A Voice Amidst Silence

A Year to Remember

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 00:13:00 +0000

O you who believe! Do your duty to Allah and fear Him. And seek the means of approach to Him, and strive hard in His Cause (as much as you can), so that you may be successful.

[Al-Maeda, Chapter #5, Verse #35]

Its hard to believe how far along I've come since the start of this blog...I am speechless. Words cannot begin to express what is in my heart, what is in my soul. Thanks to the Most High who created us all first and foremost. This year marks the 5th year since I started this blog and though my entries are far too few and readers dwindled I still feel immense happiness when I return and I remember its helping hand when I needed that hand the most.

This year I've started to do what I've always wanted to do. I've started my life journey...it all begins here. I always knew what I wanted to be and finally it was attained through many a struggle and trial. I'm finally able to care for the sick and entrusted upon me that duty to do no harm but only for the benefit of the sick. I strive in this attainment.

The road will become steeper not easier, the trials will increase not dwindle but with my right foot first and one day at a time it shall be done...it will be done. I look forward to the days ahead and what it shall bring me. I stand ready at the call of duty and I pray for the strength, courage, endurance, patience and compassion.

Still and always blogging with purpose,

Mariamlelue

*****

π

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 17:50:00 +0000

It was another day at the grind and exams the previous week hadn't gone quite as I wanted but nonetheless I survived to live another day. The following days were our last in this horrible place, where people came in dozens curled up in pain or "electively" as "they" like to say (who would do such a thing electively?) in order to be put under the knife, consenting for their innermost to be explored in the literal sense of it. After weeks of torture it was finally going to be over, our seniors didn't say much but you could feel they were starting to give way and allow us time to ourselves as it came well earned after many a long day.

My friend casually asked me would you like to go to the cinema with her and I said yes quickly. I embraced every moment of not being here. So it was decided we would go the following day after the early morning march around the wards and barrage of questions for which we seldom knew the answer. On that fateful day my monthly reminder came and so I was in cramping fits but on the surface I was as quiet as a sleeping baby only giving away my torment with a slight crease of the forehead ever so often. But it was decided so I took what I could and off we went not without a few glitches but alas we went.

Now it would be a great opportunity to say I had no idea what exactly we were going to see and neither did I care much. On arriving I read the charts it was single screen cinema showing a double and they were (in no particular order) Breaking Dawn pt 2 and Life of Pi. The first was somewhat familiar but I must confess I've never seen any of the previous parts in full and I really don't care to but here I was seeing the 3rd part...or is it the 4th? I have no idea but all in all I couldn't care less, I was just here to relax and refresh my dulled out senses.
With eminent hunger on its way I made my way to the cafeteria to stock up for an estimated 3 1/2 hours of audio-visual entertainment. Yet again I had to be contented with pastry when I really wanted something savoury to eat, it was the midday showing after all. Too little places cater to our every Halal needs. Nevertheless I sat and was pleased to see curtains retracted and having seated midway into the cinema hall it felt comfortable and soothing. After a few minutes of new adverts for upcoming movies to entice the crowds to come back the first one started...I heard music...south-east asian music to be exact..hmm queer. Clearly I didn't have a hoot about the other movie. Saw some animals, all in a very ethnic setting. I was perplexed, this must be that other movie about the life of someone, maybe it was an Indian.

I sat back and from the very start to the finish my curiosity peaked. The Life of Piscine Molitor Patel better known as Pi and in 3D for that matter. Can an inanimate movie made to play on emotion actually do just that? It did, it was love not at first sight but love nonetheless. The story, the journey, the struggle all meshed into a movie that will remain in my memory for a very long time. I couldn't stop there I had to read the novel, it had plainly come across the screen that it was directed based on it. The first book store I tried didn't have it, can you imagine? I tried a second much smaller book store and the attendant nodded yes they have it when I asked. My heart was overjoyed, its the smallest of things that take my breath away. I had it in my hand and soon in my shopping bag and off I set off to do more errands and then home to where the journey would begin again. This time correctly and not tainted by director's need to please the masses.

I lapped up every inch of it, every line, every word from the front to the back including the reviews...every single letter in just about 3 days. You must say a long time for a book of 354 pages especially if I was so compelled to read it. It did not disappoint and my taking so long to read it was because life is not a library no matter how much we wish it to be. If justification is needed I used every minute of the time I did have free.

If you've read till here and still reading, I applaud you. Reading is indeed an art but slowly becoming dead. It envelopes our ability to imagine to interpret never given never underestimated. This book has inspired me to write again...a joy I once took with great passion. Imagine what it could do for you? Until another time I leave you with these words of Yann Martel.."To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation."

***

Blogging with purpose,

Mariamlelue

Emotion of the Heart - 4th Blog Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 01:00:00 +0000

All praise is due to the Most High

I am thankful for what was given to me and what was not and I pray that the expressions of my inner voice will always be expressed. Indeed blessed to have the opportunity to reach the 4th year since I've started on that day of the 20th August, 2008. I penned this poem after so many days of not writing . Enjoy.

