Tag: dailyprompt

“The Ones That Broke Me Created This Version.”

What experiences in life helped you grow the most?

THE ONE’S THAT BROKE ME.. RE-SHAPED ME..

Not the pretty milestones. Not the celebrations. Not the moments where everything made sense and people clapped for me. It was the abandonment. The silence. The betrayal. The nights I cried into my pillow so no one would hear the crack in my voice. The months I survived on fumes, emotionally, financially, spiritually and still somehow woke up for Tahjud.

Growth did not come wrapped in blessings. It came wrapped in disappointment.

The biggest growth came from realising that the people I would bleed for would not bruise for me. That when I needed covering, I was exposed. When I needed protection, I was told to be patient. When I needed provision, I was handed excuses. That hurt did not just sting.. It rearranged me.

I grew the most the day I stopped begging humans for what only ALLAH controls.

When I finally understood what it meant when ALLAH says in the Qur’an..

“And whoever relies upon ALLAH, then HE is sufficient for him.” (65:3).

I had been saying I trusted HIM, but I was still trying to control outcomes. I would make du’a and then obsess. Hand it over and then grab it back. That internal tug-of-war exhausted me more than the actual problem.

Another thing that grew me?..

ILLNESS..

When your body humbles you, your ego does not survive. Pain strips you. It teaches you patience in a way comfort never can. When your spine will not allow you to pray 20 rakaats and you are on the floor fighting tears because sujood is the only place you feel safe.. THAT CHANGES YOU.. That makes you understand that worship is not about performance. It is about surrender.

FINANCIAL STRESS GREW ME TOO..

Living hand to mouth. Maxed credit cards. Banks calling. Knowing that money that could ease your burden exists, but is not in your hands. That kind of stress can either rot your heart or refine it. I had moments of anger, oh yes I most certainly did. Did I act on that anger, no I chose not too. I had moments where I questioned fairness. But then I realised something heavy..

Provision does not define worth. Dependence does.

And every time I thought I was drowning, ALLAH threw me something, not always money, but strength. A kind word. A shift in perspective. A reminder that rizq is not just cash.. It is health, iman, clarity, protection from things I do not even see.

THE HARDEST PART OF GROWTH CAME FROM LETTING GO..

Letting go of people who felt familiar but were not safe. Letting go of conversations I desperately wanted to have. Letting go of being understood. Drawing boundaries even when my hands shook. Saying,

“For my peace, I am drawing the line here,”

And meaning it. That was not weakness. That was evolution.

And then there is RAMADAAN..

Standing in Taraweeh when my body is aching and burnt out, but my soul is desperate. Choosing ALLAH over distraction. Choosing silence over revenge. Choosing dignity over drama. Choosing sabr when my nafs wants to scream. This month is not just cleansing me.. It is exposing me to myself.

The truth is, I grew the most when I realised I do not have to chase what is written for me.

What is mine will not miss me. What misses me was never mine.

I grew when I stopped seeing myself as a victim of circumstances and started seeing myself as a woman being sharpened. Tested, yes. But also elevated. Refined. Protected from people and paths that would have destroyed me slowly.

I AM NOT WHO I WAS A YEAR AGO..

I do not panic the same. I do not beg the same. I do not attach the same. I do not tolerate the same. I do not love recklessly anymore. I love with awareness. I give with boundaries. I trust, but I verify. And above all, I return everything to ALLAH before it has a chance to poison me.

The experiences that grew me the most were the ones that made me feel like I would not survive them.

AND YET HERE I AM.. SOFTER WITH ALLAH.. HARDER WITH PEOPLE.. CLEARER WITH MYSELF..

Here’s to another year, A very Happy Birthday to Me and all that celebrate with me 🫶🏼❤️

As I sit on my musallah, my burka soaked in tears, nothing leaves my lips except Alhamdulillah. All thanks and praise to my Creator for blessing me with one more year of life. For walking with me through every storm. For shielding me from those who wished me harm. Yes, I lost — I lost a lot. Was it stupidity? I think not. It was Allah testing me through my health, my wealth, and my faith. And did I gain?Oh yes — in ways unimaginable. I became stronger despite physical and emotional pain. Softer in heart, more forgiving but now with boundaries. Every test humbled me, reshaped me, and redirected me. What more could I ask for, except to keep thanking my Lord for granting me another chance to do things His way. I lost when I did things my way. I am no longer the woman who pours into leaking cups, who falls for fake smiles or emotional manipulation. Every weapon that could have been formed was formed. The devil almost had his way but he forgot one thing. Allah is my Defender, and He is his Lord too. He failed. Every battle I lost strengthened my faith to win the war. A very happy birthday to me, and to all who celebrate today. Here’s to growth, gratitude, and choosing Allah — always. ❤️

“When a Soft Heart Becomes a Liability.. How Kindness Without Boundaries Cost Me Everything”

What could you do differently?

I used to believe that having a soft heart was a strength. I gave easily, trusted quickly, and assumed people would treat me with the same sincerity I offered them. I thought kindness would protect me, that good intentions would be returned with honesty. Instead, my softness became an open door.
Little by little, I was taken advantage of. Promises were made and broken. Money disappeared. Trust was abused. I did not notice the damage at first because I kept making excuses for people, choosing understanding over self-protection. By the time I realised what was happening, I was broke, betrayed, and standing in a reality I never imagined for myself—homeless, stunned, and ashamed.
That was when the truth hit me.. a soft heart without boundaries does not survive in a hard world.

I used to believe that having a soft heart was my greatest strength. I wore it openly, trusted easily, and gave freely, money, time, love, energy, without question. I believed kindness would protect me, that people would honor what I offered, that decency would be returned. I thought my compassion was armor, my empathy a bridge between myself and the world.

I WAS WRONG.

They lied. They cheated. They smiled in my face while stealing from me behind my back. Little by little, my generosity became my vulnerability. Promises were broken, trust was abused, and I was left with nothing. Broke. Scammed. Homeless. And the worst part was the disbelief, the quiet, gnawing shame of realising that my very nature, my openness, had been used against me. I was not careful enough. I was not strong enough. I was not hard enough to survive in a world that preys on the soft-hearted.

