a daylight dream

it’s all surrreal, being here in the spacious arms of God. the vicinity of holiness, being so carefully taken care of, being taken in an infinite embrace of mercy. hajj . I thought I was never worthy of being brought there. it seems it’s been all destined. a line written on my vision board for years and years. I never thought I’d be enough to find myself there, circumambulating in a motion akin to the angels eons above. being surrounded by all this grace, all this mercy, all this forgiveness. I keep remembering every moment of it. I don’t want to forget. I don’t want to forget how those tears streamed wondering if I prayed enough and asked enough of your clemency. I found myself being embraced by years and years of your magnificent love, and all the years I stood small never understanding it, not being acceptant enough of time’s miracle, how it allows love to unfold ever so tentatively and courteously. I pray I’m courteous enough to be a totally different person now. my past has been e...

twenty-nine days have passed. twenty-nine lessons, or probably an exponential multiplication of that number. this Ramadan was quite distinguishable. quite unsettling and like always, hurting the ego to extents one can never predict. I learned that there is inherent weakness in me. this Ramadan, I got sick three times, each time lasting a week or so. it was a substantial blow to my health which left me feeling profusely weak and deranged by the last half of the month. I was indeed thrown off by the fact that I had to break my fast for a few days to maintain my strength and be able to take medicines to feel better again, and that I didn’t like. through that experience, I learned that humans are inherently weak after all, once they rely on their own strength and power. a surrendered state is the most glorious of all, I believe. however, finding the remembrance in one’s heart is God’s will, and we just have to be patient enough to find it. I learned that I need some feminine adjustments. m...

seven days have flown by. how mysteriously cunning time is when it is tied to a significant value? it does not overlook its need and paces forwards, oblivious to our miserable failings to make it right. Ramadan usually brings me a lot of anxiety, especially before it comes. even though I train myself to stay hungry most of the times and eat one meal a day, I still feel the fear of that gnawing pain and lack of energy. perhaps it is what scares me most— feeling out of control. there is no longer energy to embody certain intentions and mindsets. the mind is wandering and dozy. I envision myself praying the right way and find myself unable to remember what it is I prayed for. it is that particular lack of perfection that I am mostly afraid of. especially with my new demanding job, Ramadan is not that easy this year. I would say it is sweetly easy without the gruelling pains of a distorted gut syndrome, which has healed beautifully over the years. I need to be awake by 4, making suhoor for...

spring has been shaping up the entirety of the world’s state these days. so many blossoms and sunshine to make up for the dreadful, deathly winter where I cocooned in crevices, haunted by all the darkest memories. as my cat bathes in the ray of sun entering through my balcony this morning, it crossed my mind to write about what I’m grateful for, for the sake of documentation. here are a few recent things I am grateful for that have made me feel so alive and connected to myself and the world these days. my cat’s love— Skyla is becoming such a cutie pie. it baffles me how close we are to each other and share so many traits. she is shy, sensitive and loves plants so much. she currently likes to share her mornings and nights with me, purring gently and requesting cuddles. she also visits my room at night and sleeps by my side. it’s beautiful to see how much she transformed; from being so scared to embracing love and being seen. it’s truly wholesome. walking in the green blue outside— I d...

it’s the first time in so long that I decide not to do a detailed, comprehensive month-by-month reflection. to do that would feel like a soulful homicide, having to reminisce all the burdensome memories of last year. of course, in hindsight, so many beautiful things have happened, too. despite the hindrances, I’ve come through with beautiful achievements. it’s beautiful how it all connects backwards, only in hindsight. also, I am grateful that I have worked on all of my intentions which I had pinned down in this blog, and it is rather miraculous that the events somehow added up to allow them to take shape.  today, I just want to share all the positive, magical memories of this year because recently, I have become entranced by God’s mercy in this universe. chanting Al-Rahman Al-Raheem after each prayer, I found myself in tears, connecting to that core value in me that I have abandoned for some time which is how I love noticing mercifulness and the universe’s gifts. it was a ha...