Emotion of the Heart

I don't know where to begin or start,

I guess I shall begin with what is in my heart,

As emotion begins to set apart,

The tiniest of things became art,

A need for love,

But found only unworthy of,

A time of need,

Has lost to the never ending greed,

What shall express what is hidden?

What shall not extend into the forbidden?

A love lost is one too many,

Yet I shall not crumble to any,

Too few stay,

Far more walk away,

Am I true to this heart that has never failed?

Or are my failures mirrorred in those who betrayed?

As the last light begins to fade,

I drown my own as I prayed,

One cannot continue this charade,

As the hand of justice indeed swayed ,

I've lost but I shall not stop searching,

In one last attempt I am beseeching,

To find what must be found,

To live freely to this heart's sound,

My fate sealed and bound.

September 01st, 2012

***

Blogging with purpose,

Mariamlelue

:)

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 00:42:00 +0000

I am happy to be where I am. Expectations have merged into acceptance and whatever happens I am happy with it. This I tell myself but hope has never left. In the face of it all I am happy to be as I am. No one can bring happiness to me as it is only possible through self realisation. For as long as I have known myself, time has passed, people have left and few have stayed but even then there is always the potential for happiness. We hold on to our dear ones in times of prioritisation and then complicated becomes straight forward. The clutter is cleared away and we can open our eyes once more. We see what is indeed important and what is indeed instrumental to happiness.

Hold on to those that were given to us and let go of those that weren't. Preoccupation with the unattainable is like chasing after clouds. Keeping in mind dreams are not clouds and clouds are not dreams. A person who cannot dream has no potential and life has no depth or meaning. It is hard at times but I am still happy to be where I am. It is already mid year and 2012 has only just begun...or is it just me? Time is losing its value but yet so many cannot afford it. A commodity of the rich yet they spare not even a second in their quest for more, so who truly enjoys time?

In my days ahead of me I hope that I can at least be a passenger going with time and not against it. I hope that I will remain happy to be where I am and who I am.

Blogging with purpose,

Mariamlelue

***

I leave you with a beautiful song which has but little to do with the theme of this blog entry but still enjoy! :)

Happy Days

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 07:39:00 +0000

All Praise is due to the Most High, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

"The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it." ~ Mother Teresa

How better to start off my first blog entry for this year than with these words? Today after many days have indeed passed I am finally putting thoughts to words. The sun has peaked its beautiful face out and all the trees, flowers and birds seem to be smiling and singing a happy song. God is great...indeed! Life is happening all around us and hope can be found even when isolation is knocking at the door.

These are the days I will remember for a very long time and as I have adjusted it seems soon I must adjust back to my usual cup of tea. I can't help but feel that I would soon miss these days that at the start seemed inevitably and dauntingly long. I must endure I said to myself and slowly but surely endurance turned into enjoyment and oh how sweet that transition is. Family and friends, I am indeed blessed and for them I will remain indebted for days past, now and always.

Being different is easily envied. At some point, it may be true that everyone wants to be the centre of attention. However it is hardly ever desired in those who are. I have learnt to accept all of mine and to be able to be me through it all. Always a challenge at first but soon life continues to happen. Being true to oneself is the best way to accompany that cycle.

I thank all who have given me this opportunity and I remain forever more humble, grateful and insightful as I have ever been.

Blogging with purpose,

Le-Ann Mariamlelue

3rd Blog Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 14:47:00 +0000

In the name of the Most High, the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful

Side by Side...Year By Year

It has been more than 3 years since the start of this blog, on that fateful day of 20th August, 2008. I have grown with it and though my entries are far too few my words here are forever imbibed for all those who seek to read it. There is comfort in words lost and words long forgotten. Never forget to express that which is naturally gifted to us and that is our thoughts. Truly the poorest of minds are those that are void of thoughts. Let not the plague of television and direct media dull our senses to all that is around us and will remain around us for longer than any one of today's devices, or one should hope so.

Take a deep breath in and take in all the scents and all the feelings that the moment in time has to offer. The warmth of the sunlight on the window pane, the smell of an inevitable rainstorm, the pangs of hunger in the hours of mid morning and especially when one can't help but feel like dropping everything and getting something to eat.

Everyday brings with it its experiences and all that is incurred due to it. Lazy days make one appreciate busier ones and then sometimes it is just heaven to be able to do nothing at all. I am enjoying such days and my comfort feels inexhaustible. Beauty in the absence of ugly is nothing at all. Opposites are created for diversity and comparison in order to generate gratitude for what is preferred and what is better. The sooner we realise this the better one shall be to do justice to life's experiences.

