Thanks for Life

"Qul in-na Salaatiy wa nusukiy wa maHyaaya wa mamaatiy lil-laahi rab-bil ‘AAlamiyn"
Say: "Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds"
[Quran 6:162]

May the days that I have passed, the ones that I am currently passing and those that I am about to pass, continue to be a journey of the conscious mind ultimately for the purpose of pleasing the Creator. I make this prayer at this junction in life as I stop, stare into the distance ahead of me and look back at where I came from. As I take in the moment, I notice my surroundings and begin to be thankful for everything and everyone in my life. God bless you all, it is indeed more than the heart's wish to be blessed with the company of so many great personalities. "It eh look so bad", or as my friend would say "It don look so bad". For all small islanders, no explanation needed but to everyone else yes there is a difference and believe me you can distinguish between them!

For once I can appreciate the sound of laughter in the midst of anxiety and loss. I hear the friendly wishes of my dear ones and I know they haven't forgotten me or forsaken me. I feel the warmth of their embrace as I spend time in the company of family. I spend this day in gratitude to the Almighty and in joyous celebration of all those people in my life who've made a measurable difference.

"Listen to the Exhortation of the Dawn!
Look to this Day!
For it is Life, the very Life of Life.
In its brief course lie all the Verities and Realities of your Existence.
The Bliss of Growth,
The Glory of Action,
The Splendor of Beauty;
For Yesterday is but a Dream,
And Tomorrow is only a Vision;
But Today well lived makes Every Yesterday a Dream of Happiness,
And every Tomorrow a Vision of Hope.
Look well therefore to this Day!
Such is the Salutation of the Dawn!"
~ Kalidasa

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

Sound of a Rebel

Sound of a Rebel

“(Pain) removes the veil; it plants the flag of truth within the fortress of a rebel soul”
~ C.S. Lewis (British Scholar and Novelist. 1898-1963)

I have recently been surrounded with a barrage of highly motivational expressions to the point of rebellion. I call it “get-up-and-go” stimuli and sometimes it can entail one taking a stand and making his/her voice be heard in the crowd of constant chatter that we so often remain subdued to. I must admit it is truly enjoyable to feel the vigour of expressing one’s own convictions especially when it is influenced by the perfection of a higher and universal order. Remaining silent may seem convenient and at times most appropriate but it is not in the least the final resolve to addressing a matter of communicative concern. When a person voices their opinions and beliefs, they can truly appreciate what they believe in and make importance of. If you don’t agree with that then tell me again after you’ve just defended yourself or a trend of thought if clarity and confirmation hasn’t entered your intellect. Through this process we can truly dispose of closed mindedness and ignorance as we constantly evaluate what we place emphasis on if we communicate such at times of need. Weak beliefs are shed and stronger more inherent ones; because I do believe everyone is good in their basic nature and has the potential to do good; are reinforced and built on. This is the true process of constructing a sound character.

A close friend once told me ignorance is like a caged bird. Wings were made to fly so release the constraints of your intellect and express that which is true to your heart and soul. How many times a word unsaid is one too much? Though I do agree we have many words said that were far too many. If after careful thought you are invigorated to say or express yourself then do just that and leave no room for regret or doubt. Prolonged silence is the foundation of ignorance, whereas active expression and thought is the foundation of knowledge.

“Take heart and be brave and you will amaze,
Don't live in a haze, so hit hard” ~ Dale Duro

It’s my time to let my voice be heard and to stand up for what I believe in. I do this with my right foot first, as I take a deep breath in, summon all the strength in me and open my eyes to the beginning of mi vida nuevo, inshaAllah khair. Not necessarily as in new but as in a continuation and metamorphosis into all that is refining to the ruh.

Bismillah…Viva la Voz!

Get busy and start living.

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue
***

Eternal Freedom

A poet's bequest,
Read and comment; my humble request,
Gratitude is what I offer to thee,
Penned by yours truly.

***

Eternal Freedom

A mask of contentment I constantly wear,
Entrusted with burden more than one can bear,
From the thresholds of my sanity,
I seek freedom from their apathy,
Unable to convict with moral equity,
Objectifying their cruel necessity,
On other’s strength and tears do they feed,
Plagued by wretched resolve and greed,
Time bears witness to the ongoing story,
As characters enact a tragic parody,
With every, tear-jerking scene they all shout,
Encore! Encore!
Same victim, same fate,
Yet my life remains to some a metaphor,
My silence screaming to be heard,
My soul desperate to be freed,
Memories etched with eternal strokes,
A portrait capturing that, which it evokes,
Immortalised by the slow effect of time,
Engendered by the resolve of this rhyme,
Preach not, the advice of patience,
Offer not, the price of endurance,
Look into the honesty of my eyes,
In it the secret to emotion lies,
The candle of affection is inevitably evanescent,
In the last hour, before the ever magnificent,
My soul shall taste true release of burden,
Where the sky and earth meet in joyful abandon,
Occupy my conscience with its emotion,
Dedicate my service to true devotion,
Written with the unheard voice of my insignificance,
I entrust upon you the reality of my existence.

[28th-February-2009]
***

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

[Artistic designs by : Marco Escobedo]