This photo really describes how I've been feeling lately. Small, vulnerable, and invisible. In real life, this droplet, lying perfectly still on that little flower petal is extremely small. It's not worth anything. Compared to everything around it, it's insignificant. You might pass by it and not even notice it. A very light breeze might knock it over, and send it flying everywhere. It has no value. Yet, when I aimed my camera lens at it, and focused, something magical appeared. Something that made my heart skip a beat, and my eyes sparkle in admiration. It's beauty.
A month ago, my friend suggested that I start the 30 days of gratitude project with her, and I am so glad that I did! I've enjoyed every minute of working on this project, every click on my camera, every word I typed on my keyboard, and every comment I've received so far! Now that the 30 days are over, I can look back at every gift I have been blessed with, and thank The Creator for showering me with those blessings.
Yes.. we're expecting new babies!! Naturally, this photo should have been of Lula, the mommy-to-be, but even now, when her tummy is the size of a football, she is always jumping around and doing all sorts of crazy things, and she won't stay till, even for a moment for me to photograph her. She hates posing, and if she is not sleeping, she's running around like the little monkey that she is! What a great role model for her future babies! This is babyface, or should I say daddyface? He's really confused, he can sense that there is something different about his Lula, and I think he is a bit jealous! She's been getting a lot of attention lately (.. and it's not like he's not getting any..) and he doesn't like that! But he still loves her :) You can see how serious he looks here, of course! He's going to be a daddy!
One cannot be truly grateful for any blessing without having faith. Faith is the essence of life. It makes people endure suffering, love unconditionally, forgive and be merciful. It refines our personalities and gives us reasons to live. Our goals become clearer with faith. Our daily rituals become meaningful, and our days happier.
"Those who have faith and do righteous deeds― they are the best of creatures." The holy Quran, 98:7
I am truly grateful to Allah (God), for guiding me to make the right choice in life, and that is to believe in Him, His prophets, Adam, Abraham, Noah, Jacob, Joseph, David, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad and all the prophets, (may blessings be upon them), His holy scriptures, the Torah, the Bible and the Quran, and His Angels. I'm grateful for faith, it made me a person with a purpose.
... to stop thinking? Last night I was trying to sleep, my mind was not ready to sleep though, going in all directions, thinking here and there. My head felt really heavy, but the thoughts kept storming in. I tried imagining a blank piece of paper, just white emptiness. Maybe that would work? It worked for a few seconds. Then images started popping on the blank paper, words writing themselves, lines and curves drawing themselves... it didn't work. You just can't stop thinking.
I made tiramisu yesterday, and it was amazing! Well.. it wasn't the first time, I made it before, but last time I added too much coffee, and it was kind of mushy. I was in a really good mood while making it, it had rained the night before, the clouds were fluffy and the sky was crystal clear. I opened the kitchen door and let the sunshine in, and decided I'll document each step by taking photos! (yay! photos!)
Lady fingers...
Italian lady fingers can be found at any supermarket, they come in packs, like biscuits.
Instant coffee...
Gorgeous sky!
Eggs for the custard (egg yoke)
Irish cream flavoring for the custard...
Custard!
Whipping cream... *Ooooh I'm in heaven!*
First layer of lady fingers... look at 'em.. all ladylike and neat!
Well.. that's about it. You keep piling layer over layer, lady fingers, custard and whipping cream,lady fingers, custard and whipping cream,lady fingers, custard and whipping cream...
Day twenty seven... dated Dec/10/09 It's strange how some people wish to be in someone else's place, and how they're not content with who they are. I'm grateful for being me, and I would not give being who I am right now to anything. Not even to being a very wealthy heiress, and I thank God for making me who I am, for being born to this particular family, at this particular time.
I'm grateful for having the greatest treasure of all, a healthy body. I know I wrote about health earlier, but today I saw a person with a disability, and I thought how fortunate I am to be healthy, and not having to struggle with a deformed body for the rest of my life. I know this could all go away one day, and that I might lose this blessing, therefore I should be grateful with every single minute that passes for the health that has been given to me.
