Posted by As a brief deviation from my ‘Understanding the Qur’an’ series, I would like to share two sayings (one today and one tomorrow) that I have found to be wise and encouraging. Philosophy has been defined as the pursuit of wisdom, and I know how much we all love stumbling upon a quotation that embodies a universal truth or that really resonates with the way we see the world. I hope that these two quotations inspire you in the same way as they have inspired me.
Today’s quote is as follows:
In order to be happy we need someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to.
I love the above saying, even though it is less religious in nature and perhaps more individualistic than the kind of sayings I would usually want to share. Interestingly, I feel the pandemic situation has impacted all three components of this saying in my own life. I hope it’s okay if I share a little about why and how that is.
In terms of having someone to love, I am a single guy and I don’t have one particular person in my life that I am especially close to, so my ‘love relationship’ is really my spiritual relationship with God (and actually, I hope this will always be the case whether I marry one day or not). I appreciate that an especially close relationship with another human being can be a wonderful thing. I feel I should also mention pets, and specifically, dogs! I don’t have a dog, but many people seem to value having a dog to love even above their human relationships, I have discovered. The thought of getting a pet has been on my mind, though I don’t think my tenancy agreement would allow me to get a dog.
In terms of something to do, I do have this need fulfilled, in that I have life goals and ambitions. However, with the pandemic going on, this area of my life has been severely challenged, and I have found myself focusing less on the long-term and more on simply trying to stay positive and make the most of each day. Many of my plans have been placed on hold, and I have had to adapt to living with greater levels of uncertainty than I am used to. However, I find there is always plenty to do, even though it sometimes takes a little extra effort to get focused and motivated during these strange times.
As for something to look forward to, this is rather complex for me at the moment. In terms of spirituality, I have been exploring both Islamic and Christian theology, and both religions insist there will be a resurrection and a day of judgement in the future. There is a sense in which I look forward to this, although it is always with trepidation because none of us know how God will judge us personally, and I believe God’s will is entirely free and that He can do with us as He pleases. I feel it’s unwise to deny this, although I do understand the hope Christians feel from believing they have been ‘made right’ with God through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus.
So, these are a few thoughts in response to the saying I quoted at the beginning of the article. Please feel free to share your response to the saying in the comments if it speaks to you personally, and do subscribe to the blog if you’d like to join me for another wise saying tomorrow. Until then, peace be with you!
Perfect Chaos 