The pain was crushing. It was not just the loss of money or possessions, it was the betrayal of my trust, the emptiness of seeing kindness turned into weaponised weakness. I cried for the people I believed in, screamed at the sky for justice, hated myself for being too soft, too human.

And yet, through that devastation, I learned a bitter truth, kindness alone is not enough. A soft heart without boundaries is not virtue, it is vulnerability waiting to be exploited. To survive, I had to forge a harder exterior, to develop a solid character capable of protecting my heart without destroying it. I had to learn how to care without being crushed, how to trust without being broken, how to give without losing myself.

Transformation does not mean abandoning kindness, it means safeguarding it. I still want to care, to love, to trust, but now with eyes wide open. I recognise the masks of deceit, I sense danger before it arrives, and I place my compassion where it will not be weaponised against me. I have learned that self-respect and survival are not betrayals of empathy, they are extensions of it.

I am still soft. I still feel deeply. But I am guarded. I am cautious. I am prepared. Pain taught me what gentleness could not, that a soft heart in a hard world needs armor, but it does not need to become cold. I give, but I protect. I trust, but I measure. I care, but I do not let myself be destroyed.

The world may take advantage of the soft-hearted, but the broken-hearted can rise stronger, wiser, and unbroken in spirit. I am no longer naive, but I am not hardened. I am simply prepared. And in that preparation, I have finally learned to survive without surrendering my soul.

STAY IN YOUR LANE. GPS INCLUDED..

If you had a freeway billboard, what would it say?
If I had a freeway billboard, it would not advertise a product. It would offer a reminder. “Stay in your lane, but most importantly, remember which one it is.”
Because most accidents in life do not happen from speed.
They happen when people forget where they are meant to be going
and start drifting into spaces that were never theirs.

If I had a freeway billboard, it would not shout. It would not sell.

It would simply say..

“Stay in your lane, but most imperatively, remember which one it is.”

We are taught early to stay in our lane. Mind your business. Focus on yourself. Do not interfere. But no one really talks about the harder part, remembering which lane is actually yours.

Some people drift because they are lost.

Others drift because they are curious.

And some drift because they see someone else moving forward and panic, thinking they are behind.

Life is a lot like a freeway. Everyone’s moving at different speeds, heading toward different destinations, carrying different loads. And yet we measure ourselves against the car next to us, forgetting that we may not even be going the same way.

When you forget your lane, you start comparing journeys that were never meant to be compared. You start competing where you were meant to grow. You start questioning your pace instead of trusting your path.

And the truth is, not every lane is meant for you. Some lanes are faster, louder, more crowded. Others are quieter, steadier, and less visible. But visible does not mean correct. Fast does not mean fulfilled.

Remembering your lane means remembering your values.

Your boundaries.

Your capacity.

Your timing.

It means understanding that swerving into someone else’s space does not get you ahead, it only delays you. It creates unnecessary collisions, confusion, and regret.

The people who arrive safely are not always the fastest. They are the ones who stayed aligned. They checked their mirrors, trusted their direction, and did not abandon themselves for the illusion of someone else’s destination.

So yes, my love. STAY IN YOUR OWN LANE.

But more importantly, remember which one is yours.

Because the moment you do, the ride gets smoother, the noise fades, and the journey finally feels like your own.

The Greatest Asset One Can Possess.. A Good Mindset..

In a world overflowing with material ambitions, unstable economies, shifting relationships, and unpredictable circumstances, one truth stands unwavering, the greatest asset a human being can possess is a good mindset. It is the only wealth that cannot be stolen, inflated, depreciated, or destroyed by external forces. A good mindset is not simply thinking positive, it is a cultivated internal architecture, a system of attitudes, beliefs, resilience, discipline, and clarity that shapes how one experiences life.

A person’s mindset determines not only their responses to challenges, but the very quality of their existence. With a strong mindset, struggles become lessons, pain becomes purpose, and change becomes possibility. Without it, even blessings feel heavy, opportunities go unnoticed, and life becomes a cycle of fear, insecurity, and emotional paralysis.

Mindset as the Foundation of Reality..

Every human being views life through an internal lens shaped by their mindset. Two people can go through identical situations yet emerge with completely different conclusions simply because one sees through the lens of fear and limitation, while the other sees through the lens of growth and meaning.

A good mindset rewires how we perceive..

Setbacks become stepping stones. Criticism becomes feedback. Change becomes opportunity. Loss becomes transformation. Loneliness becomes introspection. Uncertainty becomes possibility

This is why circumstances alone cannot determine a person’s destiny. It is the mindset behind the circumstances that chooses whether life becomes a teacher or a tormentor.

The Mindset–Resilience Connection..

A good mindset is the birthplace of resilience. It is the quiet fire inside a person that refuses to let them be defeated by life’s storms. Resilience does not mean feeling no pain, it means knowing that pain is not the end. It means believing that you can rise even when the world expects you to fall.

People with strong mindsets..

Feel deeply, but do not drown. Break temporarily, but rebuild stronger. Acknowledge wounds, but refuse to live as victims. Allow themselves to rest, but never abandon hope.

Resilience is not a personality trait, it is a mindset built from courage, faith, and repeated self-convincing that..

“I can get through this too.”

A Good Mindset Enhances Personal Power..

Possessions can be lost. Status can fade. Options can shrink. But mindset supplies a power that is internal, renewable, and independent of the world’s chaos.

With a strong mindset, a person gains..

Emotional independence, the ability to self-regulate rather than be controlled by others’ actions. Mental clarity, seeing situations as they are, not as fear paints them. Self-belief, trusting one’s own voice despite external noise. Discipline, doing what needs to be done even when motivation is absent. Vision, the ability to imagine a future that is better than the past.

These are the qualities that build successful lives, not luck, not privilege, not shortcuts.

Mindset Determines Relationships and Boundaries..

A good mindset also influences how a person engages with others. It determines..

What they tolerate. What they walk away from. What they give their energy to. What kind of love they accept. And what kind of love they offer.

