A Blink of an Eye: Conditions Reverse
A decision, a phone call, a single word, a signature on a paper, a heartbeat, a blink of an eye... In a split second, these can transform the life we knew and grew accustomed to into nothing more than a memory. We all know well that life is volatile, and it was created so. But the problem is that we live as if everything we possess is permanent, as if everyone around us will remain, as if every success we have achieved will never leave us, and as if every loss we have suffered will never depart. This is the greatest illusion. We always imagine that there is ample time between “was” and “became,” but in reality, it is a span of time not measured in minutes, but in destiny. How many people have fallen asleep holding onto hope, believing that tomorrow would bring relief, only to wake up to a reality that shattered their entire lives. And how many others have closed their eyes to the worries of this world, only to open them to a joy they never imagined was waiting for them. Life does not give warnings before it changes. Therefore, the wisest people are not those who know what will happen tomorrow, but those who prepare themselves for whatever may occur. Here lies the meaning of contentment. The more certain a person becomes of life’s rapid fluctuations, the more balanced they become in dealing with it. Contentment does not mean life unfolds exactly as we desire, but rather that we possess the maturity to accept what God has decreed without losing our composure, without exaggerating our emotions—rejoicing without arrogance, and grieving without collapse. If we win, we realize it is not an eternal victory; if we lose, we do not believe that everything has ended. Excessive attachment is the primary cause of pain. We cling to people as if separation is impossible, to positions as if they are eternal, to health as if illness will never find its way to us, and even to sorrow as if it will never depart. If humans deeply understood that everything in this world is transient, and that the only constant is God, our entire approach to life would change. Our relationships with others would become gentler, knowing they could disappear at any moment. We would be more grateful for the blessings we enjoy, recognizing they are not an acquired right. Our patience in the face of adversity would increase, because we realize that permanence is not part of life’s nature. Certainly, we cannot prevent life from changing, but, more importantly, we can choose how we receive this change. This is the difference between those whom events break and those whom events shape. Therefore, as we grow older, our prayers should not be for a life without fluctuations, for that contradicts its nature, but rather for steadfast hearts and for God to grant us the wisdom to remain undeluded by its prosperity and unbroken by its decline. Iqbal Al-Ahmad