To some people, life is just a blur. They don't know who they are, what they are doing on plant earth, and where they are heading after that. I'm grateful for knowing the purpose of my existence, and not being a lost soul wandering around, not belonging to anything, or anywhere.
There was complete darkness. Her eyes widen, like a curious child listening to the tales of a daring adventurer. In a sea of black emptiness, she felt that she existed no longer. She could see colorful stars blinking everywhere. She tries to touch them, only to realize they are an illusion of that darkness. She could swim in that darkness, float, on its never ending waves. Dive into its deep bottomless pit. She became a part of it. Moments seem like hours, and they fly right by her. Her eyes get accustomed to the darkness, they absorb every last bit of it, draining all of it out. Shapes start forming around her. Blood starts flowing back into her numb limbs. She could feel herself once again. She looks up, purple street lights dance on her ceiling, welcoming her back to existence. She is alive again, she regains her sight. Only this time, everything she sees sparkles before her in the darkest shade of navy blue.
I was out running some errands today, and I passed by a pet shop. I saw two white cats in a small cage, I went over to have a closer look, and I was shocked! A poor little white kitten, infested with ringworm (for those of you who don't know what ringworm is, its a very serious skin disease. Well its not that serious, but it could be if is left untreated, which it was in this case) and infected eyes, was staring at me from behind the bars. I could feel the sadness in her eyes, or maybe even hate! Why would she love any human? When it is a human that had locked her up in that cage, with no love, attention or even medical treatment! Yes that kitten hated me! I tried to stroke her but she kept walking away from the bars. I saw one of the workers in the shop and asked him what was keeping them from treating her? He looked at me as if I had insulted him and said that they are treating her...!!!! Which is a big lie, because it looks like she had this infection for a very long time! I hate pet shops. I've always hated them! Besides, it is illegal to sell cats in Islam, they are not items to be sold! Yet the shop owner is committing a sin, and selling cats for profit. And what is worse, treating cats as if they WERE items!!
When I came back home, and saw Lula and Babyface cuddling together, on a warm blanket, purring and grooming each other, I felt really grateful to have saved two souls from such misery, and taught them that not all humans are cruel! Or rather, they taught me.
I am sorry if you find this image to be disturbing, and its not my usual bright cheerful shots. Pet shops around the world should be closed! Cats are not items!!! They were not created by God to live inside a small cage, waiting for someone to come and "buy" them, and probably get bored of them in a couple of weeks, and throw them in the street!
When I took this photo, I was thinking about what I am going to write about. It was words. And how grateful I am for words, that make our life meaningful, and the words of God, that are the center of our lives. But now, I am in a really bad mood, and I thought if I write about this, I won't be able to express myself in the way I want to, because of my bad mood. I am grateful that bad moods are not permanent, that they come and go. And that they make us appreciate life when we are in a good mood, because the bad mood we were in has lifted. I am sorry if my words don't make any sense, but that is how I feel!
Golden sun rays flickering through the leaves of the tree, sweeping down and kissing the petals of the little pink flower. They fly across the space touching tiny particles in the air and glitter is seen shimmering all around. I'm grateful for those sun rays, they make everything seem so magical!
A Very Short Story *Based on a personal experience
I held the Turkish coffee pot in my hand. The water was boiling. I added two spoonfuls of Turkish coffee powder, and watched as the water absorbed the powder, they blended together softly and formed a thick substance. It began to boil, forming large bubbles. They began rising and rising, I removed the pot quickly, fearing the dark liquid would spill all over the stove. The bubbles calmed down and the liquid continued to boil calmly. I placed the pot on the stove-top again. The dark bubbles started to rise again. This time I let them. They reached half way through the pot, roaring vigorously. I defied them, daring them to overflow, pushing them to their limit. The bubbles kept rising. They reached the edge of the pot. I prepared myself for the worse; black liquid bursting out of the pot, spilling all over the stove-top, flowing down and forming a puddle on the ground. A nightmare. They rose above the edge, this is it, I thought, now they are going to explode all over the place. My heart raced as I watched them. I waited. They kept flowing rapidly, an inch above the edge of the pot. I waited for the first drop to make it's way down the pot's walls, inviting the other billion drops to follow. But nothing happened. They kept rising, simmering, defying gravity with their energetic dance, and I kept waiting, looking at them with bewilderment, wondering whether I had won the bet.
