All Time Does is Pass

“All time does is pass,” I whisper to myself every time I feel behind. Behind whom? In what? This part remains unknown.

I’ve always thought that life is a game with many different levels; you cannot unlock the next one unless you pass this one. First, you must graduate college, then find a stable job, buy a house, and lastly get married. If you want to travel the world, this is the perfect time! After that, you get ready to have a child. Then the second one. Then the third one. And if you mess up this order, then something might be wrong with you. In other words, are you perhaps a disgrace?

This series of intertwined events has always pissed me off. Why is it marketed, in this capitalistic world, that we must pause living until a certain level is unlocked? Isn’t it quite unfair to live life with someone else’s rules just because everyone else is doing the exact same thing? I understand, though, because if you don’t, you’ll be a huge failure. People do not like what’s different. They don’t quite grasp it.

On the contrary, perhaps being perceived as a failure by people whose footsteps you do not want to pursue is freeing in some sense. It only means you’re finding your own voice, your own path, and your own adventures. Scary much, isn’t it? Well, that’s the price you gotta pay: finding comfort in the unknown, doing your absolute best, and leaving everything else in the hands of your Creator… hoping to become.

I ain’t gonna lie, life is weird once you become an adult. What’s next? Do adults just work to death? That’s it? Do adults stop learning new stuff at some point? If this is the case, I do not want to be an adult… like, ever! If this is the case, I’d love to remain a child with adult responsibilities. Figuring life out isn’t my main worry; a boring one is. A mid-level career doesn’t stress me out; a partner who doesn’t grasp the depths of my thoughts does.

When you sit by yourself and think about life, you find out the only truth - that is, funny enough, quite the opposite: death. Death might be nearer than you think, and one’s impact is the only thing that lasts. So if death is so near, if perhaps it comes tomorrow, what would you regret not doing?

When I asked myself that question, I found nothing. Because when I asked myself that question years ago, I changed majors after spending four years in dentistry (including one gap year). And that was the only thing that gave me courage. Life could end right now… what’s stopping you, Menna? Being a failure? Yeah, sure. Screw that.

I’m one of those who found her unique voice later in life. I wouldn’t assume I had that as a kid; I know I never did. And I’m grateful that my Creator gave me enough courage to take my own decisions once I did. And as 2025 ends, I celebrate another year of not pausing my life to become.

 

For real now, you know what else has levels? That would be your iman - faith. But even that doesn’t consistently move up. If we use a graph to describe it, it’d have lots of ups and downs. And here’s another truth I’m trying to absorb: it is okay. On this earth, in our average 70-ish-year journey, we strive to be the best version of ourselves, hopefully to be among those people whom Allah loves and who love Him, yet we often forget an important truth: we’re human, and we’re wrongdoers by nature. We give in to thoughts of not being worthy for mistakes we’ve made quite easily and forget that He is indeed the Most Forgiving.

May we never forget these truths in this upcoming new year. May you always find your way back to yourself anytime you’re lost. And may we never despair of the mercy of Allah, even when we’ve given up on ourselves.

 

Dearest reader, happy new year!! <3