In order to start my early morning journey after a productive sleep, I prepared my bag before going to bed. I left it by the door, completed my night routines, and walked towards my bed with a relaxed mind. I surrendered myself to the warm embrace of sleep. After a restful five hours, I woke up to the ringing alarm. This journey was for visiting friends, and I stepped outside with excitement.
It was a quiet morning. I tried to catch my train by getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city. As the coolness of the air touched my face, I witnessed the magnificent Divine creations in nature. Birds dancing in the sky, leaves swaying on branches, flowers gliding in the wind; I smiled broadly, announcing the daylight to each of them. The hollows on our faces filled with the love we felt for each other.
Our conversation with the flowers must have taken a while, as I hurried to catch the train, breathless but thankfully caught it. I checked my ticket and found my seat. After passing two wagons, I learned that I would share the same compartment with an elderly lady, whom I assumed to be her daughter, and a little girl. After a warm greeting, I settled into my seat. As the train started moving, my eyes began to wander over the trees and the foothills of the mountains. It was as if my soul was celebrating existence. After offering my gratitude for the blessings, the affectionate gestures of the little girl were enough to build a bridge of conversation between us. We managed to establish a place in each other’s hearts in the steam of a warm tea. Sharing the feelings that reside in the depths of our hearts with words seemed to inspire our souls, and we realized that the little girl was getting sleepy. We ensured a quiet environment for her to sleep, and we all turned to our own inner seas.
I began to follow the journey, seizing the opportunity. While watching, a gift I had bought for my friend suddenly came to mind. I took it out of my bag. I opened its quite secure box and greeted it with the sunlight. I held it in my hand. We gazed at each other for a while. Once again, it took me on a journey from where I was.
Grains! Following each other, racing with each other, chasing each other. What was rushing them so frantically? It ended! I turned it again. Same marathon, same speed.
It was a world journey. This was a human being. This was an experience. I must have made some noise with excitement and the inspiration of exploration because the elderly lady gestured for me to be quiet with her finger. I looked at my gift. I looked at the inspiration. I looked at her daughter. I looked at life’s reality. I looked at her granddaughter. “This is the worldly life!” I said. That was it; it was an hourglass journey; a race where seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, and years intertwined, raced with each other, and the winner was unknown. The scene in front of me, the gift in my hand, seemed like the lost pieces of a puzzle. I turned the gift upside down again; I watched it as if afraid to blink my eyes. It poured, poured, poured. These grains were people, it was death. It was a journey to the intermediate realm. The last grains fell; it was the Day of Judgment. I shuddered. I turned it again; the Day of Resurrection, the sands were flowing again. It connected two lives. It was the link from the world to the Hereafter, from the Hereafter to eternal life.
I lifted my head and regretted not noticing the life painting that had been in front of my eyes since morning. No matter where you look from, the result is the same; granddaughter-daughter-elderly lady or elderly lady-daughter-granddaughter.
A magnificent reminder, a superb warning. I regretted not being able to see the life painting that had been in front of my eyes since morning. Wherever you look, the result is the same; granddaughter-daughter-aunt or aunt-daughter-granddaughter.
A tremendous reminder, a splendid warning. When you recall worldly life, you understand how short life is. Time is the most valuable treasure bestowed upon us humans. Utilizing it, organizing it is the greatest duty. Capturing its harmony, understanding its value, living today, learning from the past, looking to the future with hope, being human, knowing and recognizing the Truth, are indispensable.
So, how does one catch up with life while it swiftly passes by? Where and how does one begin to organize one’s life? I thought for a moment. I had heard it somewhere in the flow of time. Organization is achieved with the most beautiful worship. In fact, the All-Merciful sent the guide. One of the five pillars… A flawlessly planned, flawlessly inviting requirement. One of the requirements that hide the arrangement and blessings of the day, nourishing peace. Voices started to ring in my ears, it must be time! The muezzin proclaimed with a powerful voice:
“Hayya ala as-salah, hayya ala as-salah.
Hayya ala al-falah, hayya ala al-falah.”
“Come to the Prayer, come to the Prayer.
Come to salvation, come to salvation.”
It was the voice of invitation and organization that hides the secret, a call to salvation. My soul calmed down as the windows in front of me opened.
The little granddaughter also opened her eyes with the voice of the imam, and together we ended the spiritual journey we embarked on. Who knows who traveled where, but this journey was good for all of us. After hugging each other with loving looks, I lifted the gift I had and filled our missed teas, both warming up and continuing our conversation where we left off.
Illustration by Mualla Gün.
