Monday, November 17, 2008

The Urge To Move Forward


Peace to all my brothers, sisters and dear readers..

Why is moving important in life?
and why the forward motion usually gets the attention of progress and achievements?

Without movements, I’m likely being preserved of being dead. Or perhaps not a living organism. Either way, what’s the difference..what defines my existence as a living creature is that I can move, I have body gestures, I tend to react physically when prompt to.

But with only the capability of moving, it means nothing if I stay stagnant at one point. No changes made, just simply a thoughtful mind in a dead body. No reactions, as if a lying carcase on the road getting smashed over and over again by passing cars, not able to just shift myself aside to safety. No contribution, just like..nothing in this world, cause everything in this life has a purpose and contribution towards itself and others.

مَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا عَمَّا أُنذِرُوا مُعْرِضُونَ
Al Ahqaaf 46:3
We did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them two save with truth and (for) an appointed term; and those who disbelieve turn aside from what they are warned of.

Yet again, why is forward considered the motion of progress?
Is it because walking backwards is awkward?
Or perhaps ‘let the past be as it is’?

However, if we look back to the vector system, we would realize that there is no so called forward motion. In physics, there’s no forward motion. There are only positive or negative motions and directions. Then what is considered forward? Even if you take a particle moving in the negative direction (based on the standard x-y axis) and put it respective to you as the particle, then that negative direction IS FORWARD.

Where am I heading with this topic?

The urge to move forward is to progress in everything I do. The motion and direction is clearly subjective. But the point that declares everything is the end point. If the end point leads to nothing then the motion taken is obviously useless, worst to come, the efforts I’ve taken is simply wasted..time, money, energy etc.

At certain times, I’d feel stagnant but still do realize that doing so leads to nothing. And some times, I do have that eagerness to do things but yet nothing in mind of the results of my actions. Have the end in mind. With that, any motion I take, any direction I head, will most likely be meaningful and pictures the progress motion.

Well, is going backwards considered progress?

Why couldn’t it be? Going backwards is not a sign of retreat nor is it running away. Putting backwards into the big picture, is more of looking back. To seek knowledge of the past. To clear the misconceptions to enhace understandings. To provide one self with motivations from successful stories. To hunt for solutions of occurring problems.

سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلُ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ اللَّهِ تَبْدِيلاً
Al Ahzab 33:62
(Such has been) the course of Allah with respect to those who have gone before; and you shall not find any change in the course of Allah.

Anything that interferes with the motion is either dealt with or perhaps ignored. To proceed one will take all steps required and leave those unnecessary aside. Camping would be a great example; I’ll only pack things required and leave the things most probably I won’t need. If something is a necessity and I don’t have it, most certain that I’ll drag myself out to get it. But if the thing is unimportant, I don’t have it, why bother getting it?

In life, to have that progress motion, one will need to set his goal, only then will one know what to pack. The packing is the progress motion. Being prepared is that little achievements most people neglect in the rush to move forward.

Let’s give this some scenes:
1. Parkour (path); efficient and fluid (end point); training (necessity)
2. Student (path); good grades and a fine job (end point); study (necessity)
3. Life (path); mardhotiLlah (end point); islam (necessity)

One with the best preparations will most likely be achieving his end point. And do bare in mind, ones with good preparations are those who brings along less unnecessary things. Or none at all.

وَتَزَوَّدُواْ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَى وَاتَّقُونِ يَا أُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِ
the best thing you could pack is TAQWA