Life is Fair, People are NOT!
Posted on: April 25, 2013
I just can’t seem to understand how life is always accused to be unfair when most people seem to be indifferent to all what’s happening around them, throwing away every last bit of compassion, solidarity, charity and humanity they ever had, if they had any…
Poverty, sickness and death in absolute are not unfair. Despite their painful nature, they can all be surmounted and dealt with should we have best of all a healthy surrounding. Life is not unfair; what’s truly unfair is how people treat ”life” in every human they encounter, even the closest to them…
What’s unfair is poor kids not being able to go to school because there is not enough space nor enough education in public schools!
What’s unfair is poor people dying because they have no cash and no support!
What’s unfair is teenage girls being forced to get married to lift some weight off their care takers’ shoulders!
What’s unfair is kids losing one or both parents only to find they lost all their present and future with them!
What’s unfair is 10% of the population having what could have spared the lives and dignities of the other 90%
What is unfair is being indifferent to and totally uninvolved in what could be fair to others!
What is totally unfair is to blame it on life when life should blame it on you!
Think about it!
Shining Success
Posted on: November 16, 2012
There is quite a big difference between being successful and actually shining! As much as success is relative and at many instances subjective, shining can rarely be disputable and is mainly driven and caused by some magical qualities, namely passion, persistence, consistency, enthusiasm, empathy, and kindness …
Shining, in my opinion, is way beyond being just successful. Shining is inspirational, contagious, and energizing. Neither position, nor money, nor phony respect and obedience gained through power can define real success. In fact, true success keeps the person’s feet stiff on the ground yet agile when following an opportunity or a dream, his head in the sky yet humbly bent to the achievements of others, his eyes on the horizon yet vividly watching over his surrounding, and his heart as big as the world…
For me, no one can be successful in isolation from his surroundings. I can only be successful through the success of everyone around me, no matter my or their size, power or influence. Success can only be real when it makes its beholder and those surrounding him shine inside out!
In one of his amazing lectures, Benjamin Zander said “I have a definition of success. For me, it’s very simple. It’s not about wealth and fame and power. It’s about how many shining eyes I have around me”. I couldn’t agree more! I can only feel my worth as a mother, a teacher, a friend or a manager when the eyes of the people around me shine! And there is no way I could do that if my own eyes do not truly shine!
Celebrating OLD
Posted on: October 25, 2012
- In: Painting | Talents
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15-year-old Nada Al Dash is celebrating today a valuable heritage embraced by a particularly old building she felt connection with the moment she noticed. All she could see from its cracked walls and weary condition is authenticity and beauty.
Here’s a drawing of that building she would like to share with us! Enjoy!
“Human Nature”
Posted on: October 12, 2012
- In: Poems and Prose | Talents
- 3 Comments
A calm yet strong personality, a sharp mind, and a great heart; that’s 15-year-old Egyptian Salma Ahmad, one of my special students who never ceased to exceed my expectations, leaving a big mark in my heart and mind!
Tonight, I would like to share with you one of Salma’s lovely creations; a poem she wrote this summer about “Human Nature”
Enjoy!
Human nature
I marvel how nature could ever find space
For so many strange contrasts in one human face
There’s thought and no thought, and there’s paleness and bloom
And bustle and sluggishness, pleasure and gloom.
There’s weakness, and strength both redundant and vain;
Such strength as, if ever affliction and pain
Could pierce through a temper that’s soft to disease,
Would be rational peace—a philosopher’s ease.
There’s indifference, alike when he fails or succeeds,
And full attention ten times as much as there are needs;
Pride where there’s no envy, there’s so much of joy;
And mildness, and spirit both forward and coy.
There’s freedom, and sometimes a diffident stare
Of shame scarcely seeming to know that she’s there,
There’s virtue, the title it surely may claim,
Yet wants heaven to know what is to be worthy the name.
This picture from nature may seem to depart,
Yet Man would at once run away with your heart;
And I for five centuries right gladly would be
Such an odd, such a kind happy creature as he.
Painful, but Sweet
Posted on: August 29, 2012
There are times when I feel hurtfully in love with everything and everyone around me. Well, yes, despite being such a beautiful and peaceful feeling, its intensity may break you into pieces. It becomes such a strong and overwhelming feeling that you start losing a good part of your freedom and spontaneity.
These painful but sweet strong emotions may be mixed blessings.
They give you unprecedented, somehow supernatural, powers when your beloved ones are in need or threatened. You may work like never before, fight and challenge the whole world, support and defend wholeheartedly and to the extreme. You love and give unconditionally, sacrifice and dedicate your life with ultimate compassion and devotion. You never give up, never get tired, never feel down. You’re always energetic and enthusiastic and in a lot of instances aggressively supportive despite all the exhaustion or challenges you may be experiencing but not consciously admitting…
Sweet…
However, those same strong emotions may weaken you to the extreme and strip you off your strong will and determination. Your fear soars and your adventurous soul drowns. A lot of times, you feel helpless and submissive, anxious and feeble. Loss and separation are your worst enemies; over-protection and emotional instability are your best friends.
Painful…
Despite their pain and because of their sweetness those deep and strong emotions are so beautiful and healthy should they be balanced and well celebrated. It’s so divine to fiercely protect, support and fight for your loved ones and be super strong for them but at the same time surrender to that beautiful feeling and allow yourself some sweet unharmful obsession over them.
It’s my birthday and I have to make a wish…
I will close my eyes for a moment and wish from the bottom of my heart that time would go much slower… And No, it’s not a typical female wish… I am not afraid to grow older and have some wrinkles or lose my glow (if I had one anyway).
I want time to go slower for me to better enjoy and savor every moment with my kids and loved ones.
I need time to go slower to laugh, love, pray, give, share, apologize, cherish and appreciate more and more.
I want time to go slower to make up for every lost or missed opportunity, to dream more and achieve a lot more…
I wish time would go slower for me because I simply need more time to do my way all what I do…
Negative Vibes
Posted on: March 7, 2012
Negative Vibes, by Elaine Clayton (Illuminara)
There are times where everything around you seems so wrong, everything you do seems so imperfect, everyone you meet seems so indifferent, everything you eat seems so tasteless and everything you do seems so pointless! All you can spread and receive is nothing but negative vibes!
And those times may be incredibly lengthy…
Surrender and submission to those negative vibes and to that uncomfortable painful feeling may lead to a chain of darkness, desperation and maybe depression, generating a dark unpleasant vicious circle; a deep black hole…
Full consciousness of the current situation, with an effort to pin point the root of that particularly dark state, be it conscious or unconscious, may help anyone rise fast, shaking those vibes away and filling his/her good spirit with some positive energy and some good vibes.
That’s not a practical applicable recipe with tangible ingredients you may say. Well, it could be! But I think by just starting with admitting your case, and having full consciousness of your current situation, knowing every reason that led to it, you immediately overpower your misery, and move to a next more positive level!
If you are unable to see the tiny spot of light at the end of your black hole, just close your eyes, imagine one and head straight to it, and you shall break your dark vicious circle, color your black hole and start spreading and receiving nothing but positive vibes!
