Monday, June 16, 2008
On Routine
What is it about routine that we have a love-hate relationship with?
Love because it gives us meaning; purpose; or something to do with our time, in the crudest sense.
Hate for sucking away our energies and vacuuming clean our ‘free times’.
The presence of routine brings feelings of worthiness, value, pride on the one hand, and boredom, mundanity, repetition on the other. It is my mind’s desire that it get used to a certain routine for stability to appear. Yet the fleeting spirit within me wants to break away from routine to be in sync with the spontaneity that life hails forth.
The fleeting spirit is satisfied to know that routine shall soon be broken, although the rhythm of life continues to keep things afloat.
A break in routine is important and inevitable for the cycle of growth to continue. Why fear it then?
It is amazing that God Almighty so carefully breaks the routine we so joyfully enjoy.
Perhaps to teach us that life is more exciting than the mundane; more colour exists than the black and white which routine shapes our sight with. That wherever there is fear for the human being becoming stagnant; a change in pattern, repetition, occurs to highlight the great realization that God Almighty has more in store for us than the routinised cycle of daily events.
This is the way to empower our spirit towards accepting that change is for our betterment. Routine is thus the opposite of change. And a break in it results in change.
Change is necessary for the growth of the spirit and for man to realise his ultimate potential as God’s ambassador.
But what makes change difficult to accept is our unwillingness to understand the true nature of routine.
I read Paulo Coelho say that when we see each day as the same we miss the many miracles around us all the while.
Maybe this is why a natural break in routine should be praised and not cursed.
Routine:
Break it occasionally to see what you are otherwise missing out on. Don’t go to the same place everyday. Speak to someone you haven’t in a while. This will help you stay prepared for the ground-moving moments God sends you unexpectedly.
(Hand-written: 17/3/08 - 15/4/08)
Love because it gives us meaning; purpose; or something to do with our time, in the crudest sense.
Hate for sucking away our energies and vacuuming clean our ‘free times’.
The presence of routine brings feelings of worthiness, value, pride on the one hand, and boredom, mundanity, repetition on the other. It is my mind’s desire that it get used to a certain routine for stability to appear. Yet the fleeting spirit within me wants to break away from routine to be in sync with the spontaneity that life hails forth.
The fleeting spirit is satisfied to know that routine shall soon be broken, although the rhythm of life continues to keep things afloat.
A break in routine is important and inevitable for the cycle of growth to continue. Why fear it then?
It is amazing that God Almighty so carefully breaks the routine we so joyfully enjoy.
Perhaps to teach us that life is more exciting than the mundane; more colour exists than the black and white which routine shapes our sight with. That wherever there is fear for the human being becoming stagnant; a change in pattern, repetition, occurs to highlight the great realization that God Almighty has more in store for us than the routinised cycle of daily events.This is the way to empower our spirit towards accepting that change is for our betterment. Routine is thus the opposite of change. And a break in it results in change.
Change is necessary for the growth of the spirit and for man to realise his ultimate potential as God’s ambassador.
But what makes change difficult to accept is our unwillingness to understand the true nature of routine.
I read Paulo Coelho say that when we see each day as the same we miss the many miracles around us all the while.
Maybe this is why a natural break in routine should be praised and not cursed.
Routine:
Break it occasionally to see what you are otherwise missing out on. Don’t go to the same place everyday. Speak to someone you haven’t in a while. This will help you stay prepared for the ground-moving moments God sends you unexpectedly.
(Hand-written: 17/3/08 - 15/4/08)
Labels: Reflection, The 'On' series
Comments:
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salams bajee jee,
1 question...
Should we seperate between routine in doing some thing good and doing something "less good" or "bad".
i.e. the routine of daily prayers is a good routine...the routine of some dhikrs is a good routine...
but then there are routines of things we do without thinking...
but then also a normal routine of calling one's mom can be turned into a rewarded routine just by intending it for Allah...
just random thoughts...sorry for my lack of understanding...make dua
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1 question...
Should we seperate between routine in doing some thing good and doing something "less good" or "bad".
i.e. the routine of daily prayers is a good routine...the routine of some dhikrs is a good routine...
but then there are routines of things we do without thinking...
but then also a normal routine of calling one's mom can be turned into a rewarded routine just by intending it for Allah...
just random thoughts...sorry for my lack of understanding...make dua
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