I'm grateful for everything I have that other less fortunate people don't. Sometimes we take for granted the lovely things we have that we can not imagine life without, and yet we forget to be thankful for them. For maybe someday, with a blink of an eye, everything could change, and we would find ourselves among those less fortunate people, those exact people we once pitied.
Last night I tried to squeeze words out of my head in an attempted to write the second chapter of my story. But the words refused to comply. I gave up and went to bed. While I was in the stage of falling asleep, the stage where you dream, yet you are still awake and conscious, words and sentences started pouring like a heavy London rain. I was too lazy to get out of my warm covers and write them down, I thought I could write them down when I wake up. The next morning, I got a pen and paper, and tried to recover the sentences that were formed by the word storm of the previous night, but with no success. I could see them laughing at me, like mischievous children "We give you only one chance!" ... and they giggle away.
"He who spends his nights in the comfort of his own home, safe from any harm or danger, with a healthy mind and body, and food on his table, is a person who has the world in his possession" ~ Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
I'm grateful for having the world in my possession!
I'm grateful to have joined flickr (a photo sharing website) a year ago, and met really talented photographers. I have learned a lot about photography, made new wonderful friends, and got inspired by the beautiful photos ♥
I've been tagged by Unique-Muslimah to list ten things about me. I've done this before.. but hey! I'll do it again :)
1- I wear the Hijab (Islamic head veil) and for those of you who are asking.. no I don't wear it while I'm sleeping (yup, I've been asked this question before!)
2- I have a really lousy sense of humor! My jokes are always so lame.. no one laughs at them, and I end up feeling embarrassed.
3- I belong to a big family, and I wouldn't trade them for the world!
4- I don't like teenagers! (sorry if I offended any teenagers out there.. it's the teenager attitude I'm talking about here)
5- To most people I'm "that weird girl who never went to school"
6- I haven't read Twilight, nor watched the movie.. and I never will
7- I never lived in a house for more than four years. I love moving to new places, and the best part is the first few days in the new house, the smell of paint, donuts and coffee!
8- My life has been so unpredictable. One day I'm making a grocery list for the weekly shopping, the next day I'm packing my bags and moving to a new country.
9- I'm planning on starting a personal business (involving art, and jewelry)
10- I feel that I don't belong to the human race, or rather people stopped being humans!
Having a pet is a privilege. Having two.. is a great blessing! My mother always says, a house without cats is not a home. It's true! A cat-less house lacks warmth. Just watching them cuddle or groom themselves fills your heart with a warm fuzzy feeling, especially during winter, when any source of warmth is always welcome. Having a cat(s) makes you less stressful, and more lively. You talk to them, pet them, cuddle them and play with them, and they always appreciate your attention. Sometimes I enjoy the company of my pets to most people around me (besides family), they understand you, which sometimes surprises you. As a friend once said, its degrading to call them animals, when sometimes they can have a kinder heart, love you unconditionally, and be more considerate, than some humans. The way they love and care for each other is a whole different story. I could write volumes about this, and it makes us humans ashamed of ourselves to see animals behave in a way that we are supposed to. I'm grateful for Lula and Babyface!! They are my sunshine, my little warm fuzzy babies!
Today I'm grateful for my point and shoot camera. It helped me discover photography and fall in love with it, despite its limited capabilities. It's been challenging, to shoot macro and bokeh shots, but my faithful camera helped me with all the power its got. It also helped me improve on the artistic side of photography, instead of focusing on the technical mumbo jumbo, something you would have to do, if you own a DSLR. Thank you, my Sony Cyber-shot! I love you!
Without water, there would be no life. Without clean water, there would be a life full of misery and sickness. I'm grateful for the pure water that we drink everyday. You would never imagine the importance of clean water until you try the opposite. There are people here in Egypt who drink water that comes from dirty rivers, dirty enough to have dead animals dumped into them. They drink this water, bathe with it, and clean their dishes with it. The amount of diseases these people have are unimaginable.
