I have always been surrounded by friends and family and am thankful for this. I recognize and cherish the love that blesses my life. Sometimes, my friends do things that make my heart swell with love.
Ramadan started at the beginning of August so once again I am spending the month fasting and reflecting and working towards self-improvement. It is less out of a religious duty, but a practice that I have grown up with and have come to appreciate. I find it makes me a stronger and better person. The days in London are quite long and being away from immediate family is difficult.
My non-religious, Spanish friend decided to host a dinner in honor of Ramadan. I was touched. That evening, I walked into a room full of Baraka and love. Each person had taken effort to prepare something. The menu included olives, guacamole, miso soup, salad, tabouleh, egg salad, a spinach mushroom quiche, fruit, and a Spanish milk drink for dessert.
We sat outside as London graced us with a beautiful night on my friend’s patio surrounded by lit candles. Some of her friends joined us later and night passed with good food, good friends, and good conversation.
<3
Sunday, 14 August 2011
Saturday, 23 July 2011
Friday, 15 July 2011
Sunday, 3 July 2011
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
Fairy Dust
9pm. The neighborhood is eerily quiet. It’s dark. Should I bother going for my much anticipated (procrastinated) run? There’s always tomorrow, right? Oh, I’ll just go. If I feel tired or scared, I’ll just turn back and come home. So I tie my shoelaces. This gives me one last chance to change my mind, but I listen and realize how pleasant the sounds are. The crickets add a nice touch. The soft, cool breeze against my skin that has definitely cooled since earlier today, which I why I waited so long before I mustered up the motivation to get out for a run.
As I set out for my run, the neighbors' dogs start barking and give me an initial scare. Great way to start the run, I think. But I keep going. One foot in front of the other. I run down the street and turn left at the lamppost. I have the run mapped out in my head. There will be a slight downhill and then a loop in the neighboring subdivision, followed by a slight uphill. And, that will take me to at least 30 minutes, and then I’ll head back home. Well, the sky is becoming darker...
Oh, look.. fireflies! One, Two, five, hundreds! So beautiful! They bring me back to a childhood time when we would spend lazy summer evenings catching fireflies. They light up the entire field of tall grass. Incredible. Well, no need to be scared. These fireflies are like little angels in the night. So pretty.
I continue on with my run, down that hill that is more than just "a slight downhill" and I try and enjoy it. But some thoughts occupy my mind. It is incredibly dark. The trees are more overgrown than I remember them being. Is that a person I see up ahead? Oh, this will not be a fun hill to climb up. Oh, but again, fireflies. And they make it okay again. I do the loop twice, instead of just once. Run up the hill and keep going.
I now notice the night sky filled with stars. A beautiful firmament.
What an absolutely perfect and peaceful night. The run is going wonderfully at this point. I’m on a roll. And all around, I am surrounded by fairy dust. This brings a certain calm and peace within me. And I soak it in and enjoy this summer night.
As I set out for my run, the neighbors' dogs start barking and give me an initial scare. Great way to start the run, I think. But I keep going. One foot in front of the other. I run down the street and turn left at the lamppost. I have the run mapped out in my head. There will be a slight downhill and then a loop in the neighboring subdivision, followed by a slight uphill. And, that will take me to at least 30 minutes, and then I’ll head back home. Well, the sky is becoming darker...
Oh, look.. fireflies! One, Two, five, hundreds! So beautiful! They bring me back to a childhood time when we would spend lazy summer evenings catching fireflies. They light up the entire field of tall grass. Incredible. Well, no need to be scared. These fireflies are like little angels in the night. So pretty.
I continue on with my run, down that hill that is more than just "a slight downhill" and I try and enjoy it. But some thoughts occupy my mind. It is incredibly dark. The trees are more overgrown than I remember them being. Is that a person I see up ahead? Oh, this will not be a fun hill to climb up. Oh, but again, fireflies. And they make it okay again. I do the loop twice, instead of just once. Run up the hill and keep going.
I now notice the night sky filled with stars. A beautiful firmament.
What an absolutely perfect and peaceful night. The run is going wonderfully at this point. I’m on a roll. And all around, I am surrounded by fairy dust. This brings a certain calm and peace within me. And I soak it in and enjoy this summer night.
Sunday, 12 June 2011
Saturday, 23 April 2011
The Uniquely, Beautiful Lake District
Before there was the plethora of picture-taking gadgets, people used art in the form of words, paintings, or drawings to share and remember their experiences, travels, and memories. I’m no painter, nor much of a writer, but since I also have no camera, I will attempt to capture some moments from my 4 days spend out in the uniquely beautiful lake district of England.
(Of course I’ll leave out the personal gossip, though that is also quite entertaining :) )
On day 1, we were already in love and at peace as we discovered the quaint towns of Windermere and Bowness. We walked along the lake admiring the swans, geese, and ducks. We took a car ferry across, happily surprised at the low fare of 50 pence to cross. Upon reaching the other side, we started the upward ascent continually being amazed and awestruck each time we stopped to catch our breaths and look behind at the valley below us.
Now, this is the problem that arises without a camera. The four days somewhat blend together. What I do remember being especially impressed with, however, was the top. We came to a place of open meadows and rolling hills or rolling meadows, the name of a suburb in Chicago where a good friend grew up. Unfortunately for her, that place looked nothing like this. There was a certain bliss about this place. It was the 6 of us and some sheep. The dew on the grass was something worth bending down for and appreciating. The little droplets on the grass go almost unnoticed by so many people. But these simple beauties remind us how grand nature is, even in the form of little droplets.
When I was younger, I used to daydream about my perfect moment. This place on top of the hill with the soft hills, green grass, fresh air, trees in the distance, and open skies was a lot like my childhood imaginations.
