Skip to main content

Waiting in line

Image
By
It is 250pm and I have decided to write.

I came across a writing prompt today that piqued my interest: What would you be willing to wait in a really long line for?

My first question is, how long are we talking? One hour? One day? One year? A lifetime?

The prompt seems paradoxical to me. The longer I am willing to wait, the more important the thing at the end of the line must be. But if it is truly that important, how could I live without it for so long? If I am willing to wait a lifetime, then perhaps I never really needed it at all.

Then there are the practical questions. What am I allowed to do while I wait? How do I pass the time? Eventually I will need to use the bathroom, take a shower, brush my teeth, eat, sleep, and continue living. I cannot simply press pause on life because I am standing in a line.

Maybe that is what bothers me most. Standing in a line feels like surrendering a part of my freedom. My path is fixed. My pace is determined by everyone in front of me. I can neither move ahead nor turn back without giving up my place. Surely there has to be a shortcut.

Or maybe there is not.

Perhaps life itself is one long line. We wait for opportunities, for love, for healing, for success, for answers. We spend our days inching forward without ever knowing exactly how much longer the wait will be and for sure what is at the end of the line.

Maybe what we need and what would be the "shortcut" is the line that ends all lines and all waiting. But that is assuming that waiting is a bad thing. Maybe waiting is not so bad after all. Makes us appreciate things more. I am sure you have heard that distance makes the heart grow fonder or the wait was worth it. Whether we are in a line or out of a line, let go and let God. Either fix it if we can or let go of what is out of our control.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Servant of God

By
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...
Post a Comment
Read more

The answer is God

By
It is 308pm and I have decided to write. Make God a priority. Let God lead the way. Let everything be about God. Let God into your life. Surround yourself with God and watch how everything begins to make sense. This life is not an accident. This life is not happenstance. This life is the work of an all-powerful Creator. Nothing is too big or too small for God. Take your problems to God. Take your worries to God. Take your fears to God. Let go and let God. Submit to the will of God. The more you go to God, the more He comes to you. Start small. Start somewhere. Give God a chance if you have not done so already. Why do I say all of this? There are many things competing for your attention and your soul. In the midst of all of this, the world can seem like a confusing place where many things do not make sense. God brings clarity. God brings clarity because God sits above it all. You may think you do not need God until you do. Ask yourself, who is the wisest you know? If God is not the wise...
Post a Comment
Read more

Halfway there

By
It is 542pm and I have decided to write. Imagine half the year is gone already. Where did it all go? It has gone by so quickly. Before you know it we will be entering 2027. It would be nice if I had something interesting to write about but I do not. And that is ok. Today feels like a Friday, maybe because it is month end. It is the next day and today also feels like a Friday. I am in my quiet corner listening to Quran. It is the next day and I have not gotten far with this blog post. Outside is wet but inside is between warm and cool. Another day has passed and I still have not written much. Do you wonder sometimes what it would be like if we could see into the future? For example, what would it be like at the end of this year? A lot can happen in 6 months. It is Sunday now. Surely I should finish this blog post today. The closer I move towards God, the less I feel attached to this world. The less I feel disappointed. The lower are my expectations for things of this world. Life becomes...
Post a Comment
Read more