Dare Disturb the Universe!

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 26 September 2024 It's said that often a pithy aphorism can drive home the point in the best possible manner just like T S Eliot's famous quote, "Do I dare disturb the universe? " September 26 is the birth anniversary of T S Eliot, the great American poet, essayist and Nobel laureate. ------ T S Eliot's quote, "Do I dare disturb the universe?" encapsulates the fear and uncertainty that often hold individuals back from taking risks and challenging societal norms. It raises the fundamental question of whether one should dare to disrupt the order of things, to question the status quo, and to pursue their own ambitions. In this statement, Eliot challenges readers to consider the consequences of their actions and to confront their own inhibitions. By daring to disturb the universe, one may face resistance, judgment, and the fear of failure. However, it is through this disruption that true progress and personal growth can be achieved. Ultimately, Eliot's quote serves as a powerful reminder to challenge complacency, embrace change, and have the courage to pursue our own individual aspirations, regardless of the potential consequences. True success comes when the status quo is stirred. We often say in Urdu, Harkat Mein Barkat Hai. He finds who tries. It's the first step that's most difficult. Once the glass ceiling is broken, things start happening at regular intervals. Before May 29, 1953, so many mountaineers tried to scale Mount Everest. Somehow, they couldn't reach the world's highest peak. But once Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary scaled it, many mountaineers followed suit and emulated them. One has to begin and others follow him / her. It's like Majrooh Sultanpuri's Main Akela Hi Chala Tha Jaanib-E-Manzil Magar, Log Aate Gaye, Kaarvaan Banta Gaya (I embarked upon a journey all alone/ People kept joining me and it became a caravan). To bring about the best results, placidity must be disturbed. Too much placidity is a sign of death and inertia. You find the most eerie placidity only at a cemetery. The world is a dynamic theatre where all sorts of actions and reactions, evolutions and revolutions, changes and stirrings must keep happening every moment. A complacent existence invites the termites of death, destruction, decadence and defilement. All the so-called sacrosanct beliefs and established 'truths' must be re-examined and discarded to pave the way for something new, vibrant and vital. What serves no purpose anymore, must be shown the exit door. ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/dare-disturb-universe/d/133287 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism