Has it been a very long time in your quest for your other half? What have been your obstacles? Perhaps no obstacles, just did not come across the one to sweep you off your feet. A lot of people get excited (especially single ones) with these kinds of juicy topics and anxious to read what’s next, as if this is it…get a life pal ?
We often hear in conversations: “Now, you are a full man, congratulations on tying the knot!” or, “Where is your other half?” As if man is not wholesome as a single being! “Verily, We created man on the most excellent of patterns.” Quran (95:4)
We need to be seriously considering how we view ourselves, more so how we view our existence and can be wholesome?
First of all, do you feel that you are owned? If you realize that you have an Owner taking care of you, then you are off to a good start. I am made, so I must have a Maker. This is so simple. It is like putting butter on bread. The One that made you did not disappear after developing you into an adult version. You are being created now, at this very moment by the Creator of the universe. How do you explain your hunger given to you every hour or so? Are your cells producing your hunger? Were you programmed that way and now running on autopilot!? When there is a malfunction in your body, then you reach out to this Creator to fix your issues as if calling a Plumber to fix your toilet. When the toilet is fixed, you say thank you to the Plumber, pay the bill and go on doing your business. Sometimes later, another problem arises and this time you put in some “Drano” to remove clogs. Yes, problem fixed, and you go on doing your business. That is how most of us live our lives. With such business-like transaction with the Source of your Existence, there is no doubt that you are not a wholesome being yet. You have not cultivated an active, friendly and lively relationship with the Source of your Existence. You have some serious work to do pal ?
“Read in the name of your Sustainer, who has created, created man out of a germ cell!” Quran (96:1-2)
Second of all, do you feel that you are more than your apparent material side? If you realize that you are mostly the endless feelings, desires and emotions that bombard you at any moment, then you have taken the second step to the good start. Example: I am “given” this sense of love towards an object/event, so I cannot be producing it. Neither is Mr. Darcy or Ms. Bennett (holler to all Jane Austen geeks out there), created beings like you and I producing this sense of love in me, yet this feeling of love exists in me and I am experiencing it. What is the Cause of Existence of this feeling? Since I am made, and I must have a Maker, this Maker must be the One producing this feeling in me. This Maker can be the only One to tell me what to do with these feelings and how to use them? The existence of this feeling puts me in a state of awareness that I have an Owner introducing Itself to me by giving me all sorts of feelings, including this feeling of love. (ever heard of the institution of Messengership? That is what it is for to help us manage ourselves according to our make. Click here to check out that series (still in progress) https://ifw.ha-mim.org/tag/arguments-for-messengership-series/)
My feelings, when I analyze them, connect me to the Source of my Existence where I realize that I am not traveling alone in this universe and through these feelings, my Maker makes His Presence known to me, otherwise how else would I get to know Him. As a result of working out these feelings and directing it back to its Origin, I feel a sense of connectedness, wholeness and satisfaction in my existence. “Thank you, O Source of my Existence, for making your presence known to me by activating the sense of love in me.” My Maker is by my side every step of the way guiding me by employing the Messenger for me as an exemplar with what to do when interacting with the universe. So, with the awareness of the Source of your Existence with you 24/7, can you really be a half? Check out “Creation is Love series” (part 9) by clicking here https://ifw.ha-mim.org/creation-is-love-9/ to get more insight into this matter.
Third of all, do you feel the need to love and be loved “always and forever”? If you realize that you are in need to be in an everlasting relationship, then you are on the right track, bravo pal ? Now, you must cultivate your relationship with the Source of your Existence as that is the only way that you can feel wholesome and satisfied in your being. After all, human beings are created perfect with no defect. Only when you feel satisfied in your being, can everything else be pleasurable.
Often, people are quick to jump into human to human relationship thinking that their partner/spouse/friend will fill them or make up for their loneliness, emptiness or unhappiness. Perhaps it works out in some cases beyond the honeymoon stage (ain’t no love expert here…), however, remember that the experiences here in this universe are very temporary and our human spirit desires something everlasting and Permanent i.e. an Ever-Loving One which your friend/child/spouse/family point to but are not it or the Source of it. How can they be? They themselves are in need of this everlasting happiness and love.
Similarly, we may quickly direct our hopes and desires into careers with the same expectations as above thinking that a fulfilling career will be rewarding and satisfying.
- Nothing in this universe satisfies the intimate needs (Eternal Happiness) that our spirit yearns for, everything here points to our need for a True Object of Love i.e. what we are on the way towards, Eternal Perfection and Eternal Satisfaction. Hence, use your experiences to reach the Ever-Loving One.
“If you love God, follow me, and God will love you.” Quran (3:31)
Finally, a well-toasted bread is strong as you can “easily” spread butter on it as opposed to an untoasted bread which breaks easily. Keep working on toasting your bread so you can easily spread any condiment of your choice over it. Sometimes, after spreading butter on a well-toasted bread, you can even spread jam over the butter since it is well-toasted and then keep enjoying more by sprinkling some crushed almonds or whatever over the toasty bread, the choice is yours pal ?.
Rejoice in this nicely toasted bread with jam & butter AND if on the way, you are “presented” with another bread, toasted/untoasted, with or without spread, depending on your choice, then feel free to form a partnership as a “SANDWICH” in the name of the Ever-Loving One and enjoy the delicious sandwich together as to make a full meal out of it, rather than a light meal (which is still a meal after all and can be wholesome, isn’t it?!).
And so, are you ready to be a SANDWICH yet? In other words, have you prepared yourself to be wholesome with the Source of your Existence?
Here is a famous saying of Imam Ali (may God be pleased with him) that goes along as follows to leave you with:
“Worship is of three kinds.
- You worship Something out of fear and thus you are a slave.
- You worship Something for being given things and thus you are a business man.
- You worship Something because It deserves to be worshiped and thus you are a free man i.e. “wholesome.”