t absorb any more because of being in sensory overdrive. But it was all a delicious feast, Alhamdulillah.
None of this I’d probably have ever experienced if my own personal circumstances had not provided the backdrop. What did my trip to Spain have anything to do with my divorce ten years ago? Well, no doubt my life would have taken a very different trajectory. However, Allah had other plans whereby He knew my sons and I would execute this idea into action and make unimaginably wonderful memories along the way. The re-routing of my life all those years ago was the harbinger for all that has followed since. It’s for this reason I now have a rekindled zest for life which has been aglow for so long.
Although I’m only too aware of my mortality, I’m also aware that the desire to squeeze as much as I can out of my remaining years, isn’t inherently a negative thing. I choose to remain rooted in my faith and yet combined with the desire to explore life more, I see that these are not two diametrically opposed things. I may be in the grips of wanderlust, but I believe I’m deservedly so as my travels have helped educate and liberate me. They have only ever lead me straight back to an eternal gratitude to Allah for all He has endowed me with on this earth. I pray that I forever remain in that default position of gratitude and always view my life through that lens. This applies not just to travelling but also the more routine things in life that can equally generate awe such as a good day at work. It’s for these very reasons that I say I am “not yet done“. I pray I never am satiated by life and manage to remember Allah through it all and extract what I can from it to carry me confidently into the next realm that awaits, insha’Allah.
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