Tag: death

Homage to Joan Didion

January 12th, 2022

I was wasting time on Instagram when I found out that Joan Didion passed away at 87 years old. It was Christmas Eve and I was checking people’s stories. One person posted a black and white picture of the author from Vogue Magazine.

I clicked on it and read the caption that mentioned that Joan died on December 23rd, 2021. What’s strange is that, on that date, I was also on Instagram, checking pictures for inspiration, and I stumbled upon Didion’s quotes. I was taken with great sadness when I read that she left the world two days before Christmas. She’s probably one of the very few authors whose writings shake my soul.
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Another Collaboration With Diana Aziz

April 9th, 2020

Diana (click here to follow her!) was inspired by the current situation the world is going through: the cruel pandemic called COVID-19, so she sent me an illustration. We agreed that I would write a poem. However, when it came to write, I couldn’t write a poem. I had so much to say. Plus, her illustration was literally worth a thousand words, it was telling a story. And every time I looked at it, the story spoke of hope. When I sent the short story to Diana, she came back with three illustrations. Here’s the result! Let me know what you think!

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What I Learned During Jonah’s Fast

February 17th, 2020

Disclaimer: This blog post is not detailed, assuming the readers already know about the content of the Bible. To know more about the Bible and the Book of Jonah in particular, please visit the following link: https://www.stmarystmark.ca/books-articles/articles/174-jonah-s-fasting-fast-of-nineveh

Last week, from February 10 to February 12, I fasted three days for Jonah’s fast. Orthodox Christians do this in order to commemorate the three days Prophet Jonah spent inside the fish and Nineveh’s repentance. This year, I actually cared about fasting and reading the book of Jonah, not because I didn’t know the story, but because I never related to it, nor understood in what context I could apply the lessons learned in my life.

After reading the four chapters of the book of Jonah and researching the meaning behind them, the prophet’s story hit me close to home, especially the last chapter. The chapters might seem short, but you have to read them in between the lines to grasp the main message. Here are the things I learned.

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It’s Women’s Week, and I can only think of you…

March 6th, 2018

Last week, after I was done work, I tried calling my parents, but none of them picked up the phone.

Then I thought of calling any of my friends, but I knew they wouldn’t pick up as well: blame it on the busy life.

But then again, they might not necessarily be busy. They might not be my friends after all.

And when those people don’t pick up, I usually call you because I know you will. You always have time for any of your loved ones.

But as I was starting to dial your number, I realized you won’t pick up the phone.

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insta thoughts #9: violence.

November 25th, 2017

i am thankful to have been born and raised in a #country that promotes #love #freedom and #equality. where #terrorism and other similar #violent #attacks don’t happen often. i am thankful to live the #life i’ve chosen and walk freely, being myself, in a democratic country. i am truly #blessed but how can i be at #peacewhen i hear gunshots from a privileged skin colour triggered at #humans in the country next to mine? how can i be #happy when i hear the #screams of humans simply asking for #democracy on the other side of the #ocean ? i can only #pray and hope. #hopethat my little #voice won’t be covered by police sirens everywhere. hope that my words will be read, no matter the number of readers. hope that i don’t forget to #writeabout #love. hope that all this #pain will end.
Happy New(?) Year 2017(!)

January 2nd, 2017

I was quite excited yesterday. Excited to scream GOODBYE to 2016, goodbye to friendships that don’t bear fruits, goodbye to tears buried in prayers, goodbye to overthinking, goodbye to lack of confidence, goodbye to uncertainty, goodbye to judging, comparing, and psychologically killing myself, goodbye to unhealthiness, goodbye to complaints, goodbye to laziness and procrastination, goodbye to dark thoughts, goodbye to (self-)hate(rs), goodbye to holding grudges, goodbye to my demons, goodbye to the lack of energy, goodbye to failures, goodbye to bullies… Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye! (more…)
I Could Have Died A Year Ago

December 12th, 2016

Exactly a year ago, I was in Cairo, capital of Egypt. A day before my departure, I went to visit Saint Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral. Right next to it was Saint Peter & Saint Paul’s Coptic Orthodox Church, which I also visited. The members of the cathedral, as well of the church, were such humble and kind people that I remember leaving a bit teary-eyed, asking God to bless and reward them.

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