Life in the Slow Lane

The first of many weekends which I have been waiting for with a deep anticipation… No commitments which involve constant clock watching and having to divide my day into fixed hours. Finally, I can be more fluid with activities in terms of no time restrictions. For observers on the outside, it may seem a trifleContinue reading “Life in the Slow Lane”

Lessons from My Mother

Looking back at my own mother’s life, I wonder about the parallels between mine and hers. In all honesty, the only thing we have in common is that we were both divorced in our 40s. Of course, we share other things in common given the common blood that runs in our veins. However, whereas myContinue reading “Lessons from My Mother”

Self-Confidence in Phases

When I look back on my life, I can see that as I evolved from childhood to mature adulthood, there have been bouts of self-confidence that have also come in different bursts or phases. There have been different circumstances that have leant themselves to this change over time and so much so that I sometimesContinue reading “Self-Confidence in Phases”

Letting Go of Ego

Without a doubt, one of the hardest things to do… This is a lesson that takes years to accomplish and one I have been grappling with recently in a very personal way. I wonder if I can even claim to have succeeded? Like all humans, I sometimes suffer from puffed up pride – that feelingContinue reading “Letting Go of Ego”

Shanghai Shines

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have the opportunity to travel to the Far East. Both in terms of money and time, it was one of the those parts of the world that I could only ever dream of and assume it wouldn’t materialise. However, when my son asked me ifContinue reading “Shanghai Shines”

Post Ramadan Round-Up

It’s been a couple of weeks since I wrote anything here and a couple of weeks since Eid-ul-Fitr which marks the end of Ramadan. Hands down, it was one of the best Eids I have had in my entire life, Alhamdulillah. The only thing which would have made it perfect would have been if myContinue reading “Post Ramadan Round-Up”

Ramadan Update

The silence which I have opted for this year has been wonderful. My head feels less compressed and cluttered. I have allowed space for my own introspective thoughts to take up residency and search for a connection between them and Allah. This period in time has allowed me to stop and pause at this junctionContinue reading “Ramadan Update”

Small Emergencies: Big Impact

A couple of days ago I was abruptly woken up by a loud bang and the gush of water coming from the en suite bathroom. Within a few minutes, the bathroom floor had been flooded and I found myself stamping on towels to mop up the excess water. Alhamdulillah, I had also managed to awakenContinue reading “Small Emergencies: Big Impact”

Forging Family Ties

Whilst many people were tucking into turkey and a roast dinner on Christmas Day, my family and I were busy attending the wedding reception of my cousin – my mother’s brother’s son. It was a beautiful occassion where I managed to meet up again with so many extended family members who I have not seenContinue reading “Forging Family Ties”

A Post-Bosnia Post

The last couple of weeks have been unusually busy. Despite my intention to write an entry about my visit to Bosnia, I have been distracted with other things. However, I’m here today to share with others a few things about my time in Bosnia. To be honest, my thoughts on paper could run well intoContinue reading “A Post-Bosnia Post”