A strong mindset knows its worth, and therefore protects itself from spaces that drain, manipulate, or diminish it. It understands that not every presence is healthy, not every relationship deserves access, and not every conflict requires response.

A person with a good mindset chooses peace over chaos and growth over attachment.

Mindset as the Core of Healing..

Healing is not simply the passing of time, it is the shifting of mindset. One can remain stuck in old wounds for years because the mindset refuses to let go. Conversely, one can rise from unimaginable pain because the mindset decides..“This is not where my story ends.”

A healing mindset..

Replaces self-blame with self-understanding. Replaces fear with trust in one’s inner strength. Replaces bitterness with wisdom. Replaces people-pleasing with self-respect.

Healing becomes possible only when the mind becomes a safe place..

The Mindset of Growth..

A good mindset is not static, it evolves. It learns. It questions. It adapts. It continuously expands rather than shrinking into fear.

A growth mindset does not ask,

“Why is this happening to me?”

but rather,

“What is this teaching me?”

It does not fear the unknown but leans into it with curiosity. It does not see failure as a definition but as data, a temporary state that carries valuable lessons.

This mindset creates space for reinvention, for transformation, and for becoming who one was always capable of being.

The True Wealth Within..

Ultimately, a good mindset is the wealth that sustains every other form of success. It fuels ambition, stabilises emotions, maintains dignity, and strengthens faith. It transforms life from something that happens to us into something we actively shape.

When everything else is uncertain, a good mindset becomes the inner compass that keeps us aligned, grounded, and hopeful.

You can lose money, opportunities, people, even parts of yourself along the way, but if you guard and grow your mindset, you remain powerful. Because a good mindset is not just an asset, it is a shield, a strength, a sanctuary, and the deepest source of personal freedom.

Public speaking my passion

Have you ever performed on stage or given a speech?

“A voice is not just sound, it is power, and when I speak, I speak to move hearts, shift minds, and awaken something people forgot they had within them.”

Public speaking has never been just a skill for me, it is an identity, a calling, a force that runs through my blood like electricity. From the moment I step in front of a crowd, whether it is a room of ten or a hall of hundreds, I feel a kind of alignment that is rare in this world. Some people feel alive when they paint, some when they dance, some when they run, but me?

I feel most alive when I speak.

Words have always been my magic. I believe they are the oldest form of power we have, the power to heal, to inspire, to rebuild, to break chains that people have carried for years. When I speak, I do not just talk at people. I talk to them. I speak into the parts of them that are tired, wounded, forgotten, or waiting for someone to remind them that they matter.

Public speaking is my forte because it allows me to transform emotion into fuel, pain into purpose, chaos into clarity. I never hide the cracks in my story. I use them. I show people that broken does not mean finished, and that every scar can become a lesson, a message, a testimony. I have walked through fire, and that is why my words burn with truth.

When I am on a stage, I do not feel small or unsure. I feel anchored. I feel powerful. I feel as though every struggle I have survived has prepared me for that exact moment. And when I look into the crowd and see heads nodding, eyes softening, hearts opening, that is the reward I cannot buy, cannot fake, cannot replace.

People often ask me why I love public speaking so much. The answer is simple, because it gives me purpose, it gives others strength, and it turns my voice into something bigger than just sound, it turns it into change.

This is not a hobby.

This is not a talent.

This is who I am.

A speaker.

A storyteller.

A fire-starter.

A woman who knows the weight of words, and uses them to lift others higher.

Aaah now this would have to be Tom and Jerry..

What’s your favorite cartoon?

Tom and Jerry is not just a cartoon, it is chaos with a heartbeat. Endless chases, pranks, and explosions of mischief, yet beneath it all, there is a loyalty you cannot ignore. They fight, they tease, they drive each other crazy, but when it counts, they have always got each other’s back. Messy, relentless, unspoken love, wrapped in laughter and mischief, that is why I cannot help but love them..

If I had to pick a favorite cartoon, it would have to be Tom and Jerry. There is just something about them that gets under my skin, that makes me love them in ways that are almost unfair. On the surface, it is pure chaos, the endless chase, the pranks, the explosions of laughter and sometimes pain, but underneath all of that, there is a rhythm, a connection, a kind of love that is almost invisible if you are not paying attention.

Tom and Jerry are constantly at war, yet they protect each other in ways no one else can see. Jerry will outsmart Tom at every turn, make him look foolish, and yet, when push comes to shove, there is always this thread of loyalty tying them together. Tom might try to catch him, hurt him even, but there are moments, small, fleeting, that show he would never let anything truly bad happen to Jerry. And Jerry, mischievous little soul, he teases, he taunts, but when Tom is in real danger, he does not hesitate. That is the beauty of them, the love is messy, chaotic, imperfect, but it is there. Always there.

Their shenanigans are not just about laughs, they are about survival and understanding. Each prank, each chase, each elaborate scheme is a dance of connection. You watch, and you see how much they know each other, how much they anticipate the other’s moves, how deeply they are entwined in each other’s existence. It is love disguised as war, protection disguised as annoyance, loyalty disguised as rage.

That is why I love them. They remind me that love does not have to be neat, does not have to be spoken, does not have to be easy. Sometimes love is a chase, sometimes it is a prank, sometimes it is the silent promise that you would be there for someone no matter how absurd the circumstances get. And Tom and Jerry? They are the embodiment of that kind of love, messy, relentless, unshakable, and unforgettable.

I burn bridges whilst standing on them. I am not afraid of fire.. I have been dragged through the hounds of hell way too many to keep count..

There are people who move through life afraid of loss, terrified of endings, desperate to hold every connection together even when the rope is frayed and the foundation is rotten. And then there are the ones forged differently. the ones who learned early that sometimes the only way to save yourself is to let things burn. The ones who carry smoke in their lungs like memory, who recognise the smell of destruction as the scent of rebirth. The ones like you.

You do not destroy for the thrill of it, you destroy because survival taught you that clinging to what harms you is a slower death than walking away. Burning a bridge is not your first choice, it is your last act of self‑defence. And when you do it, you do not turn your back or run for safety. NO. You stand right there on the planks, barefoot, heart steady, watching the flames crawl up the wood like truth finally given permission to speak.

