The Tides of This Time by Ibikunle Dashur
SECTION I
IDENTITY & INTROSPECTION
1
A BODY OF PARTICLES
In the beginning, there was intention, not chaos, but purpose. We are not accidents of cosmic collision, but deliberate expressions of creative love, each soul carefully crafted and breathed into being. Our bodies may be vessels made of particles, but, as of my own flesh, well arranged by divine hands with infinite care and for sacred purpose. Every atom that formed me, every cell that sustains me, carries within it the fingerprint of the Creator who knew me before I took my first breath.
We exist, in general, because we were wanted, because love itself desired to know and express itself through our countless unique forms. Each human being represents a singular note in the grand symphony of creation, peculiar, irreplaceable, irreplicable and essential. Our very existence is proof that we matter, that we belong, and that we have been entrusted with something precious, which is the capacity to love and be loved in return, to impart, make an impact and to be impacted, regardless of form or shape, race or place, physically challenged or not.
This is not a cold universe of random particles, but a warm cosmos infused with meaning, where every heartbeat echoes the rhythm of divine love, and every breath connects us to the Source of all life. Yes, biology helps shape life, but we are embodied spirits, physical expressions of eternal love, learning to recognise ourselves in one another. Science shows the body, but love gives our lives a higher purpose and eternal value. Within this framework of intentional creation, our relationships become holy ground, the space where divine love encounters itself through human connection.
When we truly see another person, when we offer compassion or receive tenderness, we are participating in something sacred. Love is not merely a chemical reaction or emotional response; it is the recognition of the divine spark within each other, the remembering of our shared origin, the remembering of what formed us as beings, at the beginning of beginnings, yet we may not fully remember this origin whilst we still live. But with patience comes the vibrational alignment, intuitive communication, immediate recognition, the remembering, and not really, fully remembering the energizing effect.
Every authentic relationship becomes a form of ritual, a communion between souls who carry the same essential light. When we choose to be vulnerable with one another, to share our fears and hopes, our wounds and dreams, we create sacred space where healing can flow. In these moments of genuine connection, the boundaries between self and others become transparent, revealing the underlying unity that has always existed. Yet, we struggle with that remembering. That repression cannot be by accident.
Even in our brokenness and imperfections, love finds a way. Our wounds become doorways to deeper compassion, our struggles create empathy that bridges the gap between hearts, and our willingness to be held in our pain opens us to grace we never knew was possible. Love doesn’t demand perfection; it transforms our imperfections into pathways for redemption, connection and benediction. Through relationship, we discover that we are not isolated beings struggling alone, but interconnected souls sharing one journey home, to love. Every act of kindness, every moment of forgiveness, every gesture of care adds light to the world and draws us closer to the remembering of who we truly are, beloved children of divine love, called to love as we have been loved.
Though our bodies are temporary vessels that will, at a point, return to dust, and if the planet Earth in itself is a vessel, why do we wrestle? We are vessels in a vessel, but the love we share and the connections we create transcend these physical bounds. We are more than bodies of particles because we are souls having a human experience, spirits learning to love in material form. The relationships we nurture, the kindness we offer, the grace we receive, all of these become part of an eternal tapestry that extends far beyond our mortal lives.
In every moment of genuine connection, we touch something timeless and infinite within the soul of souls. We discover that love is not bound by space or time, that the bonds we forge in this life continue beyond what our eyes can see. The love we give and receive becomes a bridge between the physical and spiritual realms. Think about it: it is a testament to our true nature as beings, created for eternal relationship, here and hereafter. Have you wondered what the bridge between the two worlds really is? What really connects here to there?
Our deepest longing for connection is not a weakness but a divine compass pointing us toward a truth that we are all one in the heart of our Creator, temporarily experiencing ourselves as separate so that we might discover the joy of choosing to come together again, as whole.
In this recognition, you will find both comfort and calling. Comfort in knowing that you are eternally loved and never truly alone. Calling in understanding that you have been blessed with the capacity to be a channel of divine love in this world, to offer others the gift of recognition, acceptance, and sacred connection. That you are capable of receiving that much love as well, seeing yourself as such. That’s the magnetic force we often feel, drawing us nearer to the main source. We are vessels, journeying through a floating vessel, but of an eternal source.
We are bodies of particles, yes, but we are particles infused with divine love, humanised for and by sacred purpose, and destined for eternal connection. In embracing both our humanity and our divinity, we find the peace that surpasses understanding and the love that casts out fear.
2.
WITHOUT A FACE
In our quiet moments of deep reflection, when we withdraw from the noise of the world and settle into the sacred stillness of our own hearts, an ancient question emerges from the depths of human experience: what is the true identity of love? Is it something we can see, touch, and define by some visual identification or visible expressions, or does it exist as something far more mysterious and profound, a divine force that transcends the physical realm entirely? Can we identify love?
