From Parsley to Cilantro

Have you ever run out of your favorite garnish for your favorite meal?  If yes, then you and I have a lot to talk over.  So, the other day, I was out of parsley and went to my local store and  found the parsley area to be empty. Then, I considered cilantro as a substitute but saw that they looked not very fresh and almost withered.  All this happened after a severe storm that hit the Northeast region which almost left us soaking wet for a day.  Nevertheless, most of us survived the storm without thinking about how it happens to be?  Did water just pour down immeasurably from the sky?  Usually, we notice slight rain here and there, and at those times, it seems that water comes down in due measure.  That is, if I even get to notice the rain, let alone think about its Source of Existence.

“If you ask them, ‘Who sends water down from the sky and gives life with it to the earth after it has died?’ they (who oppose the messengers) are sure to say, ‘God.’ Say, ‘Praise belongs to God!’ Truly, most of them do not use their reason.” Quran (29:63)

The thing is that life keeps passing by one event after another, one summer after another and one stage after another.  Can you imagine, it is autumn now, one of my favorite times of the year, with the Holiday Pumpkin spice latte around the corner?!  What happened to last month, what happened to last year or a decade ago?  They all left and left me with my current state of being soon to depart.  Can I then claim ownership over my time, youth, and happenings?  No.  Things just come and go, like the storm which just passed and gave way to a warm sunny day.  How should I handle each passing moment?  Why does my heart ache every time a vacation is over? Ah, the story of the heart!   More so, why do I feel pain at the death of daylight?  It is as if I do not want daytime, livelihood, or activity to end.  Is this crying of the heart an excuse for something purposeful?  Just like when your head hurts, you know that there is a lack of oxygen flow within your system.  What can this state of being signify, as if I am yearning for something or something yearns for me?  This human situation that we all face at times is inexplicable.  Where can I possibly get the feeling of yearning for something from?  It seems that I am yearning for some point of support to give me comfort.  I am not talking about the comfort of life, which most people have.  As a thirteen years old girl, while looking at the Eiffel Tower by my childhood window and the school building next to it, I never understood the sporadic tear drops that came by with an intense feeling of a need for something, despite having it all.  This need for longing is more of an existential nature, i.e., what can satisfy my existence here?  That is the million dollars question!  What can be the Source of my existence here?  What can be the Cause of the existence of this universe?  It takes a whole lifetime to get a satisfactory answer to such a question.  A decade ago, I felt the same longing while looking at the New York City skyline during sunset standing on the rooftop of a workplace building.   Am I not supposed to be happy now, I addressed my wounded soul?  After all, why this sudden feeling of emptiness within me?  The reality is plain and simple, in our lifespan and different stages of existence presented here, we keep observing that: “ Nothing of this universe satisfies me in my existence here because they are all needy beings/creatures like me. (lailaha)”   So, will I ever cease to conclude such while I am still alive: “There must be a satisfying source as a remedy for my need, not from this universe to provide me with the support and comfort that I keep seeking. (illallah)  Our human journey is a depiction of this reality, and we will never have enough of it.

“For us God suffices, and He is the best disposer of affairs”. Quran (3:173)

Now, while cleaning out fresh cilantro and parsley, I realized how they are similar in regard to their colors and structure, however they differ in their taste, smell and texture.  Each stem of cilantro and parsley is perfectly created by a skillful designer, just like how you and I are each purposefully designed in our make with all the feelings that we experience including love, comfort and peace.

So, what am I grateful to?  The cilantro?  Parsley?  Summer vacation?  Sunlight?  Rather, am I being thankful to the Creator of the season, event/object, fresh herbs and rooftop sunset?  Am I appreciating the Creator of my state of being for presenting my reality with an aching heart introduced during teenage years?  It is only through this recognition, appreciation, and acknowledgment of the Provider of our Provisions and state of being that we can feel some sense of comfort in our existential journey here.

“All praise belongs to God, Lord of the universe”. Quran (1:2)