"Allah is He Who has created the heavens and the earth and sends down water (rain) from the sky, and thereby brought forth fruits as provision for you; and He has made the ships to be of service to you, that they may sail through the sea by His Command; and He has made rivers (also) to be of service to you." The Holy Quran, Ibrahim, Chapter 14, Verse 32
We (humans) have abused the blessings of God, the rivers, the lakes and the seas, by believing that it is ours, that we have the freedom to misuse them as we like. I'm grateful there are still people out there who are aware of the importance of these blessings, and are trying their best to maintain them and keep them clean, as God has intended them to be.
Where do you see yourself in ten years? I know this is a commonly asked question, and the answer is usually spontaneous, living in a suburban house with two kids.. becoming a successful doctor or engineer.. having achieved my dreams (whatever those dreams are). I was asked this question a while ago, and my answer was that I see myself living a content (I won't say happy.. but content) life with two maybe three kids, a busy mom, homeschooling her kids (of course) baking, cooking, washing, taking the kids to the park, crying every now and then because life seemed more promising before marriage, enjoying outings with the whole family.. arguing a lot with my mother-in law, and so on... Well.. I thought about it afterwards, and I asked myself this question again, and my answer was, I don't know... I honestly don't! If I were asked this very same question ten years ago, I would have never, in my wildest dreams, imagined myself where I am right now. Ten years ago, I was living in my hometown, Toronto, and suddenly, I find myself living in a country I wouldn't have even thought of visiting! When my grandmother married my grandfather years ago in Damascus, Syria, she never imagined herself living somewhere she never knew existed on the map! Strange, yet simple things might happen to us, and they change the course of our lives. In my case, it was an accident. In other cases it could be something as simple as a business deal, a phone call, a signed piece of paper, or even a feeling. Where do I see myself in ten years? I do not have an answer to that question, my life has been so unpredictable so far.
No amount of words could explain the feeling of witnessing an extraordinary sunset. Watching the sun as it peacefully sets into the horizon. Or looking up at the sky on a warm summer's night, and watch as the stars flicker and twinkle, dancing around the glowing moon. I'm grateful for being able to see such wonders. I'm grateful for my sight.
I wasn't really surprised when I came upon this youtube video the other day, because I already know that music, especially rock 'n' roll and pop are not merely entertainment, they are more than just that. This video reveals a secret satanic message hidden in Led Zeppelin's song "Stairway to Heaven". If you play the song backwards, you can clearly hear that message.
Here are the original lyrics:
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow Don't be alarmed now It's just a spring clean For the May queen
Yes, there are two paths you can go by But in the long run There's still time to change The road you're on
Sounds fine, right? (although if you analyze the lyrics and read deep into them, you will find that these lyrics have other subliminal message) Now listen to these same lyrics played backwards...
If you don't believe this, download any audio editing software, play the song backwards and listen for yourself.
These messages are not only found in this particular song, but MANY other pop and rock songs. Not necessarily satanic messages, and you might not understand the significance of these messages, but your subconscious mind sure does!!!
To further understand how secret messages are embedded into songs we listen to everyday, and how these messages control our minds, I suggest you watch the documentary "The Workings of Evil" on youtube. This documentary analyzes the song "Umbrella" by Rhianna. While the creator of this documentary is speaking from a secular point to view, we can easily view it from an Islamic point of view, and it will make much more sense. I wouldn't watch this at night if I were you, especially alone, in the dark, when everyone has gone to sleep.. wooOOoooo ooo *clears throat* sorry... (lol)
Haven't you ever wondered why songs make you feel things? Depression, sadness.. unexplained anger.. rage.. sometimes excitement.. other times loneliness? Well, now you know why! It's not just the hidden messages, its they way the song is being sung. The musical instruments used in the song, and the mood the song puts you in, all those factors are being used to control your mind without you knowing, and you are gladly taking part in this dirty conspiracy!