"People are much like stained glass windows. When the sun is shining through them, they glow brightly and sparkle. But when the sun goes down and it is dark and gloomy outside; Their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within." ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Remember to laugh, to cry, to thank everyone around you, not forgetting to greet them, to see, to breathe, to feel, to taste, to pray, to love and yes to eat :) In so writing I shall take a dose of my own advice and I would like to take the time now to THANK EVERYONE of you who have graced this blog with your presence. I remain forever indebted to you and your support whether it be the tiniest or more.

(still) Blogging with purpose,

Mariamlelue

Give thanks for life and its opportunities....

Don't Worry, Be Happy

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Sat, 28 May 2011 20:26:00 +0000

The words from the wise. After so many days of toil and struggle, laughter and enduring friendships, one can't help but feel a new day has come. Evidently no such thing has happened and the struggle shall go on but in light of all that, the laughter shall persist. We keep reinventing ourselves in an effort to keep things "fresh". There's absolutely nothing wrong with that in fact it might just be the only way to survive amicably.

Today is just another day, but, it is what we do that make novelties out of selected days. I have missed the refreshing release of expressing myself through this blog. In words that I have long forgotten or never given life to. Today and for the majority of all days please remember these words, "Don't worry, Be Happy". It may just be the reason for you to smile in the face of all the struggle. The struggle won't end but happiness doesn't cost a thing either.

I leave you with a song that will surely do justice to entertainment.

Blogging with purpose,

Mariamlelue

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

2nd Blog Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:37:00 +0000

Assalamu Alaykum
Peace be unto you

Bismillah-Hir-Rahmanir-Raheem
I begin in the name of God, the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful

If you focus carefully towards the middle of the picture you will see the new crescent signaling the start of Ramadhan 2010.

I started this blog back in August, 20th of 2008 and I used it as a means of expression and release. It has taken a very special place in my heart as words can effortlessly bring ease even to the most troubled of conscience. Since then to now I have not been as active as I would have wanted to be or at least as I should have been but life has a strange way of making time harder to manage as we get older. Maybe it is that we have more responsibilities but I intend to remain committed to what I started here and however few my posts are they will always express something meaningful at least to the writer's point of view :).

I graciously thank all of you have visited, read and contributed to this blog and without your support and visits I would not have been able to continue with it. To all the friendships that I have made from it I say Alhamdolilah (All praise is due to God), and may it last for all of time and beyond. They say quality is better than quantity but I would like to think the quality caused more than 2300 persons from more than 100 countries to grace my blog with their presence. Thank you sincerely to each and everyone of you.

Today is the 12th day of Ramadhan, 3 days after the actual date of my blog's anniversary and exactly 2 weeks from the start of the new semester at Medical School. Needless to say, today holds many key dates and I devote this post to all of them. Today is the day where I pay tribute to the renowned scholarly intellect of Maulana Jalāl-ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī. It is ironic that he is so renowned in the world of poetry yet he is far less known to many. He deals with Fasting in the verses that I have selected or should I say re-selected as I have already shared a part of this work in a previous blog post. It is not withstanding to say his work is timeless and can be read and re-read exacting awe and inspiration each and every time.

***

There's a hidden sweetness,

in the stomach's emptiness.

We are all lutes, no more, no less.

If the sound-box is stuffed full of anything, no music.

If the brain and the belly are burning clean with fasting,

Every moment a new song comes out of the fire.

The fog clears,

And a new energy makes you run up the steps in front of you.

Be emptier and cry like reed instruments cry.

Emptier, write secrets with the reed pen.

When you're full of food and drink,

Satan sits where your spirit should,

An ugly metal statue in place of the Kaaba.

When you fast,

Good habits gather like friends who want to help.

Fasting is Soloman's ring.

Don't give it to some illusion and lose your power.

But even if you've lost all will and control,

They come back when you fast,

Like soldiers appearing out of the ground,

Pennants flying above them.

A table descends to your tents,

Jesus' table.

Expect to see it, when you fast,

This table is spread with other food,

Better than the broth of cabbages.

***
I would like to share this beautiful nasheed by Sheikh Mishaari Bin Rashid al Ifasy, Ahlan ya Ramadhan. Since I've come across it on youtube I have not been able to stop listening to it daily. I hope that you enjoy it as I have and continue to.

During this blessed time I want to wish you all a productive and beautiful month of fasting and prayer. May Allah keep us all ameen ya Rab

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

Life is at a standstill

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Fri, 28 May 2010 18:55:00 +0000

"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another." ~ Antole France

I can't help but feel like the days are going away from me and yet they change nothing with its passing. Maybe I am getting older with each day but it still feels like I am the same and today is no different from a few days before and the same for a few days ahead. I am not complaining about this stagnancy but is it to be endured with patience or is it meant to be the alter ego of a sudden change in my life inevitably nearby. I cannot help but wonder...