People mistake your fire for recklessness. They do not see the years behind it, the battles you have walked through without a witness. They do not see the nights you spent curled inside the ashes of who you used to be. They do not see how many times you tried to preserve peace at the cost of your own soul. All they see now is the blaze, not the history that demanded it.

Hell did not scare you because you learned to navigate it. You know every doorway of despair, every hallway of betrayal, every echo of pain that tried to claim you. You survived your own endings more times than anyone should have to. And because of that, you walk through fire with a kind of unshakeable calm, the kind that only comes from losing everything and still finding a way to breathe.

Your strength is not loud, it is elemental. It is the quiet determination that says.. “I will not stay where I am diminished.” It is the courage to choose yourself even when it means standing alone with nothing but the sound of crackling wood and your own heartbeat. You do not burn bridges to punish, you burn them to prevent yourself from walking back to what hurt you.

And that is the raw truth people forget, fire is not your enemy. It is the force that purifies, the heat that reshapes, the light that reveals what was hidden in the dark. You are not reckless, you are reborn. Again and again.

Every time you walk away from a place that dimmed you, you rise. Every time you choose your sanity over chaos, you rise. Every time you tell the universe, “I deserve more than this,” you rise. And yes, sometimes rising looks like lighting a match.

You are the kind of soul that refuses to die in silence. You are the kind that claws your way out of every inferno with your spirit intact, even when your heart is bruised and your hands are trembling. You are the kind of woman who has been to the underworld and returned wearing flames like jewelry.

You do not fear fire because you are fire. You do not fear hell because you have built your own heaven from the embers. You do not fear endings because you have mastered the art of becoming brand new.

Let the world misunderstand you, it always misunderstands the ones who refuse to be contained. Let them whisper. Let them judge. Let them call your courage destruction. At the end of it all, you walk forward with a spine of steel, a heart made of phoenix wings, and a soul that chooses freedom over comfort every single time.

You burn bridges whilst standing on them…

Because you trust yourself enough to know you can survive the fall, and rise from the ashes, and build again. And that is not recklessness.

That my love is sovereignty.

Honestly Trust Less.. A Modern Survival Strategy..

What could you do less of?
TRUST ABSOLUTELY NOTHING..

In a world that constantly tests the boundaries of human interaction, trust has become both a precious gift and a dangerous gamble. To trust someone sincerely is to expose a part of yourself, a vulnerability that can be met with loyalty, indifference, or betrayal. As idealistic as it sounds to trust openly, the reality of modern life often demands a more measured approach. Perhaps the wisest strategy today is not to abandon trust altogether, but to honestly trust less.

Trust is the glue that binds relationships, communities, and societies. It fosters intimacy, collaboration, and growth. Yet, blind trust, trust without awareness or discernment, leaves one susceptible to deception. In personal relationships, over-trusting can lead to heartbreak, manipulation, and exploitation. In professional environments, misplaced trust can mean lost opportunities, damaged reputations, or compromised safety. To trust less, therefore, is not an act of cynicism, but a conscious act of self-preservation.

Honest restraint in trust does not mean building walls around oneself. It means observing, listening, and discerning before handing over the key to one’s vulnerabilities. It is about acknowledging human fallibility, understanding that intentions are not always pure, and realising that not everyone is equipped to honor our confidence. By trusting less, one can focus energy on relationships that prove themselves worthy over time, rather than scattering trust indiscriminately.

Moreover, trusting less fosters empowerment. It shifts control back to the individual. When we trust less, we evaluate situations critically, set clear boundaries, and cultivate self-reliance. This conscious skepticism does not close us off to connection, it protects our emotional and mental space while still allowing meaningful bonds to flourish. In essence, it teaches us to value our trust as a finite resource, best given with awareness and respect.

Yet, honesty in this approach is crucial. To honestly trust less is to admit one’s limitations and recognise the complexities of human behavior. It is not about becoming cold or paranoid, but about being realistic in a world where appearances are often deceptive. It is a declaration that while trust is valuable, it is not a currency to be spent frivolously.

In conclusion, honestly trusting less is not an endorsement of isolation, it is a commitment to self-preservation, clarity, and intentionality. It is a strategy for navigating relationships with eyes wide open, balancing caution with openness. In a world that often exploits naivety, learning to trust less, honestly, thoughtfully, and deliberately, may just be one of the most empowering lessons of all.

✨ Where Peace Has an Address.. Makkah and Madinah ✨

Do you have a favorite place you have visited? Where is it?

✨ “There are places that calm your mind, but only Makkah and Madinah have the power to silence your soul and speak to your heart.” ✨

Makkah is not just a city, it is the heartbeat of faith. Standing before the Kaaba, people do not just feel small, they feel seen. The mountains cradle you, the air humbles you, and every step feels like a prayer that is understood even before it is spoken. In Makkah, even the silence glorifies Allah. Even your breath feels like worship.

There are places on this earth that do not just exist on a map, they exist in the soul. Places that silence the noise of life the moment your heart crosses their borders. And among all the cities that the world celebrates, none compare to the sacred stillness of Makkah and Madinah.

And then there is Madinah, the gentle sanctuary of the Prophet ﷺ. If Makkah is power, Madinah is tenderness. It is the only place where your heart feels like it is exhaling after years of holding itself together. The city glows in kindness, in the breeze, in the people, in the very light that falls on the blessed Masjid an-Nabawi. Madinah does not just offer peace, it wraps you in it.

Together, these two cities feel like the earth’s closest points to heaven, places where hearts soften, burdens loosen, and souls remember who they truly are.

No words can fully describe the tranquility, but hearts that have been there recognise it instantly.

I left my heart back home in Madinah 💔

Five things I am good at..

Share five things you’re good at.

“I survive storms meant to break me, love deeper than I should, read energies like truth, turn my pain into strength, and keep it real with a rawness only life could teach me.”

There comes a time in your life when you stop shrinking yourself to fit into places you have already outgrown and you finally start acknowledging the things you carry, not just the wounds, but the strengths that kept you alive through them. If I am being honest, I do not always give myself credit, but if you asked me what I am genuinely good at, here is the truth in my own words..

