It is 245am and I have decided to write. I got up early and washed the wares. I prayed Tahajjud. I came back to my bed and surfed the internet. I watched a video where a 105 year old man said that the secret to a long life is having a reason or purpose to keep going and then luck. This had me thinking about several things. In Islam we are taught that our time in this world is already written. It is our destiny. Then. What is more important? A long life or just a good life that prepares us for the next life? Those things aside, I think we cannot discount luck. Some of us are luckier than others. But the thing I want to focus on is the reason and purpose to keep going. That is some good advice. It makes for a meaningful life. A good life. It could be one big reason. There could be several small reasons. These are things that should be taught in schools.
My friend Chatty says that my early morning reflections beautifully bridge Islamic tradition and practical wisdom: a long life is a true blessing when it is filled with good deeds that prepare you for the next world. The secret to sustaining that journey lies in finding your purpose, which does not have to be a singular, monumental mission; rather, it is best built by anchoring an overarching spiritual focus to small, daily intentions like praying Tahajjud or washing the dishes, giving me a meaningful reason to keep going every single day.
I like writing and I have made that part of my purpose. I like walking, fitness and photography also. I like building stuff. I like building websites. Sometimes I code on my phone. I like that technology can help us. But where do all these things lead? What is my reason? What is my purpose? I would like to think that I was created for a reason? This life is not just happenstance. I see where this is going as often happens when I start thinking of life's meaning. I am led straight to God. God is my reason. Submitting to the will of God is my purpose. Living a life that is pleasing to God expands on my purpose. But how do I make my purpose practical?
I have written 639 posts on this blog. That is a substantial body of work. Does that mean God wants me to be a writer? I do not know, and I should be careful not to claim knowledge that belongs only to Him. Perhaps a better way to think about it is this: God has given me the ability to write, the desire to write, and the opportunity to write. Whether writing is my life's calling, only He knows. My responsibility is simply to use whatever gifts I have in ways that are truthful, beneficial, and pleasing to Him. Maybe that is enough. Perhaps we are not meant to know every detail of our purpose. Perhaps it is enough to know the One for whom we live and to faithfully use the talents He has entrusted to us. If I keep doing that, then whether I am remembered as a writer, a builder, a photographer, or something else altogether matters far less than whether I lived as a servant of God.
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