Wednesday, November 17, 2010

To Be A Pilgrim

Hari Raya Haji; Eid Al Adha; 10 Zulhijjah, 1431

I find the ubiquitous journey metaphor rather tiresome. I am not, unfortunately, on a journey towards excellence, despite often being told I am.

But I am on another journey, and the great pilgrimage is the perfect metaphor for it. And one day I hope to give the metaphor substance. God willing.

At this point in the journey I am, like so many pilgrims, lost. And to be lost is hard. But sometimes necessary.

2 comments:

Trebuchet said...

Reminds me of the only hymn John Bunyan ever wrote, the one whose first stanza goes:

He who would valiant be
'gainst all disaster,
let him in constancy
follow the Master.
There's no discouragement
shall make him once relent
his first avowed intent
to be a pilgrim.

Brian Connor said...

Yes, Bunyan was in my mind as I titled the piece - I think influenced by my reading of his great allegory earlier this year. The first time I've ever read the second part about Christian's wife, by the way.

Enjoyed your Findings riff on this! The bit about being simply a wanderer had huge resonance for me.