Day 2 in Ambleside, a town 4 miles from Windermere was also quite spectacular. Our hike started out following a waterfall. The relaxing sounds of the gentle water flowing could captivate me for hours as I stood leaning against a tree. The higher we went, the more magnificent the views, as promised by the guide book, and these views really did live up to the expectations. It was just gorgeous, in so many ways.
At one point, 2 of us got separated from the group in the hilly meadowed areas. I took out my cell phone to try and find them. We reconnected after some going from peak to peak to try and find them and some convoluted directions. However, I lost my phone as a result.
The phone was three years old and I happened to get it at the same time as 2 of my other classmates, both of whom had switched phones more than once. Just before, Ishams was making fun of me for still using the same old, outdated phone. He laughed and told me it was a sign and time for a new phone. I was disappointed but instead wondered if I could make do without a phone for the rest of my time in London.
That night, we walked to the lake to catch the sunset. On our way home, the full moon captivated us. Not only was it so big and bright, it had this grand halo surrounding it. Needless to say, there where many moments were the sights tugged at my heartstrings. It was unbelievable.
The next day, we set out for another hike out in Ullswater. We were told that some of the most magnificent views of the Lake District can be seen from here, and indeed it was absolutely stunning. The hike was probably the hardest we had done, but the reward was incredible. The sun was shining on this day so we had a certain glisten about us.
That evening, instead of resting, SBK and I set out for Ambleside in a cellphone searching mission. We retraced out footsteps and tried to guage where the phone may have dropped. Because it was early evening, the views and hike had a different feel. The sunlight sparkled as it hit the lake below. The air, the views, the sky in the early evening – all so beautiful. The cell phone hunt – well, it felt like searching for a needle in a haystack.
But, SOMEHOW, SBK spotted it! Ishams now called my phone legendary, and told me I couldn’t ever get rid of it!
So, the trip became all the more perfect.
On the last day, we rested our legs and worked out our arms, rowing out on lake Windermere. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
The trip was so fulfilling, filled with good memories, friends, laughter, and nature. It was picture perfect postcards coming to life! And luckily, 2 friends took plenty of pictures, so in addition to being able to live in the moment, without worrying about capturing it all, the others did capture some of the beauty, though pictures can’t always capture the beauty of nature. I even managed to borrow the cameras a few times to take my own special pictures.
It was a perfect trip, in so many ways!
(Of course I’ll leave out the personal gossip, though that is also quite entertaining :) )
On day 1, we were already in love and at peace as we discovered the quaint towns of Windermere and Bowness. We walked along the lake admiring the swans, geese, and ducks. We took a car ferry across, happily surprised at the low fare of 50 pence to cross. Upon reaching the other side, we started the upward ascent continually being amazed and awestruck each time we stopped to catch our breaths and look behind at the valley below us.
Now, this is the problem that arises without a camera. The four days somewhat blend together. What I do remember being especially impressed with, however, was the top. We came to a place of open meadows and rolling hills or rolling meadows, the name of a suburb in Chicago where a good friend grew up. Unfortunately for her, that place looked nothing like this. There was a certain bliss about this place. It was the 6 of us and some sheep. The dew on the grass was something worth bending down for and appreciating. The little droplets on the grass go almost unnoticed by so many people. But these simple beauties remind us how grand nature is, even in the form of little droplets.
When I was younger, I used to daydream about my perfect moment. This place on top of the hill with the soft hills, green grass, fresh air, trees in the distance, and open skies was a lot like my childhood imaginations.
Day 2 in Ambleside, a town 4 miles from Windermere was also quite spectacular. Our hike started out following a waterfall. The relaxing sounds of the gentle water flowing could captivate me for hours as I stood leaning against a tree. The higher we went, the more magnificent the views, as promised by the guide book, and these views really did live up to the expectations. It was just gorgeous, in so many ways.
At one point, 2 of us got separated from the group in the hilly meadowed areas. I took out my cell phone to try and find them. We reconnected after some going from peak to peak to try and find them and some convoluted directions. However, I lost my phone as a result.
The phone was three years old and I happened to get it at the same time as 2 of my other classmates, both of whom had switched phones more than once. Just before, Ishams was making fun of me for still using the same old, outdated phone. He laughed and told me it was a sign and time for a new phone. I was disappointed but instead wondered if I could make do without a phone for the rest of my time in London.
That night, we walked to the lake to catch the sunset. On our way home, the full moon captivated us. Not only was it so big and bright, it had this grand halo surrounding it. Needless to say, there where many moments were the sights tugged at my heartstrings. It was unbelievable.
The next day, we set out for another hike out in Ullswater. We were told that some of the most magnificent views of the Lake District can be seen from here, and indeed it was absolutely stunning. The hike was probably the hardest we had done, but the reward was incredible. The sun was shining on this day so we had a certain glisten about us.
That evening, instead of resting, SBK and I set out for Ambleside in a cellphone searching mission. We retraced out footsteps and tried to guage where the phone may have dropped. Because it was early evening, the views and hike had a different feel. The sunlight sparkled as it hit the lake below. The air, the views, the sky in the early evening – all so beautiful. The cell phone hunt – well, it felt like searching for a needle in a haystack.
But, SOMEHOW, SBK spotted it! Ishams now called my phone legendary, and told me I couldn’t ever get rid of it!
So, the trip became all the more perfect.
On the last day, we rested our legs and worked out our arms, rowing out on lake Windermere. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
The trip was so fulfilling, filled with good memories, friends, laughter, and nature. It was picture perfect postcards coming to life! And luckily, 2 friends took plenty of pictures, so in addition to being able to live in the moment, without worrying about capturing it all, the others did capture some of the beauty, though pictures can’t always capture the beauty of nature. I even managed to borrow the cameras a few times to take my own special pictures.
It was a perfect trip, in so many ways!
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