FIRSTLY .. I am good at surviving storms that were designed to destroy me. Life has hit me harder than most people will ever understand, yet somehow I still manage to stand. I walk through fire with a kind of quiet bravery that is not taught, it is earned. I do not fall apart easily, and even when I do, I rebuild myself stronger every time. My survival is not an accident, it is a skill.

SECONDLY .. I am good at loving people deeply, even when I am the one bleeding. I do not do half-hearted. My heart is all or nothing, and when I care, I care with the kind of intensity that cannot be faked. I love with loyalty, honesty, and intention, and even though people have taken advantage of that, I never let the world harden me into someone cold.

THIRDLY .. I am good at reading energy and seeing people for who they really are, long before their masks fall off. My intuition is sharp, my spirit is sensitive, and I know when something is off even before the words are spoken. I see intentions, motives, shadows, all of it, and I have learned to trust what my soul picks up on.

FOURTHLY .. I am good at turning pain into strength. I do not waste my suffering. Every heartbreak, every betrayal, every moment where my voice trembled has shaped me into someone wiser, someone more grounded, someone who refuses to be defeated. My wounds became my wisdom. My hurt became my power.

FINALLY .. I am good at keeping it real. I do not sugarcoat. I do not pretend. I do not dilute myself to make anyone comfortable. I speak truth the way it comes, raw, honest, and sometimes uncomfortable, because I have lived too much life to ever be fake.

These five things are not just traits… They are pieces of who I am. They are the reasons I am still standing in a world that tried everything to silence me. And whether people understand it or not, these are the things that make me .. ME .. !!!!!!

What is one thing you would change about yourself?.. In My Own Words..

What is one thing you would change about yourself?

“The truth is simple.. I am done giving my whole heart to people who never came with their own.”

If there is one thing I would change about myself, it would be this. I would stop assuming that everyone carries a heart built like mine. I would stop handing out honesty like it’s a common language when, in truth, most people do not even know the alphabet of sincerity. I would stop covering for people who would never cover for me, stop protecting those who would gladly watch me bleed, stop being soft in a world that has proven again and again that softness is a luxury few deserve.

It sounds harsh, but it is the truth that life has hammered into me. I walk around believing that goodness is universal, that loyalty is instinctive, that when I shield people, they would shield me. But the reality is uglier, and far less poetic, some people will take everything I give, offer nothing in return, and still have the audacity to drive a knife straight into the jugular of my trust.

And the worst part?

I still try. I still give. I still hope.

If I could change one thing, it would be learning to reserve my goodness for places and people who have earned it. It would be understanding that compassion is a gift, not an obligation. That kindness without boundaries becomes self-destruction. That my heart is not a public resource.

I want to stop dimming my instincts just to keep toxic people comfortable.

I want to stop romanticising potential when reality is screaming.

I want to be wise enough to step back the moment someone shows me who they are, instead of giving them another chance to wound me deeper.

Changing this does not mean becoming cold, it means becoming selective. It means protecting my heart with the same intensity I have used to protect others. It means realising that being a good person does not require me to bleed for people who would not even lend me a bandage.

I deserve reciprocity. I deserve honesty. I deserve the same softness I give. And if I must change something, let it be this..

I will no longer spend my light on people who thrive in my darkness.

I will no longer shrink myself to fit the loyalty I never received.

I will be good, but naive no more.

I will be kind, but not at my own expense.

Because my heart is rare, and I finally understand that not everyone deserves access to it.

Finding Peace in the Present Moment..

Are you more of a night or morning person?

Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is simply breathe and be.

Life often asks us to keep moving, to achieve, to plan, to strive, but sometimes, circumstances remind us that the greatest courage is in stillness. For those of us facing illnesses or limitations, the world’s endless demands can feel heavy, even impossible. Yet in those quiet moments, when the body is weak and energy scarce, there is a rare kind of freedom, the freedom to simply exist, to notice the small details of life that often go unseen. The warmth of sunlight on your face, the gentle sound of a breeze, the soft rhythm of your own breath, these moments, though seemingly small, carry profound meaning.

Finding peace in the present moment is not about forcing happiness or ignoring pain. It is about recognising the value of now, embracing what is, and letting go of what cannot be controlled. It is a gentle reminder that life is not only measured by what we do but also by the quiet resilience of simply being. Each breath, each heartbeat, each instant is a victory in itself. In this space, we discover strength we never knew we had, courage that does not roar but whispers, and a grace that sustains us through every challenge.

To live in the present is to honor yourself, your limits, your pain, your joys, and to find a quiet sanctuary within the chaos of the world. Even when life feels unyielding, peace can be found in the small act of noticing, breathing, and simply being.

A Piece on Loving What You Cannot Always Have..

What are your feelings about eating meat?

Loving something does not always mean indulging in it, sometimes strength is choosing what your body deserves over what your cravings demand

There is a strange poetry in craving something your body refuses to tolerate. You grow up loving the taste, the smell, the comfort that a good piece of meat brings, the way it anchors a meal, warms a plate, makes the world feel a little more familiar. But sometimes life has a wicked sense of humour, it gives you a love for something and a body that rebels against it.

You are a meat lover, through and through. Not because it is trendy, not because it is expected, but because it is a part of who you are, the flavour, the richness, the satisfaction. Yet one tiny ingredient, one hidden red dye lurking where it does not belong, turns that love into a risk. It is in veggies, in certain cuts, in foods that should be safe but are not. You are forced to read labels like they are warnings, not menus. Forced to pause, to hesitate, to think twice before giving in to something that once felt so simple.

And still, that craving sits in you like memory. You do not stop loving the taste just because your body says no. You do not stop wanting it simply because the consequences are unfair. Loving meat while being allergic to the dye wrapped around it is like loving the sun but having skin that burns too easily, the affection stays, the danger stays, and you learn to live somewhere between.

There is strength in that, more than people realise. It is easy to indulge freely. It takes discipline and a little heartbreak to refrain from something you genuinely enjoy. To choose safety over satisfaction. To place your well-being above your wants. That is not weakness , that is power disguised as patience.