In the meantime I think why do my days no longer feel productive. I have no answer, life is a mystery even for the wise so I am left with many unanswered questions. Part of me would just like to slip into the same routine and let life become automatic and expected rather than live it. Yet another part of me feels left behind and I feel like moments too precious are passing me by without any form of resistance to my current feelings.

Maybe it is I am looking for something deeper to life as we all are. Will I find it? Only time shall tell. I feel like the air I am breathing is stale and I have inhaled it too many times before. There is so much to see and be and I am still the same. Circumstances have changed or have they? I am not sure anymore. Looking for fulfillment in the wrong places I suppose.

I think this yearning for a foothold on life and a place to belong will only grow with time. It is in the hope that one day I shall indeed find that which I sought out to claim as my own. Until then this is me saying I await the end to life as I know it.

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

Children of War

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 18:11:00 +0000

“If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi (Indian Philosopher, internationally esteemed for his doctrine of nonviolent protest, 1869-1948)
It is not with delight that I post this message but it is with an intention of highlighting what we remain oblivious to. The suffering of so many in Palestine and amongst them are the "children of war". I have not the understanding of where to start or what exactly to say. As I keep asking myself, what can I possibly say that will do any justice to their plight? Nothing comes to mind...

We have only to open our eyes and the tears will begin to flow. My tears cannot help them but hopefully my prayer is sincere enough to be heard by Allah, ya Rab. One cannot understand why it was and is still being done but in the world that exists today men without reasoning are the most influential.
I share this video that should be seen. I urge you to take the time and see it. It would be advised to keep a box of tissues nearby and if it does not become necessary then your heart is most definitely made of stone.

Let us all make a prayer and pledge to help these children in any way that we can. We are the adults of today so let us give the children who will be the adults of tomorrow a chance. May God protect and ease the sufferings of all the people of Palestine especially the children ameen ya Rab. Help these people to remain strong and endure whatever hardships they may still have to go through. Help them to see reason when there is none. Fill their hearts with forgiveness and hope. Remove from them hate and revenge. Inspire them with peace and love. Protect them from the onslaught of the wicked and defend them from the evils of that which surrounds them. Keep a watchful eye over them and remain as their guardian throughout their days. Prepare for them a beautiful place in this world and in the hereafter , Ya Rabbi, Ya Rabbi, Ya Rabbi, Ya Rabbul Alameen.

"I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask, "Mother, what was war?"" ~Eve Merriam
***
Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:59:00 +0000

No One Sees My Tears As They Fall

I am on the verge of breaking,
My heart once cheerful is now breaking,
The Tears roll down as soft as a whisper,
No sound is heard not even a whimper,
They flow continuously without end,
No one sheltered me or tried to defend,
A daughter is like the Rose of her family,
Yet I feel like I am being trampled upon repeatedly,
By those who were sent to nurture with Love and Care,
Instead the brunt of harshness I am made to bear,
This hurt proves to be unbearable,
The scars in my heart are irreversible,
My only wish is of patience,
To comfort my wounds, my only sustenance,
No one sees my Tears as they fall,
Ya Rab, please answer my humble call.

~2007~
***

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

Originality

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:31:00 +0000

“Originality is the art of concealing your sources” ~ Benjamin Franklin

In plain sight yet so many have looked over it without even giving a second thought to what we accept as quality products. It is almost absurd to me and blatantly shocking to see how many native and indigenous products being marketed and sold on a global wide commercial scale by Israeli owned companies. One question that keeps popping up in my head is if they have any copyrights to do such or any permission of consent to use the name and product as their own ingenious ideas. Isn't it enough that they have already suffocated the very life out of Palestinians who remain resilient amongst the many faces of terror?

They will export anything for a profit without any world authority interfering in the validity of their commercial rights to use these products. It was last month at the hair salon, they were introducing new techniques among such was the Moroccan Hair Oil that is quickly become a sensational success in the west. I immediately opted for the treatment as I readily confessed my addiction to anything Moroccan (North African). It was only later on when my hair was drying that I popped up a bottle into my hands and started to read the labels, out of natural curiosity of course, that I realised that this product was "Made in Israel".

You can imagine the whole raised eyebrow, "what?!?!?" expression I had on my face after realising this fact. Suddenly I felt guilty using the MoroccanOil because now obviously I was not supporting Maghreb but I was supporting and funding Israel. I have personally gone on a campaign to boycott all such products but this time I was genuinely fooled.

I feel insensed about every single product that Israel sells that represents an infringement on the intellectual and indigenous rights of a people. It seems they will stop at nothing to make an extra dollar. This goes beyond ethical buying where you choose not to buy from companies who employ children. This is broad daylight robbery of a people's right to their nativity whilst they profit not from any organisation.

Therefore the rich will become richer and the poor will remain forever impoverished. It is our society that we conform to and fund that allows this to go on.

