When Dreams Take a Different Path: Trusting Allah’s Plan

As I reflect on my journey, now in my 50s, I find myself thinking deeply about dreams—those I’ve pursued, those I’ve sacrificed, and those still waiting to unfold. Much of my life has been dedicated to others, to responsibilities that shaped me in ways I never expected. And yet, I wonder: what about the dreams that still stir within me?

Life doesn’t always take us where we imagined. We make plans, we set goals, but Allah’s wisdom often leads us down paths we never anticipated. At times, it’s easy to feel like we’ve missed opportunities, that we lack the confidence or motivation to chase something new. But Allah is Al-Kabir, The Greatest—greater than our fears, greater than our self-doubt, greater than the obstacles we perceive. If He wills something for us, no force can stand in its way.

I’ve come to realize that every experience, every skill, every hardship has been a lesson. Perhaps the direction we seek has been unfolding all along, through the knowledge and strengths we’ve gained. Rather than lamenting what didn’t happen, we should embrace what we have been given and channel it into something meaningful. New dreams are always possible, so long as we trust in the One who shapes our destinies.

So I remind myself: turn to Him. Seek His guidance. If a dream is meant to be, He will bring it to life in the right time and in the right way. And if not, then He will redirect us to something even greater—something we may not yet understand, but something that is undoubtedly written for us with His infinite wisdom.