gifted

posts can be writ in so many flavours at different times of the day and night. i find that i write my most rambling posts at these oddish hours of the morning, when all i can hear is the baby from next door whimpering and then bawling its eyes...

my brother asked me something this evening at the supper table: he said, shafs how do u manage to stay awake at night? i didn't think too long for the reply: i am awake at night. in the same way that people are awake during the day. i need to re-form my sleep cycle, especially for the winter months. its freezing. anyway this writing manuscript and editing thing has got me turned around to a whole nocturnal living and i rarely make breakfast the first meal of the day. so the family has been complaining a bit. time to lose my night watch status and re-learn the art of normal sleep time. time to enjoy the gift of night-time sleep.

regarding gifts and being gifted, life lessons need be seen as gifts. that's what dear friend S just said to me. so in that case i consider myself lucky on many counts. im going to reach into my vault of 'gifts' every now and again just in case i forget to be grateful :)

this is an arb post. another one that is. i wonder if it is that im not quite taking this writing thing seriously. or that im relegating the SoApBoX to its original state of being the reflective Dear Diary space that it began as.

so many memories at this hall of famous words and nonsensical ramblings. so much mud flung alongside spray cans of wonder. so much more reasons documented in appreciation for myriad things. i feel a poem coming on. lol. or not.

currently listening to a madeenah nasheed. (little bro just gifted me with a new nasheed mp3-cd of some 300 items) i want to go there. to madeenah. where soul cravings speak a different language. and are thus quenched.

im content tonight. even though im rambling... im content.

Allah Knows...

Water, Water, Everywhere!!! Part II

A few days ago, I spoke of Water, and the devastating drought experienced in some parts of South Africa. And with the advent of blessed rainshowers, we offered thanks to the Almighty! Just this week, rains in the KZN area caused flooding and tragically claimed the lives of people living in make-shift homes. The Daily News reports that a mother and her three children were swept away while they slept on that fateful thursday night storm. Emergency rooms were filled with injured and traumatised peoples seeking shelter and solace. That same night, I was on a flight to Durban from Johannesburg and as we were due to land at 10pm, the storm seemed to reach its angriest zenith. A seasoned traveller, I can say for certain that from all the flights of momentary turbulence, I have never seen or experienced anything the likes of that night. Our string of flights were rerouted back to Johannesburg, passengers made to disembark and wait until weather conditions improved, and then flown back out to Durban at around 2am.

So this time, I wish not just for Love and Water, but a Love that replenishes the Soul, calms the Mind and strengthens the Heart, and I pray for rains of Rahmah (Mercy) that may benefit us, cleanse our streets of sin and nourish the forests of our Lives! Water that quenches the thirst of our trees and plants, animals and man; just enough to keep us in flourishing survival and not too much to allow in us a false arrogance in thinking that resource is infinite.

May Allah have Mercy on our souls, and may we learn the true value of appreciation.

Shafinaaz.