Reflection by Umm e Maham
Our way of seeing life determines our experience with life. The perception that we have of the world around us could either be contending, rooted in the ideology of “survival of the fittest”, or we could feel fullness within ourselves, rooted in “gratitude”. The first condition will create feelings of being inadequate in all spheres of life and one will start doing things to get things for the future, hence creating even more frustration and emptiness. While if we appreciate what we have and feel we have already received in excess of our due, we can enjoy what’s already been granted and do things from that place of fullness.
While these perceptions impact our experience of life, others will also experience this when they interact with us. We feel calmness and gratitude around those who are grounded in their fullness, while the emptiness could be equally felt. This perception of seeing life affects our relationship with our selves, our Creator, other people, our work, successes and failures of our lives. Survival of the fittest is such a flawed concept that it creates a non-collaborative and a very competitive environment, which doesn’t give benefit to even those who are combating with the world. Gratitude has such power that it can make you learn and grow even in the most challenging times of life.
One of the key purposes we all have is reprogramming ourselves and re-cultivating this perception to recognise the place of fullness and gratitude. It’s a journey of self-discovery, transformation and finding our own voice. Once we make this transformation and shift, fullness will start changing our experience of life – where we will experience others to be more collaborative and giving. We realise that it was all alright from the start and there was no injustice. It’s a realisation that it’s all amazing and miraculous.
The starting point is, how do you see your life? Do you see your life as full or inadequate? This is a shift you should take to rediscover the fullness of life. One small action you can take is to start journaling every day and write in a way to see the blessings in your life. Once you start seeing the things you are grateful for, strengthening your gratitude and fullness will change your interactions and experience of life.
Below is a beautiful discourse by Shaykh Ebrahim, which will help you in rediscovering your fullness and changing your life experience. The transcription is available here.
Article is depicting an urge for fullness and the desire to become what our Allah wants from us
Initially it always seemed like there is inadequate in everything what is in my life whether kids family clothes and even environment but few years back a shock made me think that what is this life ? Why and what am I wanting from this life ? Then I realised nothing is in my control but the blessings in my life means a lot ! I need to be more thankful and since then it’s the gratitude and closeness to Allah which developed fullness in me and this gave a sense of contentment in me
Want to add more I have learnt fullness from my husband too Alhumdulillah
It’s a great feeling that I am most of the time counting my blessings rather anything else.
Alhumdulillah
This is me ?