Thanks for the inspiration

People come into your life for a reason. Good ones, bad ones, they serve a purpose, and sometimes it's not clear to us what their purpose is.

There is a particular person in my life for whom I am profoundly grateful.

Our personalities are very different, and I'm pretty sure that when people see us together, it must confuse them as to how exactly we came to be friends. And when I myself think about it, it is odd - a random piece of fiction was the birth of our friendship and I am happy to say that although we have such different personalities, our friendship has matured and blossomed way past that bit of fiction.

I am grateful for her for many things, but the latest thing she is responsible for is the improvement of my health. I've been lucky this Ramadaan past, as it is the first year I have lost a significant amount of weight. To date, it is about 9kg (for you americans, thats almost 20 pounds).
How did I manage this?
By simply following a diet that she is forced to follow for health reasons (this friend of mine is deathly allergic to ALOT of things).

So, Anu, thanks a lot.
You were my inspiration for this and it has yielded results wayyyy beyond my expectations.

William Shakespeare: Sonnet 27

Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed,
The dear repose for limbs with travel tired;
But then begins a journey in my head,
To work my mind, when body's work's expired:

For then my thoughts, from far where I abide,
Intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee,
And keep my drooping eyelids open wide,
Looking on darkness which the blind do see 

Save that my soul's imaginary sight
Presents thy shadow to my sightless view,
Which, like a jewel hung in ghastly night,
Makes black night beauteous and her old face new.

   Lo! thus, by day my limbs, by night my mind,
   For thee and for myself no quiet find.

This is my favourite poem.
It expresses (exactly) what happens when someone manages to invade my head space and heart...

Technology...innovation or evil?

I spent a week of my winter break at my sister's place. She recently moved to this town called Gordon's Bay (on the eastern coastline of the Western Cape in South Africa-for any non-South African readers), and two of its attractions are 1. it is by the sea, and 2. it is close to my brother, who lives in Strand (also a little coastal town about 5 minutes from Gordon's Bay).

One morning, we were at my brother's place. He lives in the house we stayed in before he got married (the home I was born in) and so it always feels like home for me. As a child, we spent almost every holiday there. So that particular morning I was sitting on the front steps of his house. It was about 10am, and it was a beautifully clear day (which is a treat for us Capetonians in the winter).
But I saw no children outside.
The place looks exactly the same...this road looked the same as it always has...and yet, it is not.

I found myself really missing my pre-teen years, because we spent so much of our free time there. And come rain or shine, day or night, we were outside. We hated being in the house.

And it got me thinking- Technology, for all the wonderful conveniences it has afforded us today, has really stunted the development of children. I was not the most outstanding person on the sports field, but, even now at almost 30, I am still quite co-ordinated. Why? Because we weren't stuck inside in front of the DSTV, X-Box, Playstation or computer. Everyone under the age of 17 met outside every single day. When it was summer, we played everything from cricket to hide-and-seek. Come to think of it, when it was winter, we did the same. When it was Super 12 season, we played rugby. When there was World Cup soccer on, we played soccer. When it was Wimbledon, we played tennis. We invented games when we got bored of the usual ones.

More importantly though, we communicated and socialized with each other, face to face. Not through Twitter, MySpace or Facebook.
We didn't know what cellphones were.

So, innovation or evil? RIght now, more an evil than an innovation.
In my opinion, technology is the direct cause for us breeding lazy, obese, unco-ordinated and anti-social youth.

I shudder at the thought that these kids are going to be our leaders tomorrow.

The Idea of the perfect one

I am of the belief that two people (as in a man and woman) cannot claim to love each other, really love each other, unless they are married and have lived with each other, faults, shortcomings, weird quirks and all. After all, if you can accept and live with someone else's weirdness and still manage to see what is good and beautiful in that person, then I would most certainly believe you when you say that you truly love him/her.

But.
What is it about people that attracts others in the first place?

