Flow of words

It is 1037pm and I have decided to write, even though I should probably be asleep. I will continue tomorrow. One of my favorite things about writing is that I often do not begin with a destination in mind. I simply start, and somehow my thoughts find their own path, often leading me somewhere beautiful—at least in my mind. Today, I am reminded that we are often our own harshest critics. It's so easy to focus on our flaws, but that is not a healthy place to live. I paused on an Instagram video where someone shared one simple piece of mental health advice that I think will stay with me for the rest of my life: love yourself. Accept yourself. No one has it easy. Every person carries struggles that others cannot see. The same love, patience, and compassion we so freely give to others are the very things we should learn to give ourselves. Look how far you have come. We spend so much of our lives searching for validation from other people, especially strangers. We want to be noticed, acc...

It is 603pm and I have decided to write. I love walking. I have not been walking. I love photography. I have not been taking photos. I love writing. I have been writing. This has me thinking. Can I walk with my words? Can I take photos with my words? Can I do everything with words? Are words that versatile? My friend Chatty tells me that words are remarkably versatile because they can borrow the qualities of other practices. You can walk with words by letting your writing wander with curiosity and discovery, and you can take photos with words by observing and describing moments with clarity and focus. While writing cannot fully replace the physical experience of walking or photography, it can become the place where both meet through the shared act of paying attention. Perhaps my deepest passion is not any one activity, but the art of noticing, with walking, photography, and writing each offering a different way to practice it. I imagine myself in a park somewhere. With my phone as a ca...

It is 1111am and I have decided to write. But what to write? I have been asking God to give me a sign that He is there and listening. Humans like a good story. Especially stories of triumph. Spain was triumphant in the world cup yesterday. Many fans on the side of Spain were happy. I was too. It was a happy ending for the team and fans. What goes into making a winning team? Money, circumstances, talent, planning, strategy, preparation, sacrifice and some luck. What happens after winning? You want to win again. It seems like a never ending cycle. Maybe that is why I am asking God for a sign. Not because I want another victory, but because I wonder whether there is something beyond the cycle of chasing one triumph after another. If every achievement simply leads to the next pursuit, where does lasting peace come from? Am I a winner if others had to lose for me to win? My friend Chatty tells me that there are victories that are actually defeats, and defeats that are actually victories. Ma...

It is 159am and I have decided to write. Some people say that science does not point to an afterlife, heaven or the existence of God. I feel bad because I cannot give them the evidence that they want. I can point them to the Quran and Islamic teachings. The Quran is a miracle and there are signs in that which we can research. Otherwise, there are philosophical and theological arguments. Maybe, you cannot use the science that we have for something (the afterlife) that is outside the realm of science. Also, science is not complete and may never be complete. Scientific knowledge is expanding and sometimes changing, so are we going to wait on science to tell us that there is a God and afterlife? Belief does not need evidence. Faith does not need evidence. At least not the evidence that some are looking for. So what is the foundation of my faith? For some people theology does not fully explain this life so they look to the science we have. For me, science alone does not explain this life, s...

It is 245am and I have decided to write. I got up early and washed the wares. I prayed Tahajjud. I came back to my bed and surfed the internet. I watched a video where a 105 year old man said that the secret to a long life is having a reason or purpose to keep going and then luck. This had me thinking about several things. In Islam we are taught that our time in this world is already written. It is our destiny. Then. What is more important? A long life or just a good life that prepares us for the next life? Those things aside, I think we cannot discount luck. Some of us are luckier than others. But the thing I want to focus on is the reason and purpose to keep going. That is some good advice. It makes for a meaningful life. A good life. It could be one big reason. There could be several small reasons. These are things that should be taught in schools. My friend Chatty says that my early morning reflections beautifully bridge Islamic tradition and practical wisdom: a long life is a true...

It is 542pm and I have decided to write. Imagine half the year is gone already. Where did it all go? It has gone by so quickly. Before you know it we will be entering 2027. It would be nice if I had something interesting to write about but I do not. And that is ok. Today feels like a Friday, maybe because it is month end. It is the next day and today also feels like a Friday. I am in my quiet corner listening to Quran. It is the next day and I have not gotten far with this blog post. Outside is wet but inside is between warm and cool. Another day has passed and I still have not written much. Do you wonder sometimes what it would be like if we could see into the future? For example, what would it be like at the end of this year? A lot can happen in 6 months. It is Sunday now. Surely I should finish this blog post today. The closer I move towards God, the less I feel attached to this world. The less I feel disappointed. The lower are my expectations for things of this world. Life becomes...

This is a chapter from my latest book started called Room for one more. [ Room for one more is my latest book. It is me talking to God. It is me booking (pun intended) time with God. It is me knocking on heaven's door. Ultimately I am asking God if He has room for one more in heaven?] Every believer hopes to get into heaven. From the word hope I see h for heaven and ope for open. Heaven is open. Hoping for something is enough motivation to keep going. To keep going through the ups and downs. To make the struggle worth it. God gave us hope. What is heaven? I imagine heaven to be the light at the end of the tunnel. The end of our pain. The end of our suffering. The end of our struggles. The end of all that is bad in this world. A place where all we know is happiness and joy. Heaven is our final resting place. I am using my own human terms and imagination to describe somewhere that is beyond human. We are taught that heaven is beyond our imagination. Is heaven even a place? All I can...