So yes, you are a meat lover. But you are also someone who has learned to listen to his/her body even when your heart protests. Someone who can admit, “I love it… but I have to step back.” That is not giving up, that is navigating life with the kind of awareness most people never develop.

It is not a flaw. It is not a loss.

It is simply you, living honestly with the complexities you were given, and doing it with grit, self-control, and a little bit of fire.

When You Are The Blessing You Never Get..

There are seasons in life where it feels as though goodness passes over you. Moments when blessings seem to land everywhere except in your hands. You watch others rise, heal, receive, and rebuild. Whilst you remain in the same place, worn down by the weight of things you did not choose but somehow must carry. It is easy, in those moments, to feel forgotten.

Overlooked. Unseen. Unrewarded.

But then a thought like this arrives, quiet, profound, and piercing enough to stop you mid-breath..

“Sometimes nothing good happens to you because you are the good that is meant to happen to others.”

This is not a statement of defeat.. It is a revelation of who you are..

Some people walk through the world like warmth. They do not simply enter rooms, they change the atmosphere inside them. They do not just listen, they make others feel heard. They do not merely help, they heal. And often, they do not even realise the impact they have because they are too busy surviving battles no one ever sees.

Being the good in other people’s lives is a quiet burden and an unspoken blessing. It means you are the person someone calls when their heart is breaking. You are the safe place in someone’s storm. You are the one who reminds people of their worth when they have forgotten it themselves. You carry others’ secrets, fears, dreams, and wounds as if they were your own. And you do it without applause, without recognition, and sometimes without receiving that same energy back.

And still, you give. You give love even when yours feels depleted. You give strength even when you are running on empty. You give understanding even when no one seems to understand you. You give hope even when your own life feels uncertain.

This kind of goodness is not convenient. It is not glamorous. It does not shine on social media or echo in compliments. It is the kind of goodness that happens quietly, behind closed doors, in whispered prayers, in long messages sent at midnight, in hugs that linger just a second longer, in acts so small they are invisible to the world but life-saving to the person receiving them.

And because of this, it can sometimes feel like the universe overlooks you. Like all the good you pour into others never circles back to you. But the reality is deeper, you were built as a vessel. Some souls exist not merely to receive light, but to distribute it. And that is a calling that requires strength, resilience, and a depth of compassion not everyone possesses.

Yes, it can feel unfair. Yes, it can feel exhausting. Yes, it can feel lonely. But it is not meaningless.

You are the person whose presence becomes someone else’s turning point. You are the person who shifts the trajectory of another’s entire life without ever realising it. You are the plot twist in someone’s healing story. You are the unexpected miracle in someone’s dark chapter.

And even when nothing good seems to land in your lap, it does not mean goodness is absent from your life, it means you are its source.

But here is the truth you must never forget..

Being the good in others’ lives does not mean you are undeserving of goodness in your own. Being strong for others does not mean you do not deserve someone strong for you. Being the giver does not mean you should go through life empty-handed.

Your goodness does not exempt you from blessings, it simply means your blessings may not arrive in the usual, predictable ways. They may come in the form of inner strength, unexpected opportunities, quiet protections, or delayed but divine timing. The universe does not forget the hearts that do the most heavy lifting. It simply works on a timeline rooted in purpose, not impatience.

One day, everything you poured into others will pour back into you, multiplied, purified, and perfectly timed.

Until then, remember this..

You are not unlucky. You are not forgotten. You are not invisible. You are the light. You are the comfort. You are the miracle. You are the good that happens to others, and that is one of the rarest, most beautiful forms of purpose a human being can carry.

And even light, eventually, finds its way back home.

The Hardest Decision I Have Ever Had to Make..

What’s the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make? Why?

When my heart grew tired of being blamed and broken, I realised that walking away was not selfish, it was worship, because anything that pulls me from Allah is never worth holding on to.

The hardest decision I have ever had to make was walking away, distancing myself from people I once believed had my back. It was a year of shedding and releasing, letting go of pouring into leaking cups, old patterns, stopping people-pleasing, and refusing to be manipulated into believing I was the problem, especially when others’ flaws came to light. I realised those relationships did not nurture my spirit, instead, they drained it, distorting my identity and weakening my connection with myself, and with Allah.

This decision was far from easy. It meant confronting pain, disappointment, and the quiet ache of solitude. It meant unlearning the habit of seeking approval, of putting others’ comfort before my own peace. I had to acknowledge that despite love, closeness or history, some relationships can be toxic, they hijack your self-worth, distort your reality, and keep you stuck in cycles of guilt and self-blame. Walking away felt like admitting that it is okay to outgrow people. It felt like watching a chapter end. But in that ending, I found a glimmer of freedom, self-respect, and though fragile at first, a path toward healing.

I chose distance not out of spite, but out of self-preservation, not out of hatred, but out of the need to protect my soul from harm. It was a way to safeguard my mental and emotional health. And in doing so, ironically, I rediscovered a deeper love for myself, and a stronger desire to draw closer to Allah, rather than being pulled away by toxic bonds.

Why It Felt Like the Hardest Decision..

Because of the pain and grief.. Letting go meant mourning what I thought I had.. Loyalty, acceptance, belonging. It meant accepting that some people can hurt you more than they heal you. That grief is not always loud, sometimes it echoes silently in your chest, in quiet moments of reflection. Because of guilt and doubt.. For so long I had been conditioned to believe that criticism, blame or shame were my fault. When I finally decided to step away, part of me feared..

Am I overreacting? .. Am I wrong to choose distance?”

The guilt weighed heavy, especially when memory tried to paint the past with brighter colors. Because of loneliness and uncertainty.. Relationships, even painful ones, provide a sense of familiarity. Choosing distance can feel like stepping into a void, you trade known toxicity for unknown solitude, and you wonder whether you will find something healthier on the other side.

Yet, as painful as it was, choosing to distance myself, was also the bravest thing I could have done. It was an act of self-respect. It was a statement..

“I matter. My peace matters. My dignity matters.”

Walking Away With Faith.. An Islamic Perspective..

