The storm that laid down blankets of snow on most of the East coast dropped about 18" on us here in central New Hampshire. After visiting my chiropractor this morning I took a two hour hike directly behind our digs. I wanted to try out a new pair of EMS gaiters I bought--they are amazing and held up great! The snow was powdery, fresh and deep. Walking in snow that deep without snowshoes is a solid workout!I took this picture and called it "Pens & Paper." The Qur'an introduces a metaphor describing all the trees in the world as pens. As I was walking through the trees today, I thought about the snow as white sheets of paper--blank and ready to be darkened with the "Ink of Glorification!"
And if whatever trees upon the earth were pens and the sea [was ink], replenished thereafter by seven [more] seas, the words of Allah would not be exhausted; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.
[Qur'an 31:27]
Before I became Muslim, I felt closest to anything beyond this material world when I was in nature. On a two week camping trip in Quebec, when we didn't see another soul, I read my Pickthall translation of the Qur'an every day, and felt like there was complete congruence between the meanings on the page and the meanings in the trees, water, and sky. I decided to become a Muslim a few months later, all praise is due to Allah! May Allah reward you for reminding me of those moments of connection.
ReplyDelete