Humans are undoubtedly a highly adaptable species; the mere fact that homo sapiens can be found in every corner of the globe - no matter how remote or how harsh the environment might be - is testament to that versatility. Yet adaptability is not the primary attribute that is manifest in our being: it is habit.
Routine can easily become ingrained in our lives and we become comfortable with the predictability. But when it is threatened or disrupted it can bring discomfort or even wreak havoc, depending on one's disposition and ability to handle uncertainty.
Having quit my job and now being on the road with no specific end could qualify as a routine disrupting situation. However being in control of the decision makes it a lot more palatable. Nonetheless it does cause me some anxiety, from time to time.
As mentioned in an earlier post I will be using this time to write and to clear my head and figure out where to go. I do have a short-term plan though. I shall be travelling for two months, slowly making my way back home to Pakistan. The places I am visiting are both old and new. I shall get a chance to see old friends and perhaps even make new ones. But since the intent of my "sabbatical" - if we may call it that - is to write I figured my travelling should be minimal so I do not spend too much time, and especially money, on my adventures.
Also my philosophy with travelling is to stop along the way to my destination, primarily because I hate to take excessively long flights. I remember the first time I flew out of the country when I was moving to Canada for grad school. The flight was a 14 hour long haul! There were several times mid-flight I would wake up after falling asleep to expect a good portion of time to have passed, only to realize to my dismay that it had been just 20 minutes...
I digress.
Being on the road, on the path of uncertainty can be daunting and scary. However surrendering to the ebbs and flows releases one from the anxiety that comes along with it. Whether you call that force God, Allah, Jesus, the Universe, karma, the essence is the same: giving in to something far greater than yourself. I do not refer to jumping in blindly or that some predestination is in effect; I am a strong endorser and believer in free will and the need for humans to create and decide their own destiny. In fact one should take stock of their situation and take practical steps to create a positive trajectory. It will be a struggle, whether physically or psychologically, but every pressing time helps mold an individual: it forces us to adapt to our new environment and situation.
I came across a quote today that sums up this sentiment very succinctly:
"If there is no struggle, there is no progress." - Frederick Douglass
What lies ahead, or at the end of the road? I do not know. I cannot say. But I shall find out. And so my first stop: the city that never sleeps - New York City.
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The featurelessness of the Ka'abah is symbolic of this non-representation, and an affirmation of the monotheistic creed. And particular to Islam, its veiled-ness symbolizes the unknowability, the ineffability, and hence the inability to represent or depict Allah.