What Frustrated Me Today Was a Dream I Once Longed For That Came True: Is Awareness a Blessing or a Curse?
Nostalgia for Boredom.
Oh, what a rush, world, what a rush!
These three phrases were suggested as titles for this month's article. October is a bustling month in Saudi Arabia, especially in Riyadh. It includes Riyadh Season—what a season it is! The Riyadh Fashion Week, the Future Investment Initiative conference, and this is just a glimpse of the many events, occasions, visitors, meetings, and exhibitions surrounding these occasions. Following that, the Noor Riyadh Festival and the events of November take place, with these activities continuing until the end of the year.
Similarly, September brought its own events, the end of summer and its aftermath, the return to school and work, family occasions, intertwined surprises, joys and sorrows, and the small annoyances despite their abundance, along with the happy entertainments that bring joy. Then came our commitments to work, family, postponed projects, maintaining health with meal and gym schedules, visiting a friend or relative who came for just one day to complete work in Riyadh and we want to see them, delayed medical appointments and follow-ups, urgent projects, and the important board meeting that got rescheduled... and so on, until you realize that the trip you booked two months ago is now happening next week, and you haven’t prepared for it. Cancelling is not an option, or the amount is non-refundable. A project that was supposed to be completed, or an article that needs to be submitted, or other life matters that were postponed suddenly hit you while you were distracted.
At that point, you look back and realize how time passed and you didn’t find an hour to do that simple thing, or make a call to schedule a doctor’s appointment, or visit a relative, or anything else. What’s worse is trying to recall what distracted you from doing it, but you can’t remember! Forgetting something regrettable is fine, but forgetting the joys and beautiful moments is truly saddening.
I saw a friend a week ago, and I had forgotten that we met in May, where we spent a very pleasant dinner evening. I felt deeply sad for forgetting it, because at the time, I was very happy. It was one of the best nights of the year, despite its simplicity and tranquility. I thought about how many joys I’ve forgotten while caught up in the rush of life. How many ideas and plans have become stored in the mind, hidden away because the mundane didn’t come to the surface, preventing this project, solution, or plan to solve a problem from surfacing? How many people have we forgotten, how much beauty has slipped from our imagination, and how many good deeds were left unnoticed, and sayings left unsaid?
We live in a busy world, a world filled with overlapping layers that leave us no chance to breathe, to pause, to absorb, or to feel boredom. It is a beautiful world, and we thank Allah for all the blessings mentioned above, with praise that befits His glory and majesty. However, this busyness also makes us forget some joys, virtues, and smiles, which is a form of ingratitude for blessings.
The purpose of this article is not to make any specific point, but rather to release the tension and rush I am experiencing today, which stemmed from a piece of happy news I will share with you soon, if it comes through. I also want to remind myself that what frustrated me today is a dream I once wished for, and it has come true, becoming part of my routine work.
This should stay within my awareness so that I don’t forget that success is often intertwined with failure. Both are abundant in my life, and both are blessings that deserve praise.
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