I became interested in photography last year. Since then, I began feeling more connected with the world around me, especially nature. Photography made me appreciate small things, and explore new places. It opened my eyes, and made me alert. It made colors more vivid, and the light more radiant! I'm grateful for photography, for making my life more interesting!
1- It makes you see the world from different angles 2- Gives you more reasons to go sight seeing 3- You appreciate simple, beautiful things with photography 4- Makes you look sophisticated and intelligent while you snap away with your camera :) 5- Makes you appreciate the works of other photographers, and not just stare at their photos 6- Its a hobby that can bring you money! 7- You're out of ideas and you can't find a suitable gift to give? Print one of your photos, frame it, and viola! You've got the prefect present! 8- With photography, the possibilities are endless! 9- When you take a really good photo, you feel that you have achieved something of great importance! Even if all you do with the photo is share it online, or use it as your desktop wallpaper 10- You can see magical things through the camera lens! Things you can't see with your bare eyes!
So I had this idea the other day. Why is it that when writers write stories about animals, it has to be comedy? I thought of writing a story of a pampered cat that has been abandoned. It is not comedy, it's tragic. I tried putting myself in that cat's place, and write about her feelings, her fears, and her struggle to survive in a harsh environment, completely new to her, the streets.
It always makes me angry that most people take animals' suffering sarcastically (especially here in Egypt)! Caring for animals does not mean that I should not care for less fortunate people, and that their suffering should not be my concern!! Both deserve my charity! I'm obliged to help both.
So I've created a new blog, will be posting the story there in chapters inshallah. Any comments and criticism are welcome!
The sun sets into the horizon, a blanket of dark velvet blue covers the sky and the world falls asleep. I'm grateful for the peace and and quietness of the night. Everyone slips into their cozy beds, cuddle with their loved ones, and fall into a deep healing sleep. I do believe that a good night's sleep is a great blessing!! For there are those who have been deprived of that blessing. (I'm obviously still sleepy, since I had to wake up really early this morning...)
I was going to write about my childhood, and how grateful I am for growing up uncorrupted by TV and the stress of schools, but for some odd reason, this photo makes me feel really sleepy! Its almost midnight here in Cairo, and I've been up since 5 am, and I haven't had the chance to "sit" down through out the entire day! My back is aching, my feet are sore, and I am GRATEFUL this long hectic day is finally over! I'm also grateful for having a fluffy pillow, a warm duvet, and a cozy bed, which I'm going to dive into and fall asleep... Good night everyone!
Its strange how we appreciate health only when we lose it. Sickness makes us realize how vulnerable our bodies are, and how important health is. Today I'm grateful for being healthy, despite the fact that everything around us is unhealthy and unhygienic in this polluted and disease infested world. The amount of chemicals in our foods and the harmful substitutes are mind-boggling! Its a miracle that we are still healthy and living a natural life. But then again, not everyone is as healthy as they should be. That's why I'm most grateful for being healthy today.
I'm grateful for feeling safe in this world, knowing I have a family to stand by me if I ever needed. I'm grateful for not having to fend for myself in this big bad world, because I'm already protected. Wherever I go, and whatever happens to me, I know there is always a "home" I can come back to, and seek refugee. A faithful, protective family, truly is, the most beautiful blessing.
I found an old black suitcase that was stored on top of my wardrobe the other day. Its been there for ages. Inside I found really interesting things, I knew I had them, but I forgot all about them. Some of the things belonged to me... and other things. I found a box full of seashells. I've had them for years! I remember when I was collecting them. I spent the whole day on the beach looking for shells. They were really tiny! Really colorful and all shapes and sizes.
I also found an old pair for glasses, they were my late grandmother's
Make-up that belonged to my other grandmother. They are probably more than 25 years old!
A few necklaces (also my grandmother's) maybe 30-something years old.
And... an episode guide for Star Trek's "The Next Generation's" first two episodes! Its a tiny little booklet, it's so cute! I have no idea how it got there!!
