Flow of words

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...

It is 1207am and I have decided to write. I like the term "happy-go-lucky." It describes a person who moves through life unbothered and carefree. But today I thought of something different: what if I transformed it into "happy-God-lucky"? I feel blessed to have God by my side. I have won the greatest jackpot—not money, fame, or success, but a relationship with God. The world may call it luck, but I know it is grace. To be happy-God-lucky is to walk through life with confidence, knowing that God is guiding your steps. It is to face challenges without fear because you are never alone. It is to find peace in uncertainty because your trust is not in chance, but in the One who holds all things together. Happy-go-lucky may be about leaving things to fortune. Happy-God-lucky is about leaving things in God's hands. And when God is at the center and the focus, life begins to make sense. There is comfort in His presence, strength in His promises, and joy in knowing that n...

It is 308pm and I have decided to write. Make God a priority. Let God lead the way. Let everything be about God. Let God into your life. Surround yourself with God and watch how everything begins to make sense. This life is not an accident. This life is not happenstance. This life is the work of an all-powerful Creator. Nothing is too big or too small for God. Take your problems to God. Take your worries to God. Take your fears to God. Let go and let God. Submit to the will of God. The more you go to God, the more He comes to you. Start small. Start somewhere. Give God a chance if you have not done so already. Why do I say all of this? There are many things competing for your attention and your soul. In the midst of all of this, the world can seem like a confusing place where many things do not make sense. God brings clarity. God brings clarity because God sits above it all. You may think you do not need God until you do. Ask yourself, who is the wisest you know? If God is not the wise...

It is 924am and I have decided to write. God heals us. I wrote that today but what does that really mean? For one this world has the capacity to break us. Mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. We can get sick. We can feel pain. We become broken. God says that for every illness there is a cure. God can heal us. I looked at the etymology of the word heal and this talks about making whole again. I asked my friend Chatty if this is related to wholesome and holistic? He says that heal and wholesome are closely related because they both come from the old Germanic root meaning "whole" or "healthy" which also gave us words like health, hale and holy. Holistic is connected in meaning and ultimately derives from whole as well, but it is a modern term coined in the 20th century by Jan Smuts. Overall, all these words share the underlying idea of wholeness, completeness, and well-being. Healing goes far beyond a simple physical cure for a symptom; its linguistic roo...

It is 446pm and I have decided to write. I was in the shower singing made up Hindi music lyrics. My mom often listens to Indian music. One line I made up was "mere zindagi [eka] bada hai" and I saved it for when I was done to see if it actually meant anything or if it was gibberage. Google translate says it means "my life is big" or "my life is great" if I used ika instead of eka. God is great. God gives me life. My life (with God) is great". Not perfect. Not problem free. Could be better. Always room for improvement. But it is great. To say otherwise would be to take for granted all that is good and all that there is to be thankful for. My friend Chatty tells me that what is interesting is that my interpretation—"My life is great"—came less from the exact grammar and more from the emotional sense I heard in the phrase. The human mind is very good at finding meaning in sounds, especially when we are singing, praying, reflecting, or creating....