After 17 years of living in New York, I moved to Chicago. My residency in Internal Medicine starts on July 1st and so we had to stuff our sedan with all our essentials and head out to a foreign land, where we know very few, and where very few know us. The land is different. I don't know any of the roads. I need a map by my side to navigate the massive grid that is unique to the entire "Chicagoland area" (which I believe refers to the city of Chicago itself -apparently referred to as "downtown" - and surrounding suburbs).Will Chicago ever feel like home? My residency lasts for three years, but will I end up staying longer to do a fellowship? I didn't realize how much New York was home until I was getting ready to leave for here. This whole process, of packing, moving to a new place for the first time, wandering strange, unfamiliar streets in search of a place we can call home, has been reminding me of the nature of life itself. Are we not after all constant travelers in this world? Isn't this life simply a journey from one state of being to another, regardless of our status in society, our wealth, our family... where we live? Shouldn't the feeling of displacement that I am experiencing now be, at some level, a reality in my heart at all times - since we are all ultimately displaced from our one true origin?
"From Him we come and to Him we return."
Will Chicago ever feel like home? So far, not yet.
1 comment:
Yes, Alhamdolillah! Saleem khano and Subul beta begin their new phase. By the Grace of Allah swt in a very nice place. InshAllah it will feel like home soon as you settle down and begin your work and the 'new life' InshAllah enters your life. Then it will truly feel like home.
But as you said it is always good to remind ourselves that we are always in our temporary homes as we move from place to place until we reach our final destination. May Allah swt make that a beautiful joyous destination in anticipation of what is to come. Ameen thumma Ameen
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