True friends are rare to find. Like rare precious gems, hidden among dull stones. They fill your world with rich, vibrant colors. They help you develop and expand your horizons with their experiences, and make your life exciting! I'm grateful for true friends!! They are one of God's most precious gifts! Unique-Muslimah, one of those rare, precious gifts, I'm grateful for your friendship :)
I'm grateful for all the beauty that is surrounding us. The blue skies, the warm sunshine, the lovely fragrant flowers, and all the splendors of nature all around us. I am also grateful that I am able to appreciate them and not just pass by them, like they are nothing more than an object... out there. To enjoy the beauty everywhere, even in the smallest things, and thank God for making plant earth, home, so wonderfully beautiful.
I remember a story I heard once, but I can't seem to recall where I heard it.
A very poor single mother lived with her only son in a tin hut. The roof of this hut was made of palm tree leaves. In the winter season, when heavy rains fell on the village, the mother would remove the door of the hut, and use it as a shelter from the rain. One winter evening, while the rain was pouring on the little tin hut, and while the mother held her little son in her arms hiding underneath their door that was shielding the cold harsh rain, the son whispered to his mother, "Mother, we should be very grateful that we have that door to sit under and hide from the rain, imagine those poor people out there with no door to protect them!" I am grateful that I have more than just a door to hide under, more than just a door to live under.
It's 1am now. Everyone has gone to sleep, and I'm wide awake. As a result of reading the book 'Chocolat' I started craving chocolate, and went straight down to the kitchen and fixed myself a warm cup of rich hot chocolate. The house was so still, not a single sound was heard. Even the cats have gone to sleep. I found myself shivering. Not because its freezing, and my warmest PJ's are not warm enough, but at the thought of being alone. Alone in a huge, dark house. I remembered the dream I had last night. A loved one died, and I was weeping. Someone told me that if you get to a certain level of despair, you will be able to talk to the deceased, and see them. I was still weeping. I saw the faint figure of my loved one, gliding down the stairs, wearing a green robe. It felt strange, to be able to see and communicate, yet not be able to touch. I woke up and found tears on my cheeks, and my pillow wet. I have never lost a person who was that close to me before, I don't know how it will feel like in real life. Because now I know how it feels like in dreams, and in dreams I can still talk to them and see them, even if they were ghosts. I can't say that I hope not to lose someone, because eventually I will, and it scares the hell out of me. I will feel alone. I will feel that life has lost its meaning, if only for a while, until that person becomes a memory, and a few photographs.... and I don't want them to be pushed aside in my dusty book of memories, and remembered occasionally, and pushed back again to rot in the dusty book till eternity.... I really don't want it to be like that.
Watching the sun slowly dive into the soft fluffy pink clouds, as she blows her kisses of golden rays, wishing the world a good peaceful night, is what I am grateful for today. The greatest blessings in life are those that are free of charge, and often those that we think are insignificant, or unworthy of gratitude. But in fact, those small but great blessings, are what makes life worth living.
I forgot post last night's entry... so here it is :)
Day five.. dated Nov/17/09
Being grateful is, in itself a blessing. So today I am grateful for being grateful. Gratitude is more than just a word, its the key to happiness in life. People work hard trying to achieve the ultimate goal, which is happiness. But what they have failed to realize, is that happiness is merely a tool to achieve bigger goals in this life, and the next. They have looked everywhere for happiness, but the only place they forgot to look in, was their own hearts. Being grateful for what you have, feeling content and satisfied, is the definition of happiness.
It's flu season!! And yes.. I'm sick. (don't worry.. its not swine flu!!). So, I cheated!! I wasn't able to take any photos today, since I was smothered with pillows, underneath warm blankets. So I started digging up old photos, and found this one.
Looking at some photos of African children suffering from starvation, made me realize what an amazing blessing food is! Having fruits and vegetables in your fridge, bread in your cupboard, and water flowing from your tap! I'm sure most of us have, at one time in our lives, imagined having a very unfortunate accident happen to us, like the loss of a loved one, or a very dangerous illness, but never, being starved to death. Let every bite of food we take, be a chance to thank God for his never ending blessings, and to wake us up to the fact that all this... could one day cease to exist.
