Opportunities

     A lesson, I'm sure, we all came to learn the hard way is that opportunities are lost in a blink of an eye. Whether it was a spontaneous refusal of a bite of food that was generously offered that results in a swift, fadeless regret to those missed gargantuan offers that lead to chronic insomnia. 
     The unknown future and the consequences that'll result from the choices we do/don't make are what hinder us.
     Change is a bittersweet thing, and maybe that's why we become so frightful of grasping onto a laid out choice! Moreover, it's our natural instinct as humans to be fearful of regret. However, we shouldn't let it consume us to the point where we end up on a mundane routine that doesn't bring about any kind of change; the kind that leads to an open door to a magical, unbelievable wonderland.
     Sometimes, we just have to listen to what our hearts are trying to tell us. Sometimes, we just need to mute all the logical thoughts our brains trigger and make a bold move towards the unfamiliar. Risks are the climax of our storyline, and taking them, without a second thought might just lead to your very own happy ending- or beginning.... 

An Eternal bond

He knows me 

Always with me 

Always by my side

Constantly on my mind 

To Him,I love to vent my heart out 

Only on Him do I count 

To vanquish my sorrows, troubles, and worries 

And to bestow upon me peace 

In His book, I find reassurance, 

Ease of mind and happiness! 

Allah, my lord,and creator 

The essence of my smile 

My only stimulator 

Breathing

   

This world  is just an illusion 

Full of chaos and confusion.

Genuine feelings. 

Treacherous hearts.

Miles and miles that split us apart. 

An illusional happiness,

A sudden rush of sadness,

Pretty smiles and petty laughs!

So mangy barriers. Countless gaps.

Faith and patience,

Calamities to endure within. 

A cycle of repentance 

And acts of sin....

The #American Empire.....

     I get these flashbacks of myself sitting in what was my FAVORITE class in high school that are starting to haunt me.


     I remember Mr.Golles (ABSOLUTE BEST English/History teacher ever!!!!) teaching us about the collapse of the Byzantine and Roman Empires and how that came to be. I remember him telling us that any empire is capable of dismantling-even the US! And I arrogantly thought to myself, "Well, it's gonna be a while before that ever happens." I remember him telling us that our generation is so caught up with the Internet and the luxuries that a prosperous system has to offer that we became so apathetic towards politics. I remeber him imploring us to vote right when we become 18 and legal in 2016. But, I guess my classmates weren't paying attention. 


     It's 2017! A guy named Trump is president. The Republicans have the Senate and the House, and they're indulging in their acts of corruptness. The American empire is on the verge of its own collapse,and history repeats itself once again!  

Souls

There are these brief encounters with people that leave you forever enchanted. If you're lucky, you'll get the chance to talk to them; once in your lifetime or for the rest of it. And sometimes, just that magical eye contact is sufficient for your soul's bliss! 

Ocular meetings are provisions of what the passerby holds within them. The retinas have a way of exposing wickedness, treacherousness, or amiableness.

Our souls are not like us; they already know what they want. In their dimension, a single glance is more than enough.

Reading

There's a wisdom beyond our capabilities of comprehension as to why God created and designed every little thing in this universe. 
That being said, one should heed at the fact that the first verse of the Quran was the word " Read". Reading is a miraculous blessing that Allah has bestowed upon us. Reading takes you into another dimension that's not like any other. A world of it's own. Reading has the power of controlling your emotions. It can mend your broken heart and it can break it into even smaller pieces. As you read these letters that I have combined together to form words, they'll morph into images in your mind. And as you continue to read these words that I've braided together to form these sentences, I have therefore captivated your mind into my world and my thoughts. And as you're done reading this, you'll slip out of my thoughts and you'll be left to think of your own thoughts (maybe affected by my own) until you read another writer's words and slip into their world 😉

College Life in Libya Part III

By Nuha Dadesh

     What is life but a cruel, ironic, magical, and an enchanting journey?

     It seems like it was just yesterday that I was that high school sophomore portraying a presentation about the rise and fall of the notorious dictatorship that governed Libyans over the course of 42 years and its aftermath in Current Events class. Nevertheless, that wasn’t yesterday; it was almost four years ago in what was a politically-stable America. Flash-forward and I found myself amidst the Libyan struggle I was trying so eagerly to make my fellow classmates comprehend.

     The disappointing consequential turmoil of the “Arab Spring” has only deteriorated. Whatever conspiracy one adheres to believing in, there’s no denying that the revolutions that took place a few years ago all over the Middle East were meant not for its prosper, but its ultimate dismantlement. Moreover, the education sectors are among the crippling fundamentals of what was once hoped to be a civilized, safe state. On the contrary, as the dichotomies of good and evil strive for dominion, the good in the world always ends up with the upper hand.

     My third semester in the beloved faculty of Pharmacy began with a rough start. Firstly, I was among the many unfortunate students who didn’t get their names registered for taking and passing the Organic Chemistry Lab the pervious semester. Moreover, I got the impression that the majority were cursed with this nightmare called “Conflicted Classes!” Furthermore, the prohibition from rightfully taking some classes due the new limitation that was launched as to how many students can take each course caused frustrations to all, except the lucky ones who registered early. Also, a declaration of a new rule every now and then became the norm. The most shocking one was the ban on the “Sheets” that the students were accustomed to studying from. But just like Trump’s many executive orders, that was repealed swiftly. Irrefutably, the students and the professors of the faculty were like the tributes of the Hunger Games under the new dean’s administration. Fortunately though, the odds were ever in our favor for the most part!

     The clashes among the thugs and gangsters had an unambiguous consequence on the rest of the nation. Abductions were a topic that wasn’t uncommonly spoken of in the hallways of the faculty. Alas, they were spoken of because some were the kidnappings of students and staff members. Furthermore, the intolerable, prolonged power cuts during those bitter cold days left us in despair, and they resulted in the postponement of the finals after a massive demand.

     On one blessed night, I read this post about Allah that altered my perception on everything: “I am as my slave thinks of me.” For approximately a month, I was always perplexed in the lectures because of the hovering gloomy clouds that would shower a torrent rain of negative thoughts:  “I missed another quiz!” “I was marked absent once again!” In addition, my conscientious companions were taking more classes than me, which made me feel behind.  Although it was an instinct of mine, I knew better than to complain to my fellow human beings. And so, I cried and prayed to Allah; I relied on him for miracles that would leave me ever so grateful.

     Everything happens for a reason, you just have to have faith that it’s for a very good reason. A positive mindset that I worked hard on maintaining eased the rest of the semester. Subsequently, I began indulging in the appreciation of the miracles this world has to offer. For instance, the fascinating Dr. Iman Al-Mahjoubi intrigued me by her explicit teaching and lecturing.

     On the last day of the finals, Dr.Feras Al-Qaed, promised us that he would put out his well-known list of the top five students for Physiology on his Facebook page. Being the geeks that we are, we stayed up all night waiting for the results to come out. And as he pronounced each name from bottom to top, I found myself freaking out when I saw my the names of my friends’ and I pop up on my phone screen. Indeed, with hardships comes ease. To congratulate and encourage us, Dr.Feras generously invited us to his office where handed us wrapped gifts with numbers indicating our spot on the list!!!!

     Conclusively, this semester has been a roller coaster ride that I would love to go back in line for anytime! I befriended a group of geniuses who touched my life in a way I never thought possible. Whether it was the awesome “British Girls,” the sweet Aisha that lent me her favorite book, the enthusiastic Farah and Maram, or the wonderful Sabaa, I was enchanted to have them become part of my story. Finally, the faculty is full of resilient, open-minded people who continue to impress and inspire me.