Here are some of these products that are being illegally used for Israel's benefit:

For more info:
http://www.moroccanoil.com/
http://www.sabra.com/
http://www.wipo.int/geo_indications/en/about.html

All of the products that have been listed here are either originally Arabic or Moroccan (North-African).

I end with this simple advise, pay careful attention to what we buy because every dollar we spend may become the cause for another child murdered while playing in their family's backyard.
End the Siege, Boycott, Divest and Sanction!

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

Surely Death is the result of Living

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:02:00 +0000

انّا للہ و انّا الیہ راجعون

Inna lilahee wa inna ilaihee Raji3oon
"Verily we belong to Allah and to Allah we return"

The days have gone by so quickly, I know not where to start or what to say exactly. Feelings cannot always be expressed but in time it becomes easier to accept what we were feeling many days ago. Death is an absolute result of Living and all who have walked on this earth will surely experience departure from it. We all hope that our eventual and everlasting destination is one of beauty and serenity and it is in this hope that I raise my hands and make du'a for all my beloved ones whom have gone before me.

Ya Allah, grant my Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle and now Great-Grandmother and all those believers who've gone before, a special place in your gardens of unspoken beauty and bountiful comfort. Ya Rab forgive them of their sins and have mercy on them. Ya Rab you are needless of punishing them, and we are dependent on your mercy for salvation. Forgive them and make their Qabr illuminated and pleasant for them all. Ya Rabbi make Barzakh a beautiful experience for them and grant them a place in Janaatul Firdaus. I ask you of this not for myself but for the love and memory of those who I can no longer hold or see. Ya Rab I beg of you to accept this from me, ameen ya Rab.

My intention is not to upset anyone or to evoke pity for we all have lost someone close to us and dying is as human as eating. This post is simply in respect and memory of those who I long to be reunited with inshaAllah. It is an effort to immortalise my Du'a for them and if by some chance you do read this please say Ameen.

For my mother, the first grandchild amongst many who lost her grandma I lend my support and shoulder to lean on. The tears that we shed today should make our reunion all the more sweeter and beautiful.

I salute a life that lasted for 97+ years and left this world to enter into the life everlasting. for the last time Assalamu Alaykum Maa.

Mama and Maa - 2006

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

Lost Truth

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:38:00 +0000

It's the start of another year and I pray that it will be one where dreams are fulfilled and new ones take birth. "Everyday is a new day", is the only motto life teaches me in the moments past and present. I look to each day as a new beginning and time for renewal. Let's begin...Hello sunshine!

***

I'd like to share this poem I wrote, with you. Though it's not very cheerful, it's true and an expression of my thoughts. Enjoy and do comment!

Lost Truth

Words born out of erroneous endeavour,

Haunts the resolve of a conscience meagre,

As truth is sacrificed at the hands of deception,

The devil rejoices the abundance of lustful perversion,

Another breath lost in the fires of destruction,

Subdued under years of ignorant transgression,

To withhold the tongue against the onslaught of the slanderer,

To abide by laws partial to the wealthier,

To silently witness the death of a mockingbird,

As it sings its song of justice that can no longer be heard,

All that whispers is the voice of the one sworn to desecrate,

Countless footsteps have walked on this time-limited fate,

Into darkness, light has drowned,

The moment of realisation never dawned,

Surrendering all whims for one final chance to feel,

To feel all that was camouflaged in an effort to conceal,

To bear the burdens that have not been mentioned,

The ink of the scholar is yet to be questioned,

The few faithful, continue to hear the torturous screams,

Of a soul that lies trapped in wilted dreams.

~27th-12-2009~

***

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

Happy Birthday Baba!

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:46:00 +0000

"Grow old along with me!

The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made."

~ Robert Browning

Today is like any other day yet it holds a special significance for me and my family. Today is the birth anniversary of my dear father and I would like to take the time to dedicate this blog entry to him. He who stood on hours at end day after day devotedly attending to our needs when we were young. A man who did not stay apart when the babies screamed or when they needed their pampers changed, nor did he demand of my mother more than he would willingly do himself.

With all of my heart I thank you. I will forever remain grateful to your guiding hand. It was he who taught me my basic concepts in math when the teacher failed to make me understand. A father who would sacrifice from his own enjoyment just to see a smile from one of his children even though we always had abundance to him our happiness meant more than satisfaction. My father, my one and only father, forever and always I will remember you. Today I am able to be in your company and I fear for the day when I cannot. For the time that I have with you I pray it will last very long and be more fruitful and enjoyable than the time that has already passed, inshaAllah khair.

May God bless you with the best of this life and the very best of the life hereafter ameen. My love to you is written in stone.

Blogging with purpose,

Mariamlelue

Taken for Granted

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:13:00 +0000

“Most human beings have an absolute and infinite capacity for taking things for granted”
~ Aldous Huxley (English Novelist and Critic, 1894-1963)

Over the past few days I have been deeply reflecting on the basic abilities that we take for granted. It has become so automatic that we no longer realise their existence and even far less do we appreciate them. The brain is indeed a beautiful and magnanimous organ and without it life would cease to exist. It controls all our daily functions even if we do not consciously make effort to do so.