Babyface has been with us for over three months. He and Lula are best buddies now! More than best buddies, the cutest couple ever!!! I was really worried when I first adopted Babyface, they were always fighting, growling, and hissing at each other, but now they're in love! His personality is a lot different then hers. He's romantic (yes! romantic!), very sensitive, kind and caring. He enjoys walking in the garden, smelling flowers and chasing butterflies. She is the trouble maker! Always jumping on the kitchen counters and breaking things, biting and scratching (playfully of course). But somehow they've managed to love each other, and I'm really thankful for that, she was really lonely before he came!
Peace is one of God's most greatest blessings. Today I felt really grateful for living in a country that enjoys peace and stability, and not having to fear for my life, and the lives of my loved ones every single day, in a country shattered by war. To wake up to the sound of chirping birds, and not the sound of warplanes piercing through the morning skies, is something we take for granted. Something as simple as lounging in your backyard, with a good book, and a sweet cool breeze blowing on your face, feeling safe and content, is truly, a great blessing.
I started this "30 Days of Gratitude project" a month ago. I posted the first entry, have no idea why, but I forgot to post the rest of the entries (yea, forgot.. ) I started this project on flickr (a photo sharing website). It's a photography project, for those of you who don't know.
So.. I'll be posting an entry every day for the next 29 days. You can skip all that and visit my flickr page, and view the whole 30 entries :)
Here we go!
Day two... dated Nov/14/09
My friends and family members always encourage me by telling me "how wonderfully talented I am". Especially my lovely grandmother. Those simple little compliments, which I knew were straight from the heart, made me want to improve my skills to be able to deserve their praise, which sometimes I felt I did not deserve.
Having someone constantly telling you how wonderful and how brilliant you are, even if you weren't exactly that, makes you believe in yourself, and if you believe in yourself, you could do wonders! I am grateful that God blessed me with a supporting family, whose sincere words and honest compliments made me truly believe in myself.
This photo is dedicated to the sweetest, most kind heated grandmother. And to my mother, thank you for believing in me!
For those of you who don't know me, I LOVE change! I just can't stick with one thing/look forever. I get bored easily, and routine depresses me. So... I made a few changes to the layout. Actually, a whole lot of changes! Hope you like my "new look" :)
"A powerful wizard, who wanted to destroy an entire kingdom, placed a magic potion in the well from which all the inhabitants drank. Whoever drank that water would go mad.
The following morning, the whole population drank from the well, and they all went mad. Apart from the king and his family, who had a well set aside for them alone, and which the magician had not managed to poison. The king was worried and tried to control the population by issuing a series of edicts governing security and public health. The police men and the inspectors, however, had also drunk from the poisoned water and they thought the king's decisions were absurd and resolved to take no notice of them.
When the inhabitants of the kingdom heard of these decrees, they became convinced that the king had gone mad and was now giving nonsensical orders. They marched on to the castle and called for his abdication.
In despair, the king prepared to step down from the throne, but the queen stopped him, saying: 'Let us go and drink from the communal well. then, we will be the same as them." And that was what they did: the king and the queen drank from the water of madness and immediately began talking nonsense.
Their subjects repented at once; now that the kind was displaying such wisdom, why not allow him to continue ruling the country? The country continued to live in peace, although the inhabitants behaved very differently from those of its neighbors. And the king was able to govern until the end of his days."
Do I have to drink from the water of madness to be accepted into society?! To be like everyone else? I refuse, and I shall be looked at as a madwoman till the end of my days...
Nothing interesting is happening around here. Everything is so still and life seems as quiet as undisturbed waters of a small lake on a late summer's afternoon. The only things moving are the clouds, the sun, the moon, and occasionally, the sheer curtain, gently swaying as the wind blows through the window. Phases like these pass through our lives, even if they only last for a few days or maybe a couple of weeks, but they give us space, and time to reflect on important matters in our lives.
This shot was taken at Azhar Park. It is such a lovely place, full of wonderful things to photograph. I had a great time with a friend of mine last Saturday. We had lunch there, and took lots of photos! Its lovely to go out with a fellow photographer, it makes shooting photos even more fun!
This is a late entry, I've been really busy theses days (I know.. I always say that!). Besides, the 30 days of gratitude project is getting really hard and challenging.
