Burhan Shah – a happiness coach - taught me that we should be thankful for all the prayers that have been answered and even those that have not been answered, and rightfully so....
INTROSPECTION
Burhan Shah – a happiness coach - taught me that we should be thankful for all the prayers that have been answered and even those that have not been answered, and rightfully so.
Consider the instances in the past when you believed something would be beneficial for you but it never manifested. Close your eyes, and reflect on one such event, or perhaps muse on an unfulfilled hankering.
You’re thinking about it, right?
Accepting Allah’s plan at that time was challenging, right?
But now, when you look back, do you concede Allah’s plan was the best?
Is it because your faith asks you to put trust in Allah because He is the best of the planners, or is it because you have seen beautiful things coming out of that unwanted event and because you have realized that what you were seeking was probably not going to give you your expected out-comes?
I used to think of myself as an adjusting individual, but at times when I had to experience change, somewhere in my heart I never wanted to accept that. For instance, I always wanted to stay at my academy, with my friends, within that same environment. And, of course, this was nowhere close to a realistic desire. It was indeed an absurd idea but we tend to make such wishes - we all do. Unfortunately, sometimes these thoughts have severe implications.
We are vulnerable in the present because of our glorious and prosperous past or because we want a trouble-free future. Borrowing from one of Burhan’s sessions, we are either concerned today about the mistakes we made in the past or concerned about what the future has in store for us. As a result, we are simply killing our present.
Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher and Allama Iqbal (May Allah be pleased with him) wrote on the concept of change. They regarded change as the sole constant in the universe. Iqbal, in his eloquence, described it thus:
Sukoon Muhal Hai Qudrat Ke Kaarkhane Mein
Sabat Aik Taghiyur Ko Hai Zamane Mein
(Quiescence is difficult in the universe
Only change is permanent in the universe.)
From a distance, it might not appear that anything has changed in our lives. On the macro level, things appear to be very similar. That, however, is never the case. Our lives, our activities, the way we perceive occurrences, things that bother us, events that comfort us, our circles of concern and our circles of influence are evolving on a daily basis. This continuous remodeling in the design of our lives and these ever-changing colours of our sky sometimes brings immediate benefits and sometimes we learn, adapt and see betterment over time. A third alternative does not exist, at least not to the best of my limited understanding.
There is also a perspective problem. Individuals, particularly youth, see those who are doing better in their lives than they are and sometimes become demoralized and depressed. Here is where they begin to believe that they are inadequate and incompetent people. They can also cease making an effort themselves if they see their peers struggling in their lives. Extremes like these are dangerous.
Linking this to what Burhan Shah mentioned, the problem is that even while the world around you will unavoidably change, if you do not start living in current reality, you will stop developing. I have discovered that writing is simple, but putting what you write into practice is challenging. I am thankful to a friend who helped me realise that we can find a solution to keep up our pace with the turbulence in the environment.
Do you find adapting to change hard?
Begin by practicing thankfulness. You will never be appreciative in the future if you are not grateful today. There must be something to be grateful for even if today wasn’t the best. I will say it again: despite what went wrong, there must be something to be grateful for. Start practicing mindfulness and paying attention to the little things you should adore.
Be grateful for a joke told in class. Be appreciative of your good table tennis serve, while you are just a beginner. Be thankful for the brownies that someone baked for you. Say a prayer of thanks to Allah for those who keep you from losing hope. Praise Allah for achieving even the smallest of your goals today.
You can’t stop the change, but you can embrace that with gratitude and grace.