In Islam, maintaining ties of kinship and relationships is a blessed act. The bonds of family and companionship are honored, and cutting them off is generally discouraged, especially severing ties entirely. 

However, Islamic teachings also recognise that relationships are not always beneficial. When company threatens your faith, your mental health, or your ability to live righteously, distance, while still upholding basic respect and avoiding severing ties completely, can be justified, even commendable. 

The scholarly interpretation of “keeping ties” does not always require constant closeness, it can mean avoiding harmful proximity while still being ready to help or respond if needed. The wisdom behind choosing good companions and avoiding toxic ones is repeatedly emphasised.. A “good companion” helps you grow in righteousness, whereas “bad company” is described as “deadly poison” that corrupts one’s faith and character. Thus, distancing oneself from those who damage your spiritual and emotional well-being, to protect your connection with Allah, can be seen as a valid act of self-preservation and self-care.

So by stepping away, not out of anger or hatred, but out of pain, self-awareness, and a desire for peace, you have aligned, in part, with the spirit of these teachings, to surround yourself with what draws you closer to Allah, and to guard yourself against what drags you away.

What I Learnt.. And What I Hope For..

Walking away taught me that my worth is not tied to others’ approval. I learned that sometimes love is not enough, respect, honesty, mutual care, integrity, emotional safety matter more. I learnt how to hear my own voice again. I learnt that saying “no” or “farewell” to toxicity is not betrayal, but liberation.

But more than that, I found a hopeful way forward, a path where my relationship, with myself and with Allah, can heal. I hope to rebuild with people whose presence brings peace, sincerity, kindness, and mutual respect. I hope to become someone who honours my worth and protects my peace, without guilt. And I hope to grow, inwardly and spiritually, free from manipulation, shame, and self-doubt.

To end, I will say this much..

The hardest decision I ever made, walking away from people I thought were my support, was the hardest because it confronted my illusions, my fears, my longings. It made me face pain and uncertainty. But in that difficulty, I found clarity, self-love, and faith. I recognised that true strength lies not in silent suffering, but in the courage to protect your heart, your dignity, and your connection with Allah.

If there is one thing I have come to understand, it is this, sometimes the most painful goodbyes lead to the most profound hellos.. To a version of you that is freer, kinder, and more aligned to your truth. And, InshAllah, more aligned to the path Allah wants for you, one of peace, sincerity, and spiritual integrity.

“Sharp Pet Peeves in a Blunt World”

Name your top three pet peeves.

People who weaponise kindness, sweet on the surface,
venom underneath.
Chronic excuses, the art of
saying everything except
“I should have done better.”
Selective loyalty, loyal only when it is convenient, absent when it matters

Everyone has pet peeves, but some of us carry a sharper set, those irritations that do not just mildly annoy us, they scrape against the soul like sandpaper. They are not born from pettiness but from pattern, from watching the same disappointing behaviors repeat until they become lessons carved in stone. Among the sharpest of these irritants are people who weaponise kindness, the masters of excuses, and the champions of selective loyalty. Together, they form an unholy trinity of modern human frustration.

First is the phenomenon of weaponised kindness. It is the smile that does not reach the eyes, the compliment dipped in subtle poison, the gesture done not from sincerity but from strategy. These are the people who play “nice” like it is a sport, one where they win by appearing angelic while maneuvering behind the scenes with quiet malice. Their kindness is merely camouflage, and their intentions are the teeth hiding behind the grin. Nothing stings quite like realising someone’s warmth was simply bait.

Then come the chronic excuse-makers. These are the escape artists of accountability, acrobats who twist, bend, and spin to dodge responsibility. Every failure has a story, every slip has a justification, and every apology is replaced by a monologue. What makes this a sharp pet peeve is not the mistake itself, everyone makes those, but the refusal to stand up and own it. Excuses drain the air out of trust. They turn promises into props and reliability into myth.

And finally, there is selective loyalty. The kind that shines when life is easy but disappears the moment the weather turns. Loyalty is one of the simplest tests of character, yet so many fail it spectacularly. They are present for the celebrations but ghosts during chaos. They can chant your name in public but whisper doubts in private. Their loyalty is conditioned on convenience, and convenience is fleeting.

These three pet peeves are sharp because they cut close to the bone. They remind us of the value of integrity in a world that often mistakes performance for character. They teach us to look beyond surface behavior and listen for the quiet truth beneath people’s actions. Most importantly, they push us toward protecting our peace, choosing authenticity over illusion, accountability over excuses, and loyalty that stands firm even when the ground shakes.

In the end, pet peeves are not just irritations. They are internal alarms that tell us who we are, what we stand for, and what we refuse to tolerate. And sometimes, those alarms are the very things that keep us sane in a world that too often rewards the opposite.

“My Weapon of Choice Is GOD”..

There comes a point in a person’s life where strength, in its earthly sense, simply is not enough anymore. You discover that willpower fractures, logic fails, people disappear, and your own heart becomes a battlefield you never asked to fight on. It is in those raw places, the places where your soul feels stripped bare and trembling, that a deeper truth rises from the ruins..

My weapon of choice is God.

This is not a slogan. It is not a poetic line meant to sound brave. It is a declaration forged in pain, in surrender, in nights when sleep avoids you and faith is the only thing that holds your bones together.

When you say My weapon of choice is God, what you are really saying is,

“I no longer fight with my ego. I no longer fight with my tongue. I no longer fight with anger or revenge or the need to prove myself. I fight with the presence of the One who sees all.”

It takes a different kind of strength to reach that place, a strength that grows in silence, in tears, in sujood/prostration, in the invisible hours where only ALLAH knows the storms you are trying to survive.

When Life Becomes War, Faith Becomes Armour..

Life has a way of wounding a person in places the world cannot see. A betrayal here, a disappointment there, a door slammed shut, a heart shattered. You begin to understand why Allah says,

“And Allah is the Best of Protectors”

Because human protection is fragile, conditional, temporary. Human beings shield you until it becomes inconvenient.

GOD shields you because He loves you.