One such function it co-ordinates with precision is “movement”. Not just any erratic movement but systematic movement. It enables us to walk, stand, sit or even simply to hug one another. Can you imagine not being able to control your limbs at all? It would be alien to some to even understand what this meant. This would mean to experience pain and difference in temperature yet to not experience the sensation of touch. I was recently shown a documentary on the life of Mr. Ian Waterman. Indeed what a remarkable man he is not for what he has but for what he has done with his life.

Ian Waterman

Ian from his neck downwards has lost sense of where his limbs are and control of his movements. In fact he feels pain yet he cannot sense the position of his limbs in space. Ian has lost his propioception. Propioception is defined as the unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from stimuli within the body itself. Ian suffers from acute sensory neuropathy. He is not paralysed but such a diagnosis would leave one very limited in motion and usually bed-ridden or confined to a wheel chair.

However, Ian walks, stands and gestures with significant precision more so gestures like any average human being with propioception. How is this that he is able to defy the odds and perform the almost impossible? He plans his every movement with the aid of sight. Can you imagine thinking out every single movement we had to do in order to do it? Ian is completely debilitated without light as he cannot see where his limbs are. His sight and immense brain concentration is how Ian gets through normal tasks that we take for granted.

What was even more discerning was that Ian was not always like this and he once was a normal thriving young man with absolutely no ailments. It is still unsure of how his nerve fibres for propioception were damaged but it is thought it all began with a cut. Ian worked long hours at his family’s butcher shop at the age of 19 where cuts were normal with the high usage of sharp instruments. However, this time it would prove life changing as most likely a virus entered into his system via the cut opening. It is still unknown why the virus did not destroy all of his nerve fibres but it is speculated the nerve fibres for propioception may have resembled the virus itself and the body’s immune system began to attack and destroy them.

With sheer determination to not be confined on a wheel chair, Ian now walks without aid and carries out daily life just as any of us would except he does so in a very different way. Remarkable? Indeed it is!

Watch His video here...

The man who lost his body - Part 1

For the other parts:

Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

Reply to Your Duel

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:56:00 +0000

I would like to share this reply that I had written to "someone's" poetical duel. For reasons of anonymity I will refer to the person who had originally posted the duel as Curry. Of course the reply was written by me as I stated before and my identity is apparent. Hope you enjoy and do share your reactions!

The Actual Duel

Idea.
Challenge me to a duel,
make it worth your while,
I tell you 'bring every tool,
'and all of your style.
Make a thought more effective than me,
attempt flawless execution,
disguised it as divine strategy.
I find myself without direction.
I wonder if there is someone who can lead the way.
Perhaps the only guarantee is that there are none,
and cold,
emotionless initiative will save the day.
-Missing.

It feels like there is something missing, and this.. this is precisely how I feel. This poem has direction and none at the same time.. and it is complete yet incomplete all the same.
I challenge everyone with an idea to bring it to life. This is a competition to see how much good you can do with your mind and initiative alone.
Happy New Day.

~Curry~

***

This was my reply...

In accepting this poetical duel,
I contest one's ability to remodel,
Shift the focus to do lyrical battle,
Attempt to camouflage your previous babble,
Twas fate this muddled riddle,
Should fall upon the doorsteps of a maiden able,
Remedy the ambitions of an unfinished castle,
Promising to effect with exact schedule,
Whilst dull abandon adorns this yielding knight's table,
Circular thoughts never cease to baffle,
Non-sensical rhymes born from blissful idle,
Directions lost is but a school boy's fable,
Chasing one's own tail to a canine's waggle,
Bewildered by the anonymity of his rival,
Dormant thoughts strewn over the silent verbal,
Insatiable thirsting plagues a conscious mortal,
To a missing fate lies the secret to denial,
Ample response given to an ineffective oral,
Exposing the ever flawless execution's betrayal,
Creative amusement summated my arousal,
In spirit of sportsmanship I remain civil,
Though objectively seeking to prove one's effort trifle,
Pardon me for my undue taunting jostle,
Seeking completion is a lifelong hurdle,
To endure patiently is sufficient vigil,
I humbly bid farewell hereby ending my response to your duel.

07-February-2009

***

Blogging with purpose,

Mariamlelue

The Whisperer

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 11:42:00 +0000

Poetry that was expressed,
Insight addressed,
Read what was written,
Comment if befitting,
Gratitude is what I offer to thee,
Penned by yours truly.

I wrote this poem at the age of 12. Poetry has developed into my way of expression. From then onwards; though I had written poems prior to this; my love for poetry has grown gradually and magnificently. The incentive to write even more continued when this poem was published in a local Islamic youth magazine much to this happiness of a young girl.

Please do read and leave your comments.