I find myself in a situation where I can answer the above question with this: It is the IDEA of someone or something involving that someone.

Someone very close to me, indeed someone I look up to as a parent figure, suggested a person that they felt would be perfect for me. This was a few months ago and now I find myself so attracted to the idea of this person...it makes my heart actually quicken when I think of him.

The problem, however, is that we are not in control of what we want to happen...

Health Benefits of Fasting

We are on our seventh day of fasting. Gosh, a person is so busy during the day, the time literally flew past. But as I said in my previous post, there is so much blessing in one's time, you can accomplish so much (its amazing how much time we spend on eating!).

Here in South Africa, it's winter for us now, which means that we fast a very short day (less than 12 hours).
For me personally, to go without food or drink is not a problem, but the cold is quite debilitating some times (we are experiencing the coldest winter ever). But as a result of going without food, the stomach shrinks and I've actually found that as we go on, we tend to eat less (and less of the junk as well).

I've noticed some things the past two days though, which just proves that there are definite health benefits to fasting...

1. I don't feel bloated...and this I think is directly linked to the fact that I've been eating a lot less bread, which has prompted me to embark on a wheat free diet...much less cakes, pastries, savouries (coz let's be honest, there is no way that I am going to completely give these things up) and also switching from regular bread to rye and other wheat free types.

2. Eating dates (which is a natural sugar source) kills the cravings for chocolates and other sweet things.

3. Increased consumption of soup makes sure I get in alotta veggies.

4. My eyes are a lot clearer and the irises are brighter (even though mine are just brown, they twinkle in the fast).

5. My skin looks super clean.

6. Increased recitation and listening to the Qur'an keeps the blood pressure down.

So yeah, definite health benefits, not just from a physical perspective but a mental and spiritual one as well.

Ramadaan

And so we come to the end of the first week back at school after our winter break.
It's been okay...lots of work (at work and at home).

Tonight is the first Tarawih salah. For those of you who do not know what it is, Tarawih is a voluntary prayer that Muslims perform which is unique to the month of Ramadaan. During the month, the intention is to complete the recitation of the entire Qur'an in the 30 nights. I actually want to go to mosque tonight because we are starting the recitation tonight and the second surah (pronounced soo-rah, and meaning Chapter) is my favourite.

I was thinking again back on how a person's perception of and attitude towards fasting changes over time.
When you are a child, fasting for the first time, all you are worried about is how you are going to manage without food for most of the day. You are excited when it's time to break your fast in the evenings, and you are excited to go shopping for Eid clothes, and just generally excited when the month draws to a close. This phase lasts for quite some time (well into your teens and twenties).

For me personally, this phase ended about 5 years ago.
I was at an institution, doing religious studies, and our lecturers made us see the beauty and benefits of the month. And once you become aware of it, you start to notice other things.

I am a generally pleasant person. But I become downright hyper-happy during this month. It's magical...the atmosphere is just different in Ramadaan. It's as if you can literally taste and feel Allah's love and mercy, and it makes you want to emulate that with whomever you meet or whomever you are with.

Also, its as if the day suddenly has 30 hours in it, instead of 24. There is so much blessing in one's time...and despite the fact that I am without food, I find that I have so much more energy and can get so much more done.

At the beginning of the month, Muslims wish each other by saying "Ramadaan Karim". The word "karim" in Arabic translates as "generous"...and this is very appropriate, as Allah's mercy, love, generosity and blessings is amplified in Ramadaan, to such an extent that our capacity to show mercy and love, and to be generous, is amplified as well.

To all the Muslims reading this post, Ramadaan Karim to you all and to your families. May this month be for you a beneficial one, may the Almighty accept all your good deeds and sincere repentence and may He answer all your prayers, In sha Allah.

Time

Does any one else feel that time is moving way to quickly?

I opened my eyes on Monday morning, and was thinking, "Here we go, another week."
I blinked, and it's Friday.

