Shadows

In my encounters with many unhappy individuals, I’ve noticed a recurring life misstep: instead of focusing on what lies within their control, they fixate on matters beyond their influence. They prioritize receiving love over giving it; seeking respect over offering it; chasing fleeting happiness and momentary joy instead of living a meaningful life; pursuing profits over providing service par excellence; and creating an image instead of developing character. The list goes on.

Mufti Taqi Usmani has eloquently expressed:

محبت کیا ہے دل کا درد سے معمور ہو جانا
متاعِ جاں کسی کو سونپ کر مجبور ہو جانا

قدم ہیں راہِ الفت میں تو منزل کی ہوس کیسی؟
یہاں تو عین منزل ہے تھکن سے چور ہو جانا

Love is to have your heart filled with pain, to offer the treasure of one’s life to someone, and then to submit completely.

When your feet are on the path of love, how can you yearn for the destination?

Here, the destination itself lies in being exhausted by the journey.

The former examples in each case are mere shadows compared to the latter.
Being loved is but a shadow of giving love; an image is only a shadow of character.

A shadow is defined by the object and not the other way around.
Shadows may be sharp, elusive, or fade away at times, but an object persists even when temporarily unseen.

So today, let us pledge to stop chasing shadows!