The Whisperer

He who whispers in one's ear,
No one does he spare,
He tries to persuade and soothe one's mind,
But when he's finished you're left behind.

You will have to face your deeds alone,
He will not be there, for you have lent him a loan,
Now he your enemy sits on a throne,
Hence his work is to cause chaos and not to moan.

Today he will be your closest friend but tomorrow he will be your worst foe,
He is whom that cannot be ignored,
For his words to you are so implored.

He is afraid of only those who believe,
They are the ones who will strive and achieve,
He deceives, opposes and makes mockery,
For he knows only treachery.

He whispers into the hearts of mankind,
And demolishes the noor from their mind ,
Who is he?
We all know!
Don't we????????

[1999]

***

Blogging with purpose,

Mariamlelue

Eid Mubarak!

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:53:00 +0000

"When My servants ask you about Me, I am always near. I answer their prayers when they pray to Me. The people shall respond to Me and believe in Me, in order to be guided."

[Qur'an - Chapter 2: Verse 186]

I would like to wish all of you a most blessed day of Eid. May it be one filled with happiness, sharing, generosity and reflection ameen ya Rab.

Take this time to spend it with family and friends as we rejoice in the accomplishments of our past month of fasting and Ibaadah. The feeling of departure of a loved one as Ramadhan bids us farewell is evident but let us make effort to utilise all that we have learned and strived for rather than regret lost time.

May the peace and blessings of Allah be on each of you!

Eid Mubarak!

Blogging with purpose,

Mariamlelue

***

I would like to share this video with all of you :)

Enjoy!

A Day At The Beach For Palestinian Children

New Beginnings

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:31:00 +0000

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.”
~ Seneca (Roman philosopher, mid 1st century AD)

Another academic year is about to begin and the seasons have changed. Time defines everything in our lives and its “ever changing yet the same” rhythm keeps us on track with our daily life. To feel anxious in these precious remaining moments of freedom is expectable and almost inevitable as we are uncertain of what lies in the road ahead of us. I am no stranger to these feelings but I feel comforted in knowing that it is a start with the company of Ramadhan and a start that has no strings attached. No burdens to carry forth so I also feel excited to start and open to new experiences, inshaAllah khair.

In this time I seek the counsel and guidance of my Rab, may my every step be guided with the best of guidance from the best of Guiders, ameen.

I begin in the name of the Most High, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. With my right foot first I begin my path for knowledge and refinement, inshaAllah khair.

“There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth...not going all the way, and not starting.”
Buddha (Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C.)

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

A Year has Passed

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:31:00 +0000

I begin in the name of the Most High, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

One year has passed since I started this blog and through its course I am continuously developing my inner personality. Giving voice to the written has helped me express myself in ways that help release one from all the burdens we carry around in our conscience. What started off as an avenue for expression that was built for the purpose of having something worthwhile to look forward to has become an integral part of me and how I give voice to what is inherent in me. Today is a much brighter day and from the clutches of feeling hopeless I am free. Express all that is in your heart and you will have your glimpse of freedom right on this material earth. I thank all who supported me in this effort, though my blog is humble you all made it into importance by your presence here.

I am thankful for the 1200 plus visits during this year and I think to myself with almost 3 visits a day there is no room for me to be ungrateful. My written voice has been heard, alhamdolilah (all praise be to God).

I wrote this poem to commemorate my blog’s anniversary. Read and comment if you so please as I gladly welcome them.

***

Everlasting Voice

One year has passed by swiftly,
As my written voice stands humbly,
To climb out of the grave of depression,
Took pen to paper in the form of expression,
I thank God above for all the inspiration,
In the hope for everlasting salvation,
My growth with thee is limitless,
As time sells deception to the faithless,
I mark this day with my words of gratitude,
As I constantly seek enlightenment from your sanctitude.
The pen shall write till the ink has run out,
The heart shall express without any doubt,
The mind shall endure to see another day,
The soul shall taste freedom along this way.

19th August 2009

***

Without forgetting we stand at the brink of yet another blessed month of Ramadhan and I take this time to wish all of you a most sacred and beneficial month of Fasting and Ibaadah inshaAllah khair…Ramadhan Kareem to all!

I now share with you an excerpt from the work of Maulana Jalal-ul-din Rumi on the month of Ramadhan

"There's a hidden sweetness,
In the stomach's emptiness,
We are all lutes, no more, no less,
If the soundbox is stuffed full of anything, no music,
If the brain and the belly are burning clean with fasting,
Every moment a new song comes out of the fire,
The fog clears, and a new energy makes you run up the steps in front of you,
Be emptier and cry like reed instruments cry,
Emptier, write secrets with the reed pen,
When you're full of food and drink,
Satan sits where your spirit should,
An ugly metal statue in place of the Ka'aba,
When you fast, good habits gather like friends who want to help,
Fasting is Soloman's ring,
Don't give it to some illusion and lose your power,
But even if you've lost all will and control,
They come back when you fast,
Like soldiers appearing out of the ground,
Pennants flying above them..."

