Happy?

I should not be suprised, I guess:

You Are 36% Happy

You're not miserable, but you could stand to be a lot happier.Focus on what's right in the world, and you'll be happier than you ever thought possible.

What about you? How happy are you?

Death...That Mystic Destiny

Hadeel's sudden death has drastically changed my life. Not that I've never thought of death, nor that it never occured to me in one of those moments when I'm always left in a bewildered state of mind. I'm just like anyother human being; I tend to avoid thinking about that dark inevitable truth. I tend to reject the depressing idea the minute it hits my head. Why? Maybe because I keep telling myself that I'm just too young to die. The long life is still ahead of me. I have a list of dreams that I thought of since my childhood and I haven't accomplished yet. Death? Now? No. Only those old, sick people die. But it can't happen to me; I'm young, I'm healthy, I'm full of life.

Just like Hadeel, I always picture myself dying at an old age, let's say 70 or 80. Most probably, I would die peacefully surrounded by my beloved children and grandchildren. I bet Hadeel too had a similar image of her ultimate death, with that wrinkled face, that old weak body.

But I don't perceive death like that anymore. Actually, it is so strange, so ironic how we get easily distracted by life at large and tend to ignore that unavoidable path. Death, however, is only a phase in order to reach another world of eternity. Death is never the end, but only the beginning. But I just have no absolute guarantees that life won't stop at any minute, any second, any fraction of that second. I look back now and I see how I was living my life as if I will never ever die. How superficial, shallow sometimes I used to be. How I kept hunting for those same dreams of my childhood, hoping to conquer them, but not realizing that my last breath might be much closer to me. There were times when I simply fail to remind myself of the true essence and purpose of living. Now I have realized how life is too short, how everything can just vanish in a second. I need to prioritize my goals so that I can gain satisfaction and happiness in both this life, and that eternal one.

Minutes, hours and days go by. Are you proud and satisfied of what you have accomplished in your life so far?

We're Grateful

A simple gesture of appreciation was initiated by someone who loved Hadeel and enjoyed her creative writings. For Hadeel is the online campaign mainly aiming at brainstorming ideas, receiving suggestions and coming up with several practical ways on how to say "Thank You, Hadeel".

Spare a minute of your time and check it out. Drop a suggestion or two and contribute in creating a charity work that is for Hadeel, and hopefully goes for her soul (God Willing).

Rest in Peace

Fellow Saudi female blogger Hadeel AlHodaif dies shortly after going into a sudden coma. Her tragic death has shocked many local and worldwide bloggers. Certainly, a great loss to us all.

My sincere, deepest condolences to her family. May her soul rest in eternal peace.

إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون

60 Years of Terrorism

A few days ago, the terrorist, Zionist entity has celebrated its 60th independence day. Since the beginning, this illegal state has established its creation by committing massacres, assassinations and multi-aspect destruction against humanity in several countries. This inhuman existence, which has invented its so-called right of an illegal occupation in Palestine, has always manipulated the world and pretended to be the victim.

60 years have passed. 60 years of pure evil and oppression. 60 years of collective punishment of civilians in Palestine and Lebanon. 60 long years of violent, barbaric and bloody attacks in which uncountable numbers of women and young children were undoubtedly targeted and heartlessly murdered.

This Zionist state imposes a global danger and sheer terror on the entire world. Yet, it continues its unlawful actions of massive destruction and reckless violations of many international laws, covenants and treaties, including the Geneva Convention. This is a situation where both the government and a large number of the citizens (if not all the nation) are criminals and blood-thirsty inhuman murderers.

A simple example, Israeli children write down their names on rockets and missiles dedicating them to the Palestinian children. Innocent childhood doesn't even seem to exist.

This enemy of humanity certainly needs to be wiped out from the face of earth. Being a major threat to world inhabitants, it has to forever vanish along with all its supporters so that peace may find its way back to our planet. Also, war tribunals must be sought against all Israeli leaders for committing horrifying and vicious crimes against humanity.

What provides me with some kind of consolation, though, is that arrogance comes right before the fall. Therefore, to all those coward, savage and terrorist Zionists, MAY YOU ALL BURN IN HELL.

Pictures I Simply Love

Photography can be often so powerful. Those snapshots that are usually made in somehow a fraction of a second can be quite affective and life-transforming. They have the ability to draw a variety of emotions. They control your feelings and can easily put a smile on your face or even let you shed a tear or two. They might also work as reminders of what it was like to live during sometime in the past.

Throughout time, some photographers recorded astonishing life moments and saved them in the world’s memory. I happen to have a collection of favorite pictures, but the followings are certainly my best.

Do you remember this face? I know I do. This green-eyed Afghan girl was photographed by the world’s famous Steve McCurry during the Afghan-Soviet War. I hear Afghan people have the most expressive faces. This picture proves it all, I guess. The look on her face tells the so-long agony of a whole nation.

This picture reminds me of how we Muslims have become so vulnerable, so fragile. An old Palestinian woman struggles to save her tree from an Israeli soldier in a tank who is obviously attempting to destroy it. It saddens me when I see this old lady clinging so hopelessly, so deseperately, to what seems so precious to her. It is upsetting. It is anger-inducing.

I am perplexed every time I look at this picture. It is heartbreaking, hopeful & provoking all together. It reflects the miserable reality of thousands, if not millions, of Arab children living under poverty line. This charming, Syrian little girl sets an example for many of us of determination and hardwork. Apparently, the girl manages to do her school homework while selling sweets to passer-bys. The picture, taken by photographer Wasim Kheir Beik, was awarded The Best Picture for 2007 by The Association of Arab News Agencies.

This photo is the most touching, most heartrending I’ve ever seen. A female child struggles on her way to reach a UN food camp during the Sudan famine back in 1994. Obviously, the child stops to rest from her long crawling journey not to realize that she is being stalked by a starving vulture.
The picture was taken by Kevin Carter who was soon awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Best Picture of the Year.

Only a week later, Carter committed suicide leaving a note to the world:
"I am depressed ... I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings & corpses & anger & pain ... of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen, often police, of killer executioners...I have gone to join Ken if I am that lucky."

Freedom of Speech?

Again, it is the same old excuse that gives those, who have no respect at all for cultural or religious values, to attack the most sacred & holiest figures, beliefs or concepts.

This time, luckily or surprisingly, it doesn't include Muslims or the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). However, it involved who some Christians refer to as God; Jesus (PBUH). A church museum exhibition in Austria dares to portray erotic drawings of Jesus (PBUH) and the last supper. While some Catholics angirly critized this offensive and disrespectful action, the director of the Museum of Vienna's Roman Catholic Cathedral comes out with a more provoking statement; "people can imagine what they want to".

The right of imagintion & freedom of speech, I believe, should never cross their limits. People should consider the red lines in any religion and never try to offend those who belong to it. As during the publication of the Danish cartoons of Mohammed (PBUH), I similarly find these portrays of Jesus (PBUH) very humiliating, disrespectful and shameful to humanity at large.