Untitled Poem

Untitled

The light that shimmers off a river at night, follows me... follows me... to the left and the right.

If I lower my gaze or stare as I stroll, it follows me still as the waves slowly roll.

By Marc Lemere

The Balance of Life and the Hereafter

The Balance of Life and the Hereafter

This Ramadan I have delved deeper into what it is to be in this world and to live for the hereafter. I suppose it is not uncommon to live in the now and drink in each experience as it were the last. And in this example is where I seek to find my balance.

I have prayed deeply to gain understanding on what my purpose is here and to be given the direction needed to find my path, all the while enjoying life, friends, family and living in the moment. There is wisdom in living in the moment because none of us knows when our life will be over. I understand the beauty of coming to peace with the uncertainty of each day and taking in the good as it comes. I have also witnessed the destruction that can be caused by not heeding caution and allowing the whims of each moment to cause irrevocable consequences. No matter your religious beliefs, as humans we all live and learn and grow.

My faith has drawn me into a deeper connection with God through meditation, cleansing and giving. The more I seek to improve this connection (Iman), the more peace I find and positivity resonates. In Islam, a singular focus on serving God is achieved by lengthening the time and depth of your Iman. For example, I cleanse and pray for the morning. Then by avoiding sin and remaining as peaceful, loving and giving as I can for as long as I can, I have felt that connection remain unbroken. A pious person, such as a priest or nun, is in effect doing the same thing. These examples of Iman have one flaw, us. As humans we are constantly derailed from seeking God by the sins of the worlds we have created. No culture I have witnessed is immune and appears to just be a human condition. "Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves." (Sura 13:11)

So this brings me to the point. The balance of living in the moment and living for God (focusing on your Iman). I strongly believe in the hereafter and believe as most Muslims believe that we do not know until the day of judgment whether we will go to Heaven or Hell. The world around us, the job we go to everyday or school we attend, the friends we socialize with or things we do for fun... the things that take up most of our time. How much of it is for God? And if not for Him, how much of it is as He wants for us? Think about that for a minute. In arabic, the world you have made for yourself that is not for God is called "Dunya," or a "deceptive enjoyment." (Sura 57:20) The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said "The love of the world (dunya) is the source of all error." The focus of increasing your wealth, stature, or position are all diversions from what He truly wants for us. The boastful, pompous part of our nature, the need for social acceptance overwrites that which we know is wrong or sinful. And this is where we must find the balance.

Love the life you've been given. But remember this is all a test with outlined rules. Keep God in your heart and love your neighbor. Enjoy the beauty that He has created but do not be consumed by the diversion man has created. That is the balance.