Monday, February 28, 2011

Whatif


Last night, while I lay thinking here,
some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
and pranced and partied all night long
and sang their same old Whatif song:

Whatif I'm dumb in school?
Whatif they've closed the swimming pool?
Whatif I get beat up?
Whatif there's poison in my cup?
Whatif I start to cry?
Whatif I get sick and die?
Whatif I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?
Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me?
Whatif I don't grow taller?
Whatif my head starts getting smaller?
Whatif the fish won't bite?
Whatif the wind tears up my kite?
Whatif they start a war?
Whatif my parents get divorced?
Whatif the bus is late?
Whatif my teeth don't grow in straight?
Whatif I tear my pants?
Whatif I never learn to dance?

Everything seems well, and then
the nighttime Whatifs strike again!

... Whatif, Shel Silverstein

Who Is To Say...


Who is to say 
what is a sin
in God's eyes?

... The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne

I Always Distrust People Who ...


I always distrust people who 
know so much about what God 
wants them to do to their fellows.

... Susan B. Anthony

You Have No Time To Love Them


If you judge people,
you have no time to love them.

... Blessed Teresa of Calcutta 

Beautiful People Do Not Just Happen


The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths.

These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern.

Beautiful people do not just happen.

... Elizabeth Kubler Ross

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Gift Of Acceptance


Some believe it's right to say Jesus when you pray,
Some believe Muhammad, Allah, or Buddha are the way.
Instead of a God or pantheon of gods up in the sky,
I'll honour your choices and you can honour mine.

Whether you are red, black, yellow, brown or white,
A man with a husband or a woman with a wife,
We can debate till the end of time who's wrong and who is right,
Or I can honour your choices and you can honour mine.

We all want the same things from life,
We want peace, love and prosperity.
But can we give up our need to be right?
Give the world a present, give the gift of your acceptance.
Give the world a present, give the gift of your acceptance.

Some believe that God's a him and some say he's a her.
 Does God live here in our hearts or out in the universe?
Ghandi was a Hindu, Martin Luther King a Christian, 
Regardless of religion they knew love was the mission.

We all want the same things from life,
We want peace, love and prosperity.
But can we give up our need to be right?
Give the world a present, give the gift of your acceptance.
Give the world a present, give the gift of your acceptance.

We can debate to the end of time who's wrong and who is right,
Or I can honour your choices and you can honour mine.

They call you Israeli and they call me an American,
I look at you and I don't see a country, I just see my friend,
I pray we're in each other's lives for a long, long time 
Because I honour your choices and you honour mine.

We all want the same things from life,
We want peace, love and prosperity.
But can we give up our need to be right?
Give the world a present, give the gift of your acceptance.
Give the world a present, give the gift of your acceptance.

... India.Arie

Friday, February 18, 2011

One Of Us


If God had a name what would it be?
And would you call it to his face?
If you were faced with him
In all his glory
What would you ask if you had just one question?

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

It's In Our Nature


To embrace a stranger as one's own. It's in our nature.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

And It's Not Always In Our Hands


The human life is made up of choices:
Yes or no. 
In or out. 
Up or down. 

And then there are the choices that matter:
Love or hate. 
To be a hero or to be a coward. 
To fight or to give in. 

To live. 
Or die. 
Live or die.

That's the important choice. 

And it's not always in our hands.

... Grey's Anatomy, Season 6 Episode 24

Saturday, February 12, 2011

I Remember


I remember...
The way you glanced at me, yes I remember

I remember...
When we caught a shooting star, yes I remember

I remember...
All the things that we shared, and the promise we made, just you and I

I remember...
All the laughter we shared, all the wishes we made, upon the roof at dawn...

I remember...
The way you read your books, yes I remember
The way you tied your shoes, yes I remember
The cake you loved the most, yes I remember
The way you drank you coffee, yes I remember
The way you glanced at me, yes I remember

When we caught a shooting star, yes I remember
When we were dancing in the rain in that december
And the way you smile at me,
Yes I remember

... Mocca

Thursday, February 10, 2011

One


One life
But we're not the same
We get to carry each other
Carry each other
One

... U2

Where The Streets Have No Name


I wanna run
I want to hide
I wanna tear down the walls
That hold me inside
I wanna reach out
And touch the flame
Where the streets have no name

I wanna feel sunlight on my face
I see the dust cloud disappear without a trace
I wanna take shelter from the poison rain
Where the streets have no name...

The city's a flood
And our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind
Trampled in dust
I'll show you a place
High on a desert plain
Where the streets have no name

... U2

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

They Do Not Beg From Men Importunately

Oh my Lord! I am poor, in my state of affluence;
Shouldn’t I be the poorest, in my real state of poverty?


"(Alms are) for the poor who are confined in the way of Allah-- they cannot go about in the land; the ignorant man thinks them to be rich on account of (their) abstaining (from begging); you can recognize them by their mark; they do not beg from men importunately; and whatever good thing you spend, surely Allah knows it" ... al-Baqarah 2:273

Monday, February 7, 2011

The Final Sermon


Under the scorching sun, on the plains of Arafat, Prophet Muhammad (saw) delivered his Final Sermon.

“O People, listen to my words carefully, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever meet you again. Therefore, listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds. God has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. God has Judged that there shall be no interest, and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn Abd’al Muttalib shall henceforth be waived…

Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under a trust from God and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.

O People, listen to me in earnest, worship God, perform your five daily prayers, fast during the month of Ramadan, and offer Zakat. Perform Hajj if you have the means.

All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; white has no superiority over black, nor does a black have any superiority over white; [none have superiority over another] except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.

Remember, one day you will appear before God and answer for your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me, and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O people, and understand these words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Quran and my example, the Sunnah, and if you follow these you will never go astray.

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and it may be that the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O God, that I have conveyed your message to your people.”

Thus the beloved Prophet completed his Final Sermon, and upon it, near the summit of Arafat, the revelation came down:

“…This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My Grace upon you, and have chosen Islam for you as your religion…” (Quran 5:3)

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Life


As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let us down, probably will. 

You'll have your heart broken and you'll break others' hearts. You'll fight with your best friend or maybe even fall in love with them, and you'll cry because time is flying by. 

So take too many pictures, laugh too much, forgive freely, and love like you've never been hurt. 

Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, no second chances. You just have to live life to the fullest, tell someone what they mean to you and tell someone off, speak out, dance in the pouring rain, hold someone's hand, comfort a friend, fall asleep watching the sun come up, stay up late, be a flirt, and smile until your face hurts. 

Don't be afraid to take chances or fall in love and most of all, live in the moment because every second you spend angry or upset is a second of happiness you can never get back.

... Unknown