The world is still exactly the same. And nothing is the same anymore
The seasons carry a certain air of sadness and nostalgia
The sweet abandon of a bittersweet childhood is long gone… the carefree self is long gone
Harsh realities are becoming more and more obvious with the changing atmospheres of the cosmos
With the seasonal clouds finally showing devastatingly beautiful colours hidden in their asymmetry
Distinguishing the black from the white without the murky grey hues in between is nearly impossible
So, every year at the beginning of the summer season, I make a promise to myself
A promise that this time- just this once- happiness will be possible
That every morning won’t be a ritual of nursing a heart that feels broken beyond repair
After having had so much to bear
Yet, here we are- in another season
On the same plane of existence, where the ones I have lost once roamed
Where my elders taught me that I had a life and skills to hone
But the world is a bizarre spectacle
So, I know it was always meant to be a debacle!
As the world rotates on an axis, with every “new world event” also occurring in a loop
Stories of one thousand, two thousand, three thousand years ago, being repeated over and over
The games never change but the players do
And by Allah
That’s a blessing if there ever was one
Because this dunya has a way of knocking one around to ensure that love for it doesn’t settle in the heart
And if this dunya isn’t permanent, it shouldn’t be home
If the purpose isn’t to roam the earth while being cognizant of its ability to turn on a dime,
The loss would, undoubtedly, be solely mine
Because you see, there’s a life to live- a life that you don’t get to set the rules for
And while this test is a temporary one
It’s easy to lose hope and drown in the increasing adversity that’s setting the tone
In those instances, you remember “Allah does not burden any soul with more than it can bear…
Do not lose heart, or despair…”
These verses are a life-line, the best there could be
And I know that Allah is always with me
That’s the way the world has always been exactly the same- and yet, nothing is the same anymore
