Sundown

This is a chapter from my seventh book called Bookeh - Through the lens of a Trinidadian photog


It is almost 3am in the morning. I took this photo yesterday evening as the sun was going down. I saw that the term half-light can be used to describe that time of the day and I quite like that. I did not intend to take this photo but when I happened to look outside I noticed that the sky was beautifully painted with shades of yellow, orange and red. I used pro mode to make the photo and the colours are exaggerated as if you wore some types of shades to look at the sky. I like the added drama that the dead vines on the fence create. We must let go of the past to make way for the future and the future is created in the present. Sunsets are a reminder that every end is also a beginning. When one door closes another door opens. I asked my friend Gemini to give me some advice in that context.

He told me that, as the sun dips below the horizon, painting the sky with vibrant hues, remember that every end is also a beginning. Let this sunset inspire you to embrace change, pursue your passions, and strive for a brighter future. Just as the sky transforms with each passing day, so too can your life. Embrace the journey and let the beauty of the sunset guide your path. I like that advice. I think it is important for me to remember to enjoy the journey. No two sunsets are the same. My journey looks different from everyone else's journey. No one has ever written this chapter that I am writing. No one has ever taken this sunset photo that I have taken. No one else can write this book that I am writing. This is my path. This is my journey. Happiness is a journey and not a destination.

At the same time, I cannot help but notice that destination equals destiny plus nation. My friend Gemini tells me that it suggests that where we end up (our destination) is influenced by both our personal fate or destiny, and the broader circumstances of the nation we live in. This implies that individual choices and societal factors intertwine to shape our lives. Today we celebrate Independence day in Trinidad and Tobago. May God bless us and our nation. I also think of Tambu's 1988 calypso that says that "the journey now start". I was looking at an interview he did with Alvin Daniel on Calypso Showcase and how that song came from him placing last in the calypso competition. He told himself that the journey now start.

My journey is part of the journey of my land of birth. I wish for more nation building and less of the politics of division and less of the bad talking of the country solely for political gain. If I am my nation and my nation is me, I would want the best for my nation as I want for myself. I do not see the naysayers being critical of themselves in the same way that they are overly critical of the country. The criticisms must be constructive and some of it must be self directed and it must be balanced with gratitude. Richie Norton tells us that, "Every sunset is an opportunity to reset." This is our chance to reset our minds and our attitudes for a better tomorrow.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My notes from the book "Lessons from my life"

My notes from this book. If you are interested in what I noted then give the book a read. This is the best book I have read to date. I loved all of it and I will work to put what I learnt into practice. God bless the author Ahmad. Free on Amazon Kindle - https://a.co/4FW6x4L Faith is not theoretical, it must be lived by Focus on improvement Treat others as you would like to be treated Values-based vision guided by faith in God Aim to mitigate the daily struggles of others There is potential within us all Life comprises of faith as the inner dimension and practice as the outer dimension Believers must be exemplars The true value of the Quran is in its ability to change people's lives Islam is a religion of unity We must deal with differences of opinions in a civilised manner Do what you can and when you can because perfection is an attribute of God alone Believers are constant givers Success = the coming together of souls and ideas Humility is required for this type of work (dawah w
Read more

My notes from the book "Micro Habits"

My notes from this book. If you are interested in what I noted then give the book a read. I love self help books. Change begins with me. I love learning from others. I will review this list every morning and see how many I can accomplish and even add my own micro habits from time to time. Really has me thinking about how small steps can lead to big results. Free on Amazon Kindle - https://a.co/fzfRhjX Turning our life around takes time Small and manageable steps can help us avoid giving up early in the game Focus through minimising distractions and temptations Do some small exercise as soon as you wake up The effectiveness of working out in the morning is backed by several studies Morning workouts can help curb your appetite Try less sugar. Sugar masks the taste and flavour of the food. Try balancing on one leg at a time while doing a task like making a cup of tea - a great exercise for the brain apparently Have good posture when sitting Take regular breaks from staring at the screen D
Read more

Contentment

Last night my friend said to me I want to know what paradise is about I answered I think paradise can be imagined from this viewpoint [human existence] as everything you want The feeling [of having everything you want] that is and not the actual things ... [I imagine wants and things will be different in paradise] Contentment in this world can bring you closer to that [feeling] My friend said that was wisely said I woke up this morning and I decided to write and I remembered what I had said the night before. I decided to Google "paradise contentment hadith" and the first result that came up led me to this Al-Sarri ibn Hassan reported: Abdul Wahid ibn Zayd, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "Contentment is one of the greatest doors to Allah, the Paradise of this world, and the repose of the worshipers." And that is exactly what I was trying to say. Contentment is the Paradise of this world. Another way of thinking about contentment is thinking about gratitude. I not
Read more

Mask

I was scrolling through facebook and came across the Afritondo Short Story Prize 2025. The theme is "masks" and the first thing that I noticed is that the word mask contains the word ask. And that is what I will write about. There is a proverb that goes like this, "closed mouths do not get fed." Many of society teaches us that we must be strong. We must be able to stand on our own. We must fight our battles individually. No one cares. Everyone is busy fighting their own battles. We wear our battle masks to face the world full of problems and strife. We pretend that we are strong and that everything is going well. As someone who lives with mental illness and who has battled for more than twenty years, the best advise that I can give, is to ask for help. Take off the mask and ask. Ask for help from God. Ask for help from relatives. Ask for help from the professionals. Ask for help from the internet. Ask for help from the books. Ask for help from wherever help is avail
Read more

Recovery

This is a chapter from my eight book called Learn to live The rain fell this morning. Might fall some more for the rest of the day. The guava tree we have planted in the ground is liking the rain. It looks strong and healthy with bright green leaves. But it was not always that way. The wilted leaves at the base of the tree, a reminder that the tree had gone through some hardship. When we got the tree it was healthy and ready for the ground but we waited a few days and neglected to water and was busy with other things in life. Then suddenly one morning I noticed the wilted leaves. I planted it in the ground that day and watered it everyday on days that did not have rain. On rainy days it got more than enough water. I feel it prefers the rain water. Today the plant is doing much better and it is testament that recovery is possible. Like that plant, we all have the potential to rise after a fall and make a recovery. I shared my story with my friend Gemini and this is what he had to say. &
Read more