If you want to be a grocer, or a general, or a politician, or a judge, you will invariably become it; that is your punishment. If you never know what you want to be, if you live what some might call the dynamic life but what I will call the artistic life, if each day you are unsure of who you are and what you know you will never become anything, and that is your reward.
Oscar Wilde
This week as I listened to The Lumineers’ ”Ophelia” on repeat, cooked myself nutritious full meals, went to work, worked out and got through my days, I’ve come to realise that my greatest and most invincible reflection to capture is the blessing of every passing moment of these days. The process of reflecting itself, having a mind to contemplate my surroundings, the ability to react to them, the words to express it, a heart to feel how present I am and a soul with a willingness to live and openness to gratitude. That is the essence that encompasses all blessings.
The reflection I think that sets ground for every other arising one lately, the one that keeps me grounded in self composure and gratitude is the meaning of ”serendipidity”. It resonates with my stark belief that every human embarks on his very own genuine path in life and how this path unravels the vast diverse experiences for each human bringing him closer not necessarily to what he yearned for in the very first place but hopefully to much greater places he wouldn’t have thought about. Some definitions of serendipity includes luck as a factor for discovering a valuable finding, but honestly I think everything, every single detail of our everyday, every person we meet, every place we go, everything we get on time, everything we thought we lost or got deprived of, every success, every unfairness, every tiny speck and print of us living on this planet, is all meant to be. It is all a part of a greater plan, not only for us as individuals but for the whole existence. So basically if we don’t get up for the seemingly mundane quotidian tasks of everyday, we won’t ever unleash the inherent gifts and hidden gems that keep us going. We won’t experience the serendipity that grants us the precious emotion of how it is to live with purpose and be present for everything that is your life is all about. Serendipity is not based on luck but rather on presence within yourself and within your surroundings that are genuinely curated for you to be the person you’re meant to be, to bring out the goodness that won’t exist except through you. Your very own presence is the gift you need to unravel each moment you’re blessed with this life. Serendipity is ingrained in your mindfully presence.
Being in a present state is a practice.You show up and great things find you. It is fundamentally the truest human practice ever, thus it’s essential to remind ourselves to accept how humane it is. As our own being, it is constantly prone to change, it grows through both strength and vulnerability, it shifts and adjusts. The one rare beautiful aspect about it, is that it allows us to slow down to check up on our systems, to take up space within ourselves. This check up is sometimes our savior when things get out of control, when we need to ground down. This check up can be the gift and is most of the times the emblem of serendipity. It literally could be one breath you take in a moment of anger to contain your emotions and save you many troubles. When you’re present for a breath, you’ll be present for whatever else greater in life. It all starts from within.
Some of my own ”Present to Serendipity” findings this week:
1.Advice should be asked for and be expressed with a great sense of so many considerations. However, reminders are much innately beautiful, lighter and more heartfelt and I find it even more effective. Reminders change how you feel, it calls for a heart change and that’s a true transformation. Reminders make us all feel connected as humans and that is our main craving in our lives. Maybe that’s why I long more for stories and fiction and always get amazed by the power a great story could hold on someone’s life. Stories make me feel connected and related in some way to a character’s struggles or views. Stories humble me, guide me to find compassion within myself to everyone around me. Stories advise me, lead me by setting examples. Stories are reminders. Reminders are my saviors.
Prayer: May I lead a life that could be a beautiful compassioante inspiring reminder for the people around me.
2.We always fight for our voices to be heard, and I always pray to be more vocal and find the courage to verbally express myself. In this quest, I’ve been more grateful recently for the ability of practicing listening attentively to everyone around me, appreciating the people who think of me, asking about how I am doing, sharing their newest updates, sharing our common interests. Listening is a beautiful a connection that is not to be taken for granted. Listening is a means of observing and being present with it opens up your space to noticing. That’s a whole other level of serendipity.
3.Trusting the process that is your life, unfolding to get you where you’re meant to be and currently you’re enjoying living in the unknown.
4.Appreciating the magic of cooking and cleaning. Taking care of your physical spaces directly influences how you handle your mental inner space. As I’ve learnt in yoga, a pose starts in your body but it roots down to your center.
5. Every human life is an amalgam of all his experiences combined. It’s amazing how simple little acts are direct markers and imprints of our way of doing things. Everyone has his own authentic way of doing the simplest act of his day. Every human has a pattern, a canvas that’s just his own and every tiny detail of his life adds a certain trace and shade that’s unique on its own. We are a beautiful creation.
6.You’ll never regret waking up early, night prayer specially when it’s cold, moving your body and silence.
Life lately…
Feel the Farha 