And it made me wonder...am I doing beneficial things with my time? Sometimes I think not. Especially those times when I'm laying on my bed watching a movie, or sitting in the courtyard at school during a free period talking nonsense to my colleagues.

A few years ago, I only thought of doing things that would ensure my own happiness.
And while that is important, nowadays I find myself hoping to leave this world with a little assurance that I made a positive and beneficial contribution to the people around me (and by extension, my community and the world at large).

update on 2012 so far

It's only the end of February and I feel as though I've done enough for it to be June already.

I've been put back into a classroom (formally, as in subject teaching) as of this year. I was a bit apprehensive at first, but am getting back into the swing of it one day at a time. The first term of the year is always a killer...we've had registration, athletics, excursions...and there's still 4 weeks of the term left!

Things have been eventful on the personal side of things as well. I've had to deal with a sick parent (not fun, and very stressful - I cannot imagine how they must feel when one of us is ill), nephews venturing off into the world alone, a niece that has just started university and her over-protective father freaking out a bit...some male attention (and for those of you who know me personally, imagine a HUGE eye-roll here) and theft.

So, quite an eventful and busy 2012 so far.

Two things have been glaringly apparent (and appalling) to me throughout the 2 months that have passed.
1. People are becoming less and less concerned about integrity and professionalism in the work place. I know things are no longer black and white - things get complicated so quickly these days - but why should we not strive to have a simplistic view of things? I know that in my own life, where I can, I have adopted that philosophy and as a result, have eliminated unnecessary stress. Do your job, to the best of your ability. Ask if you do not know, say NO when you cannot and more importantly, if you fuck up, take your punishment like a grown up. And. LEAVE YOUR PERSONAL SHIT AT HOME.

2. I am very disturbed at how easily people can talk bad about people who are religious. Come on people, really? We are supposed to be progressing but we're worse than cave people. A prostitute can go about her trade, homosexuals are accepted in society and are even allowed to get married, but if someone wants to (of their own free will) follow their religion without it being a hindrance to anyone, that is a problem. To believe in God is something people actually find stupid. I am completely appalled.
More disturbing than that for me though, is how Muslim people are just neglecting essential things in their lives with regards to Islam. Why do you look down and ridicule girls who dress properly and pray regularly? Why do you find dating and courting to be acceptable? I understand that we are a minority in the world...but we will always be. And while we as Muslims may not be perfect, Islam is. And we should strive to practice it as perfectly as we are able.

Start of 2012

I started work on 9 January this year.
I didn't really have much of a holiday, and it was further dampened by my sister and I being involved in a car accident just before Christmas weekend.


My first day of work was really great actually. I sat on the bus on my way to work that morning, and just watched people go about their business, and I was just grateful to be alive, and healthy, and able to work.
What pleased me more though, is that during these last two weeks, I've seen these random acts of kindness...
and that's what has been most inspirational and heart-warming. I've also been on the receiving end of some of these acts, and my only resolution this year is to pass them on.


We're into our third week. Things have picked up and today I will find myself in a classroom again for the first time since 2006. I'm a little nervous but also very excited.

not a smooth criminal

The past two weeks have been ones of discovery for me.

I have discovered that I am a magnet for unavailable and inappropriate men...and that I do not handle male attention as well as I thought.

The two types of male attention I received are as follows:
1. Inappropriate: 24 years old (I am almost 29), very poorly educated, can't seem to hold down a steady job....but most inappropriate, recently fathered a child out of wedlock. This all adds to the fact that I do not find this individual attractive at all.

2. Also 24 (I feel like a damn cougar) but more responsible than no. 1 above...has a steady job, very gentlemanly manners, loves his family, no kids...and SMOKING HOT.
Unfortunately, we are of different religions, and this definitely makes him unavailable to me (or me to him, as is the case, as he asked if he could as me out).

I handled no.1 pretty well - just keep him at a very safe distance.

No. 2 - I completely freaked out when he indicated that he was interested.

So...not as smooth as I thought I was