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

[Photography by: Asma Mirza

& Pink Sherbet Photography]

Shahr Ramadhan - Tamer Hosny

Much Ado About Quotes

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:21:00 +0000

Today is just another day spent in contemplation. I share with you these picture quotes that I think for the most part are a suubtle reminder for some and a warner for others. Do Enjoy!

"The most powerful tool you have is the power of your thoughts and you can invite a wonderful day with your charm and beauty. The whole world is waiting to respond to you with the best of everything. So launch your rocket of desires with affirmations and you will get what you want!" ~ Author unknown

"I have gathered a posie of other men’s flowers, and nothing but the thread that binds them is mine own." ~ John Bartlett (of Bartlett's Familar Quotations)

***
Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

Once More

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 14:53:00 +0000

Poetry that was expressed,
Insight addressed,
Read what was written,
Comment if befitting,
Gratitude is what I offer to thee,
Penned by yours truly.

***

Once More

Again I tell myself it will be over,
Still sanity escapes the sober,
A bearer of burden greater than strength,
Without given chance to relent,
The unbearable passage of time,
A necessary journey to the sublime,
To patiently await one’s fate,
I willingly abandon my present state,
To give it all up for a moment of release,
Yet moments eventually cease,
The heart again teased,
The burden never eased,
What is sight to the blind?
I open my eyes and still no peace to find,
The darkness envelops my entity,
I sacrifice my will to tranquillity,
Anger ravages at my door,
Against my conscious it tore,
Tears of anguish cry out for protection,
Granted only momentary silence and dejection,
Hope has eloped with deception,
Again fed to condemnation,
The heart sings its song of deprivation,
As tender emotion dies from starvation,
The shattered will never be whole,
Continuously the rabid demon seeks control,
I die a thousand deaths with each tear,
Eyes of harrow I shall forever wear.

23rd-July-2009

Photography by: Barbara Fritze

***

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

Crazy Addictions

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:47:00 +0000

Pet Society

“You do anything long enough to escape the habit of living until the escape becomes the habit.” ~ Rocketman David Ryan

Strangely enough I have found myself increasingly addicted to a series of “Playfish” online games. Some of you may be familiar with them. They are “Pet Society” and “Restaurant City”. During these few days of summer vacation when the dull roll of the day comes almost to another boring standstill I began to log in to these games to pass some time. I genuinely do not spend much time on them sometimes up to an hour but I admit I do look forward to re-entering the virtual world of feeding pets and trading ingredients to get the newest recipe available at my restaurant.

It is absolutely alien to me to have this new addiction as I usually take things in a more ethical and time effective way. Yet I am contemplating which room should I re-decorate long after I have left the virtual realm of Pet Society. What started off as a preoccupation is becoming an addiction and I can’t help but chuckle to myself with this confession.
For the moment while the world still awaits many freedom fighters and heroes/heroines I can’t think of a better way to spend a free hour on the internet.

Of course, I can easily think of many other less productive means of passing that time. However it does not mean I have nothing to do when the day comes which is simply far from the truth. In the routine of things we need a hobby to help us re-invent ourselves and find joy in all the small things. My newest addiction is actually helping me look forward to the day and help me remain contented with all that exists. Long was the day when one would go to the bookshop to start reading, now I simply turn on my laptop and start playing Pet Society! Every time I say it, I want to burst into laughter as it seems less than trivial to do and even write about but I feel I must as it honestly is addictively cute lol

Enjoy your time wherever you may be and make the most of it!

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue

Restaurant City
***

What is that?

noreply@blogger.com (Le-Ann Mariamlelue) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 19:57:00 +0000

What is that?

"And your Lord has decreed that you do not worship anyone except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as] 'uff' [i.e., an expression of irritation or disapproval] and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say: 'My Lord! Have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.'" [Quran 17:23 -24]

I recently came across a short Greek film that showed the true essence of reality as we easily forget that we were once helpless and to that same end we will return if we do live till old age. As I sat watching it, tears rolled down my cheeks and I felt as though something was erupting in my chest. It is easy to forget that we could not even walk on our own. As we gain independence we no longer need the comfort of a parent’s arms. In like manner can we begin to imagine how easily we forget all that our merciful and patient Rab (Lord) has done for us and continue to do for us even though we remain ungrateful. For all the times I myself was forgetful I cannot count and nor do I want to remember as it leaves me feeling hopelessly flawed. For the time that I have now, I hope to take the lesson learnt and make it habit…character, inshaAllah. I leave you now with the video that I promise you will be 4 minutes and 13 seconds well worth it!

"Respect is what we owe; love, what we give” ~ Philip James Bailey quotes (English Poet (Festus), 1816-1902)

Blogging with purpose,
Mariamlelue