Stop chasing what you already have

Have you ever made life harder than it already needs to be?

Maybe you worried so much about what you didn’t have that you forgot what was already in your hands

We all do it -

and the truth is

it leaves us exhausted

There’s a story about a man from Dar

He had 10 donkeys and began his journey home

He mounted one

counted the rest

and only saw 9

worried that he had lost a donkey

he got down

counted again

and found all 10

Relieved

he mounted again…

but once more

he only saw 9

This cycle repeated until he finally decided:

“For me to walk and gain a profit of one donkey is better then for me to ride and lose one donkey”

So he walked

And walked

Until his body was weak

and he nearly collapsed before even reaching his village

The tragedy?

He always had all 10

He simply forgot to count the one he was riding

The man’s mistake wasn’t about math

It was about perspective

And isn’t that the same mistake many of us make?

We overlook the blessings we’re already riding on -

family

health

safety

knowledge

guidance -

because we’re too busy counting what’s missing

Allah reminds us:

The Prophet ﷺ also said:

Gratitude begins when we learn to count the donkey we’re riding

Think about it:

• How often do we complain about our homes, forgetting that we have a roof over our heads?

• How often do we wish for better health, forgetting that we can still walk, breathe, and pray?

• How often do envy someone’s knowledge, forgetting that Allah already gave us the Qur’an to open, read, and live by?

The man in the story nearly destroyed himself chasing something he already had

We do the same when we overlook our blessings

Gratitude isn’t about having more

It’s about seeing clearly

So here’s a challenge for you this week:

1. Write down 3 “donkeys you’re riding” - blessings so close to you that you forget to count them

2. Make du’a and thank Allah for them by name

3. Whenever you catch yourself complaining, remind yourself: I’m already riding what I need

Because sometimes

the very thing we’re chasing is already beneath us -

carrying us every step of the way

Don’t collapse on the journey by chasing what you already own

Slow down

Count the blessings

And thank the One who gave them to you

Let’s make this practical: share your 3 “donkeys” (blessings) with me. I might include a few in next week’s newsletter (with your permission, of course).

P.S. I share more like this on Threads and Instagram. Come say Salaam.

Until the next letter,

— Hidvyaa