flags and Fate

Dear Reader, 

On the occasion of the Queen's Jubilee, as I stood staring at the streets strewn with red-white-blue bunting and Union Jacks, it occurred to me that flags are a brilliant source of analogies. For example, I've always had difficulty in explaining how both free will and fate can coexist in the same universe. This is where flags come in. Or more specifically, a flag pole.

Say you have a flag that represents you, dear reader. You can choose it's colour, material, design, shape, how far up on the flag pole you can pull it, which direction it faces. You're free to choose all those details to your liking. But fate, let's say fate is like the wind, an uncontrollable force of nature. It buffets you in one direction or another. And yet it's the flag's material, shape, design etc. that are important, i.e. how you willingly choose to face your fate is what individualises us and is what we're judged on. 

And I suppose, in the end, there is only one fate that awaits us all: death. Because death is the only true certainty in life. I find that in this busy modern world, many people seem to forget this, or choose to ignore it. But this doesn't have to be a morbid thought, just a practical one. We need to realize that our time on this world is limited, and thus we should spend it wisely. Time is an often-overlooked  limited resource and we should be using it to make provisions for the Afterlife inshallah, which is in itself eternal and ever lasting. And if you, dear reader, do not believe in an afterlife, then we can also make provisions for future generations to come. It doesn't have to be something grand, like inventing a feasible nuclear fusion reactor. But simpler, smaller, everyday things, like recycling paper or teaching children to respect each other and the environment, these little things that will help to make a safer and cleaner future...

Okay, I did not intend for this post to turn so serious and lecture-like. It's just I've often found my thoughts lately drifting towards the highly maternal topic of babies/children and their future. My biological-clock is not only ticking but ring with alarm bells! *Blush* And with that embarrassing confession, I believe I will end this post. 

Nida   

flower Photography

Dear Reader,

This absolutely excellent weather we had last week was like a testament from God, that summer was finally setting it's foot in the UK. As if in celebration of this wondrous feat, gardens all over England burst to life in a spectrum of greens and a rainbow of flowers. My own garden was no exception to this. So in between writing up assignments and preparing presentations, I was spending as much time as I could in my garden, absorbing England's limited supply of natural vitamin D. 

While I was doing this, my multi-talented mother, who happens to be quite handy with a camera, took photos aplenty of our garden, over which her love's labours are not lost. She has given my permission to post those amazing pictures on my blog, so that I can give you, dear reader, a tour of our garden through my mother's eyes.      

This is the view you will see when you step out the kitchen door:

Ever since we got rid of our two plum trees 2 years ago, me and mum have focused our efforts on growing a whole range of berries.

The first thing you see, the Gooseberries - they still have to ripen and become red. 

Strawberries in flower

The strawberries have already begun to grow on this one. You can even see that one has already begun to blush, hidden beneath the leaves. 

The grapes and red currents are currently small green dots at the moment and not very visible in all the foliage. They'll probably ripen in August most likely, so I'll add pictures of them then. Neither I nor my mum have taken any pictures of my herb pots (oregano, tarragon, sage and mint) or my cherry tomatoes because, honestly, they're not very impressive at the moment. But here are some things that are much more pretty and impressive:

Such pretty snapdragons. There are more in different colours but I  don't have  pictures of those.

This rose we gave to my mother quite a few years ago for her birthday. Since then we've called it "the Birthday rose"

And even more flowers!

But this one is my favourite:

You, dear reader, can't tell how wonderful and strong it's scent is from the pictures, but believe me when I tell you, it's really really really strong and intoxicatingly sweet.   

As you can probably tell by now, my mother and I are unreasonably fond of roses. There are, in fact, a lot more in our front garden:

Again, you won't believe this, but these actually smell like an odd combination of rose and lemon blossom.

When the buds of this one are just open, they look like little fists of snow balls.  

Okay, so these aren't roses but geraniums. But they're pretty and smelly all the same.

And this is what I found in my bedroom this morning.

I know this has little to do with gardens but, honestly, that is the biggest moth I've ever seen. It's half the size of my palm!!! I suppose I should have seen this coming, what with leaving my windows fully open over night.  Not that I have a problem with this. It's a rather graceful moth and fits in with the flowery theme of my bedroom. I wonder if it mistook my wall boarder for real flowers?

Nida

thoughts On writing - Part 2

Dear Reader, 

As I was brooming the kitchen floor this morning, I couldn't help but think that this was what I've been doing my life lately: brooming and brushing away important issues rather than facing them. And one of these issues is my writing ... of the lack there of. 

You see, I might be an introvert, but I'm also a thinker, an observer of life and people, a writer. And more than any of that, I ENJOY writing. That euphoria you get when you write a particular sentence that captures the situation accurately, or the smile that appears after writing a witty turn of phrase, that you know no one will notice but you like it all the same. That's what I've been missing. In these last few months, as I spiralled down a vicious cycle of despair and loneliness, after parting from a certain someone, I seemed to have forgotten all this.

So, even though I might never be published, let alone famous, and maybe no one will ever read what I've written, it should not stop me from doing something I really like doing. Because I actually am a writer, and I will keep on writing.      

Nida

a Barren wasteland

Image courtesy of mongabay.com

Dear Reader,

I think you must feel really abandoned by now. But I must admit, when it comes to poetry, blogging and even novel writing, my creativity has transformed into a barren wasteland, on which sometimes sprinkles of inspiration fall like sparse rain, that doesn't stick around long enough for anything useful to germinate, and is instead absorbed into the dry nothingness. I'm sorry. That is why I'm finally calling this an official hiatus until I can bring myself to write something worthwhile. 

