Mind Shattering Earthquake

Anyone who reads or come across my blog I would please ask if you can keep Haiti in your prayers. I woke up to a phonecall from my dad this morning and I have been in shock ever since, there was a major 7.0 earthquake in Haiti last night inflicting a national disaster to what is an already 3rd world and poor Island Nation.

My uncles wife and children are vacationing there and he has not been able to reach his family to find out if they are safe as the phone lines are down and there is no electricity. Haiti is a very poor country with very poor infrastructure.Most of the homes were badly built to begin with Haiti is also very mountanious and most of the homes were built on them . There are no resources ( heavy machinery) needed to clean up the rubble and people are using bare hands to try and lift the heavy rubble off of people.

There are 40-45 thousand Americans who live in Haiti and there are fewer then 100 accounted for that says alot. I can only imagine that more then 100,000 Haitians lives will be lost if not more.

You dont have to be Haitian to help, anyone who wants to assist in the relief effort can text "YELE" to 501501 and 5$ will be donated from your cell phone as a donation on your behalf or you can text "HAITI" to 90999 to give a 10$ donation to the Red Cross for relief efforts in Haiti.

Allahu Allim why this happend there is wisdom in all that he does and I make dua and pray that the suffering of my people can be lessened.

Inna Lilahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajeoon

Tolerance

The other day while the hubby and I were out to dinner he was playing and browsing with my phone, when he suddenly burst out in laughter. I asked him what was so funny when he replied that my call list looks like the United Nations, I took the phone from him and started to laugh also. Basically any given day on my phone you can see the names Rachel, Taqwa, and Marie (lol).

Rachel is my jewish orthodox co-worker being that Islam and Judaism share many fundamental beliefs we naturally gravitated towards each other at work. We both observe the same dietary laws, we both fast, and both dress modestly. So needless to say we have become very close since we relate to each other the best in a very waspy work enviornment lol.

Taqwa is my BFF she was one of the first sisters I became friends with upon my conversion, we gravitated towards eachother because she is African/American and I am African/Caribean so we understood eachother only as sisters of color could. She also married an arab and we both have children the same age. She has taken a radical turn to the right and has become salafi since getting married ( I must add that she was born muslim her parents converted during the Malcolm X movement in America). Needless to say we are still close and talk everyday.

Marie is my cousin being that I am of French Canadian and Haitian desecent all of my family member are Roman Catholics and I am the only one in my family to apostate from the church. She is my closest cousin since childhood and my sons Godmother ( only in the word, not in the church I chose to give him a godmother for cultural purposed not religous).

So there you have it everyday I am in contact with a hasidic Jew, a salafi Muslim, and roman Catholic how funny is that. While I do not always believe or agree with the things that they believe, I ALWAYS RESPECT their right to their own belief. So many times across these blogs I have come across people with blind intolerence for anyone who dosnt share their way of life or thinking. We share this planet with over a billion others we are not all going to share the same beleif systems or way of thinking but we do have to learn how to share this planet respectfully.

If we put as much energy into critisizing ourselves instead of others we would be in a better place as a world wide community. Let the Almighty be the judge and juror (INCHALLAH AMIN).

The Robinson's VS The Moodi's

Every society and culture is plagued with pretenses, but I must say Middle Easterners top the cake. Here in America I grew up with the " Did you hear about the Robinsons" Basically every one is worried about keeping up appearances " OK I get it". I never lived my life before preoccupied with what people would think of me. I worried about what I thought of myself, and if I am happy with the choices I am making. Egyptians on the other hand seem as if they live their whole life and make all their decisions according to how it will be percieved by the society/class they live in its freaking annoying.

Today I made a comment to an old friend of mines from HS on facebook and my husband had a cow he was worried about how it would be precieved by his fam members on my friends list.

I told my husband the other day that I was struggeling with my decisions to wear hijab and he had another cow. Instead of giving me the religious value of wearing it he focused on the superficial.

people are so focused on the superficial that everyone is slowly rotting on the inside. They should focuse some of that negative energy on guarding their tongues and actions.

I did'nt give a damn about the Robinsons and I dont give a damn about the Mahmouds, Mahmoudies, or any other Moody.

No offense to any of the above mentioned surnames I just had to get this out (lol).

2010

I hav'nt blogged in a while, this time of the year is alsways so crazy for me. I work holidays and cover vacations at my job so this time of year I am in high demand at the hospital. Doubled with all of the holidays get togethers that my family has, my sons kindergarten parties and crafts and snacks that I make for them, our new little addition, house and hubby demands and I am a busy and cranky girl this time of year. Now that the year has come to and end I look back and reflect.

I am so Happy for our new addition that is Yasin mommy could not have asked for a happier and well adjusted baby, hopefully this year you will learn to sleep in your crib as mama and baba are tired of finding a foot or hand in thier mouth every morning.

I couldn'nt be prouder of my little man Oscar, you are my 1st born and I love watching how confident and sure you are or your place in this world. You are the most extroverted and well liked kid I have ever seen. I hope this year you can learn patience and the value of things as I am sick of replacing all the toys you carelessly break.

My proud Egyptian Eagle, you are the most responsible and family oriented man. Our family is seeing its fullest potential everyday because of you, without you my procrastination and misorganization would know no boundaries. I love you, I hope this year you can learn to relax and take time out for the little things. Also stop interrupting me when Trueblood and Big Love is on thank you.

I learned many things about myself this year. I learned how to finally share my life with the people I love and still have a little left over for me, which is something I struggled with in the past. I learned how to keep true to my Haitian Carribean origins yet embrace my newfound Oriental lifestyle. I also learn that fear is my biggest enemy and if I can overcome that I can do anything. I look foward to a New Year hopefully with less fears and I wish everyone the same inchallah.

Alhumdulilah for everything and Kulli sena wenta tayeb kulluhum.