In The Beginning

I have finally, after much trial and error, set up my own blog. I have been asked to do so for the longest of time by friends but have never gotten to do it, until now. Prior to setting up this blog, when it seems that I have so much to say, I am now suddenly at a loss of words.

The idea of having this means to share my thoughts in the public arena is indeed mind-boggling. Is this voyeuristic? Whatever ...

This will be a new boundary for me to cross over - from an introvert by nature to actually having a blog.

I actually spent more time figuring out what should be the name of my blog that it had me pushed my dateline from one week to another. Tonight, after contributing my thoughts to a friend's blog, I have decided that I will just plunge into this for otherwise, this will never get done.

And so it goes ... The Odyssey was born. Obviously, most of you are familiar about this Greek epic poem attributed to Homer. The younger of the two surviving ancient Greek poems, traditionally ascribed to Homer but containing much orally transmitted material composed over several centuries, and concerning the adventures and ordeals of the Greek warrior Odysseus after the fall of Troy as he struggles to return home and reestablish himself as the King of Ithaca.

Now, I am not aspiring to be any King nor is my journey as colourful as Odysseus but tonight he just came to mind.

You will also notice my "name" - The Hoopoe. This was inspired by another great book entitled the "Conference of the Birds" by Farid ud-Din Attar. It is a book of 4500 lines poem which uses a journey by a group of birds, led by The Hoopoe, as an allegory of a Sufi Shaykh or master leading his students to enlightenment - towards reaching the Simorgh.

Neither am I a master or a Sufi Shaykh as I myself am wondering along this journey.

And so it has now come to pass ... The Odyssey is as a long wandering and eventful journey, an extended adventurous voyage and also symbolises an intellectual or a spiritual quest. The Hoopoe as a bird who is perpetual in its journey, despite the many challenges and doubts that Life offers. Sometimes it leads in its journey, yet sometimes it is being led.

I am in that journey called "Life". And I intend to persevere until this journey reaches its natural destination - whatever the Creator has planned for me. I am not fully-equipt for this journey, and mostly I look for fellow conscious travellers to give me a helping hand. Sure, I falter sometimes, but this journey must carry on. I merely seek the Grace of the Creator who has the Masterplan, to enable me to have an ending that is both blessed and beneficial.

For after all, did not the Master said: "The example of the world and I is that of a traveller. Travelling in the afternoon heat, he stopped to rest under the shade of a tree for some moments. Then, he rose and left it."

And he also said: "Should the Hour of the Day of Judgment arrive and you have a palm shoot in your hand, let him continue to plant it, if he can."

The message of continuity, perseverance even in the face of fierce vicissitudes and adversities in life - but mostly, the message of hope, shouts through these two sayings.

Hope is the Message of Faith.