These questions have haunted seekers and dreamers throughout the ages, not because love is absent from our lives, but because its presence is so vast and encompassing that we struggle to contain or measure it within the boundaries of human understanding or any known physical or scientific measuring system of units. It is like trying to capture the ocean in a cup; we find ourselves reaching for something that flows beyond our grasp, yet surrounds us completely, yet not consuming us. We were not created to wrestle with this question in despair, but to discover through our seeking that love itself is the answer to our deepest longing for meaning and connection.
The very fact that we ask these questions reveal that we are human beings designed to long for love, created by love, and destined to participate in love’s eternal concept of creation and connection.
Consider a mother’s gentle caress at dawn, her face illuminated by tender grace as she watches over the new life. In her expression, we see love made visible, courage, sacrifice, and infinite care written in every line of concern and joy. Yet if we were to remove her face from this moment, would the love disappear? The warmth would still flow from her hands, the protection would still emanate from her presence, and the child would still feel enveloped by something beyond physical sight or eye contact.
In lovers’ embrace beneath starlit skies, we witness love’s passionate expression, eyes meeting in recognition, souls speaking the language of deep intimacy and shared dreams. Their faces tell the story of two hearts choosing to become one. But the electricity that passes between them, the sacred communion of spirits, the profound ‘knowing’ that transforms them both – these essential elements of love exist in dimensions that transcend what any observer could capture in a photograph.
Yes, we paint love on canvases with vibrant colours, compose symphonies that make hearts soar, and write poetry that moves souls to tears. Through art, we attempt to give love a face, a form, an emoji, a symbol or emblem, a structure or a sign that others might recognise and embrace. Yet every artist knows the frustration of trying to capture something infinite within finite expression and space. Paintings and drawings I have created may point towards love but cannot contain it; my writings in this book and others may attempt to paint an idea but cannot describe it fully, just as the moon reflects the sun’s light without being the source itself.
Love reveals itself in the untainted laughter of children who haven’t yet learned to guard their hearts, in the stories we weave that connect us across generations, in the simple kindness of strangers who restore our faith in humanity. It echoes in names called and words spoken with tenderness, in the comfortable silence between old friends, in the nod of understanding that passes between souls who recognise each other’s struggles or intent, in words not spoken but understood, in grief, joy or pain not described but felt.
Just as I have tried so far to paint you pictures of love, like roses that bloom and fade, love’s visible expressions are temporary, yet something eternal remains, regardless. The petals may fall, but the essence that caused them to bloom continues. The face that smiled at us may age and change, but the love that created that smile becomes part of who we are, woven into the fabric of our being in ways that time cannot diminish.
Look to the stars; those ancients are witnesses to countless love stories and see how the universe itself demonstrates love’s true nature. The same forces that hold galaxies in graceful dance, that guide planets in their faithful orbits, that cause seeds planted to reach toward light – oh goodness, this is love without a face, love as the fundamental force of creation itself, binding all things in a sacred relationship of unison.
In the depths of our souls, where authentic connection ignites and compassion kindles the light of divine love, we discover that love wears countless faces while remaining essentially one, faceless. Amazing! It appears as friendship and romance, as family bonds and community care, as the stranger’s helping hand and the artist’s inspired creation. Yet beneath all these expressions lies a single truth: love is not dependent on form but gives meaning to all forms. Love is the command that keeps all forms in form.
The essence we chase, the face we long to see clearly, is not something external we must capture, but something internal we must recognise and release. Love’s true face is revealed not in mirrors or photographs, but in moments of genuine empathy, in laughter shared without agenda, in tears shed in compassion for another’s pain, in hands extended to lift the fallen, in words spoken to heal rather than harm.
This recognition transforms everything. We no longer need to frantically seek love’s face in others’ approval or validation, because we understand that we ourselves are expressions of love seeking to know itself more, fully. Every act of kindness we offer, every moment of grace we extend, every gesture of understanding we provide becomes love wearing our face, speaking with our voice, working through our hands, and seeing through our eyes.
Love transcends what our eyes can see because it operates in the realm of the eternal, where souls recognise each other beyond physical appearance, where connection happens heart to heart rather than surface to surface. In this dimension, love is not diminished by distance or time, not threatened by ageing or change, not dependent on circumstances or conditions, and does not bank on bank accounts.
We are called to be love without requiring a specific face, to offer love without demanding particular returns, to trust love even when we cannot see its immediate effects. In doing so, we participate in the great mystery that connects all things, the invisible force that binds the universe together in sacred relationship.
Take heart in knowing that every time you choose compassion over judgment, connection over isolation, hope over despair, you are giving love a face, your face. Do so, in this moment, for this person, in this sacred opportunity to be love’s expression in a world that desperately needs to remember its true nature. This is not just your privilege; it is your divine calling and the very reason you exist.
Do not force love to wear a clear face, but seek and dwell in its essence. It’s all about the essence of love and love being the essence of our existence. For love transcends what eyes shall or can see; it thrives in acts of empathy, in laughter or burden shared, in a gentle touch, in hands lent to the needy, in words unspoken, in a gaze, in appreciation or correction, meaning much more.