Take care,

Nida

Eleven Facts & Questions

Dear Reader,

I know, I know. I've been away from the entire blogging scene for many months now, and I apologise to all those who missed me. Sorry. I probably wouldn't have come back either if I hadn't been tagged by my lovely fellow blogger x@hu to answer 11 questions. So, apparently these are the rules:

1. Post 11 random facts about yourself 
2. Answer the 11 questions I asked 
3. Tag other bloggers and create 11 questions for them to answer. 
4. Inform those that you tagged them 
5. NO TAG BACKS 

I decided to explain my prolonged absence in 11 facts about me.  

1. Currently I'm doing an MSc in Cardiology which, as you can guess, is a lot of hard work.  
2. As mentioned previously, I spent all of February, and some of March, on a working-holiday in a hospital abroad. 
3. While on this working holiday, I met my fiancée and his family after a very long time. 
4. This was a very pleasant experience and was the perfect remedy for spending long hours with very sick patients.
5. However, since I've been back, my life has been quite an emotional roller-coaster, leaving me with very little time to blog. 
6. Hmmm... I seem to have finished my explanation in only 5 facts. Fact: the rest will just have to random stuff about me. 
7. I'm a very fidgety person and my hands are very rarely completely still.
8. I need the sound of a ticking clock to help me sleep.
9. At the moment, I have more than 300 books in my little 8'x8' bedroom, (physical proof of my obsession).
10. I really want to learn to speak/understand Arabic and will be taking classes soon Inshallah.   
11. Ironically, I started wearing the hijab when I was 11 but didn't really understand what it meant and what it stood for until I was 19. 

And now for the 11 question that I have to answer.

1. Why are you, you? (tee hee) 

Hmmm..... now how do you answer a question like that without going into an philosophical essay .... well I suppose it's partly genetics, but I believe that most of our personality is shaped by our circumstances, our upbringing, the people we meet etc... basically by what experience through out our lives ... and this is actually something that is quite changeable .... So without writing anything too long, to answer your question: I am the product of my experiences.   

2. What was the highlight of your childhood?

Alhumdulillah, I've had a wonderful and brilliant childhood and have too many good memories to pick just one.  

3. What was the one thing about Islam that made you become interested in it?

As I briefly mentioned above, I use to wear the hijab but didn't know why. And so I started questioning and the first place I looked was the Qur'an ... And so once I had started I couldn't stop and carried on reading and learning more about Islam ... and Inshallah this learning will continue throughout my life.  

4. What's the weirdest thing you've eaten?

Years ago I accidentally ate this Lamb's-brain-curry-thing (Siri-pye in Urdu). Hands down, that's the most weirdest and disgusting thing that I can remember ... but my mum has always told everyone that I use to eat paper and magazines as a baby ... I guess I've been I bookworm from the start lol ;-)     

5. Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster? :P

I use to as child. But when I realised it doesn't make the elevator come any faster, I stopped. :-p

6. Have you ever failed an exam?

I haven't actually failed ... but once I got a low enough grade to make me redo the exam ... does that count?

7. What's something you know you do differently than most people?

Hmmmm ... I don't know what most people do so I'm not sure what I do differently ... but I'm sure there are several things... 

8. What's your favorite book? Aside from the Qur'an of course :)

OMG!!! ... how can I possibly answer that question! I've read so many books, and plenty of them were brilliant, it's difficult to put my finger on just one. But I suppose I could give you, dear reader, a selection of favourites: North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Sabriel by Garth Nix, The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien, Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman, Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling and Fire by Kristen Cashore.   

9. If you could offer a newborn child just one piece of advice, what would it be?

A newborn child wouldn't understand me ... but this piece of advice would be for any/everyone: always respect and listen to your parents because they always have your best interest at heart, and always remember that Allah (SWT) loves you 70x more than your mother...  

10. Where would you like to be, ten years from now insha Allah?

In ten years time, Inshallah, I will be married, with a child or two, and working on becoming a published author. Insha Allah!!   

11. Lastly, what is your most beloved feature of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam)?

Choosing one attribute is very difficult. I've always held much respect and awe for our Prophet (SAW) because he was a Divinely-appointed final Messenger, an Extraordinary Revolutionist who changed the face of not only Arab Society but the entire world in general, a Brilliant Military Strategist, and a Just and Righteous Leader. But when I read about his loving and humble attitude/treatment towards his daughters, family and friends that made me realise how human he  (SAW) was and really made me love him the way, as a muslimah, I should.     

And now for my 11 daunting questions:

1. What makes you smile the most?
2. What is the one thing without which your day is incomplete?
3. What is your most memorable ayah/quote/surah from the Qur'an?
4. Other than the Prophet Muhammed (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), who do you look up to?
5. When was the last time you laughed like crazy?
6. Which food could you eat day-in-day-out, for years?
7. Do you listen to music? if yes, why?
8. What is your opinion on the state of the Ummah today?
9. What's the one thing you really want to learn?
10. What do you like to do in your free time?
11. And (because I'm just me) other than the Qur'an, what is your favourite book/series?

And finally here is a list of people who have to answer my questions. :-)

• Hnia
• Samia
• PotentialHijabi
• Another nida
• KnowGood
• Pearlof Islam101
• Najiyah
• The Sister who Smiles

If any of my readers want to answer these questions, you are most welcome to do so in the comment's below. I always love to learn about other people.

Nida