at ease.
Writing this while Mishary Alafasy’s recitation of the Qur’an plays in the background is so soothing. It creates a perfect atmosphere for me to gather and put my thoughts into words. Talking about conjuring my thoughts, as the verses fill the room, I find myself thinking about those rare moments when we are truly at peace with ourselves. Being away from life’s struggles, just unwinding, free from its overwhelming demands
Adulthood, as we know, is full of ups and downs. From the moment you open your eyes in the morning, it feels as though your struggles begin. The idea of deep peace feels out of reach to the average person. To me, deep peace refers to that quiet state of mind, away from the troubles of life.
Sitting here, listening to the recitation, I feel at peace. But beneath it all, I can still hear the palpitations of my heart, the voices in my head, as if there’s so much at stake, even though this should be a moment of relaxation. It makes me realise how peace is truly ephemeral in the grand scheme of life.
Life, in all its demands, is stressful. Considering how we must show up daily, regardless of how we feel, it’s no wonder peace feels like a luxury. We go through life’s challenges alone or, if lucky, with a partner. Even in these trying times, there should be moments, however brief, where one can experience doses of deep peace effortlessly, even if only for a few minutes.
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Maybe deep peace isn’t something to chase after; maybe it is meant to find us. It’s like a petrichor, it fills the air, very soothing and comforting, but before you can fully take it in, it fades, reminding us of the beauty in its impermanence.
We go out of our way to seek this deep peace. We schedule vacations, deactivate our social media accounts, and become DND warriors, all in an attempt to retreat into our world. But more often than not, peace comes in the mundane things, most times in the warmth of a loved one, in the sound of laughter, in the small, or ordinary moments we often overlook.
I remember talking to a friend on an ordinary winter night. She was in bed, having dinner, watching her favourite medical show, and sipping red wine as snow fell softly. As we spoke, she said, “Life is truly beautiful” At that moment, all her worries seemed to fade away. Her words stuck with me, and I realised that solace can be found in the simplest things. She felt present, at ease, wrapped in a rare sense of deep peace, and basking in the beautiful moment.
Not long ago, I ran a 42km marathon. Other runners surrounded me, yet all I could hear was the thumping of feet on the ground and the sound of heavy breathing. It felt as if the act of running had become a form of meditation for me, a way to calm my mind and discover peace. Perhaps peace doesn’t always require stillness; sometimes, it can be found in movement, as one surrenders to its rhythm. For her, peace was in the comfort of home; for me, it was in motion, each step forward, lost in the race.
As I mentioned, you don’t seek deep peace; it finds you. Just as it came naturally to her, it arrives when you least expect it. But that peace is ephemeral. You can’t grasp it, only feel it for a moment before it slips away, vanishing into oblivion until it returns.
If peace were to last forever, would we even recognise it? Its impermanence is what makes it beautiful. So, when was the last time you felt truly at peace with yourself? And did you even let yourself enjoy it, or were you already bothered about the aftermath?