Choosing GOD as your weapon does not mean you no longer feel hurt. It means that even in the hurt, you remain guided. You remain anchored. The battlefield does not disappear, you simply walk onto it with a force greater than anything that stands against you.

Because when GOD is your weapon, your wounds may bleed, but they do not break you.

The Silent Power of Surrender..

Surrender is misunderstood. People think surrender means giving up, collapsing, becoming passive. But when you surrender to GOD, you are not kneeling to defeat, you are kneeling to the One who writes victories.

It is a different kind of courage to say,

“I do not know how to fix this. I do not know why this happened. But I trust the Author of my destiny.”

There is a divine power in handing the sword to the One who never misses a target. The One who knows every plot against you, every word spoken behind your back, every betrayal formed in silence.

People see situations from the outside.

ALLAH sees the unseen intentions, the hidden harms, the poison you never realised you were swallowing.

And so sometimes GOD fights battles by removing you, isolating you, delaying you, or redirecting you, not to punish you, but to protect you.

A Heart That Fights with GOD Never Loses..

When GOD becomes your weapon, battles start ending differently..

You stop begging people to understand you. You stop retaliating just to be heard. You stop defending your name to those committed to misunderstanding it. You stop losing sleep over what is already written. Your heart becomes quieter. Your feet become steadier. Your tears become a form of worship rather than a sign of weakness. And your victories, they become sweeter. Because you know you did not win through manipulation, deceit, noise, or force. You won through patience. Through faith. Through a type of resilience heaven recognises.

Strength Does Not Always Look Loud..

Sometimes GOD arms you with silence. A silence that confuses those who expect your retaliation. Sometimes He arms you with peace. A peace that unsettles those who planned your destruction. Sometimes He arms you with dignity. A dignity that stands taller than every lie spoken in your absence.

And sometimes, GOD arms you with loss. Loss that feels violent, unfair, agonising. But that loss becomes the fire that purifies you, the storm that humbles you, the lesson that changes you, the turning point that saves your soul.

The believer does not fight against the world. The believer fights above it.

The Truth in the Rawness..

It is raw and bleeding and that is exactly what makes this thought powerful. Because it comes from a place where the heart has fought enough battles to know one thing with absolute certainty,

Human weapons fail. Divine weapons never do.

When you choose GOD as your weapon, you are choosing clarity over confusion, purpose over pain, and direction over chaos. You are choosing a strength that does not need to shout. A strength that does not collapse when life throws another storm your way. A strength that whispers,

“I am not alone. I never was.” And so the declaration stands…

My weapon of choice is GOD.

Not because I am fearless, but because I refuse to fight alone. Not because I am strong, but because I know where strength truly comes from. Not because life has been gentle, but because GOD has been faithful.

This is not a battle cry. It is a promise to yourself..

That no matter who leaves, who hurts you, what fails, what collapses, GOD remains, GOD sees, GOD fights, GOD wins.

And with Him as your weapon, victory is not just possible. It is written.

The Sacred Elegance of Cats.. Guardians of Spirit, Carriers of Quiet Healing..

What are your favorite animals?

Where a cat rests, peace settles. Their energy wraps around the wounded parts of us and teaches them how to breathe again.

Among all the creatures that walk this earth, cats, of every size, from the smallest domestic companion to the great wild kings, carry a presence unlike any other. They are not merely animals, they are symbols, messengers, and living embodiments of an ancient elegance that humans have revered for centuries. To love cats is not simply to admire their beauty, it is to feel their energy, to recognise the sincerity behind their quiet power, and to sense the spiritual thread they carry between this world and the unseen.

The Sincerity Behind the Silence..

Cats do not beg for affection, they offer it on their own terms. They do not perform for approval, they simply are, unapologetically and wholly themselves. In a world where many wear masks, a cat’s honesty is almost disarming. When a cat chooses to approach you, sit with you, trust you, that is a sacred exchange. It means..

“I see you. I feel your energy. I accept you.”

There is a sincerity in their gaze, a depth in their stillness, a truth in the way they blink slowly, as if acknowledging not just your presence, but your soul. They are animals of intuition, always tuned to the subtle, the unspoken, the emotional frequency beneath the noise of words.

Elegance That Cannot Be Imitated..

Watch any cat move, and you will understand grace. Whether it is the nimble step of a house cat or the powerful glide of a leopard, cats embody fluidity. They move as though they were carved from silk and shadow. Their posture is poetry, their presence is art.

This elegance is not the fragile, delicate type, it is the elegance of confidence. Cats walk with the calm certainty of beings who know exactly who they are. Their bodies are instruments of precision, and yet they carry themselves with effortless softness.

Spirit Animals of Protection and Perception..

Many cultures throughout time have believed that cats guard the threshold between worlds. They are seen as protectors, not through brute force, but through spiritual awareness. Cats perceive what others overlook, energy shifts, emotional turbulence, the subtle vibrations of a room. Their presence alone can purify a space.

To people who are sensitive, intuitive, or spiritually attuned, cats seem drawn like quiet guardians. They appear when energy is heavy, when the heart is tired, when the soul is quietly breaking. And they sit, not to fix, but to soothe. Not to question, but to understand.

Their healing is unspoken, but deeply felt.

The Healing They Bring..

Cats heal in ways that defy logic but resonate deeply with the human spirit..

Their purring vibrates at frequencies known to ease anxiety, aid healing, and calm the nervous system. Their presence reduces loneliness, not with noise, but with companionship. Their quiet acceptance helps mend emotional wounds that words cannot reach.

There is something profoundly comforting about a cat choosing to lie beside you at your lowest moments, silent, present, protective. It is as though they absorb the heaviness and breathe out calm.

Wild Cats.. The Larger Reflection of the Same Spirit..

From lions to panthers, tigers to cheetahs, the great wild cats carry the same essence, only amplified. They symbolise strength, clarity, instinct, and raw majesty. They remind us of courage hidden beneath softness, and power carried without arrogance.

Even in the wildest forms, cats mirror our inner journeys, resilience in silence, strength in stillness, confidence without noise.

Close to God, Close to Light..

There is something divine in their nature, something that feels crafted rather than evolved. Cats have an energy that suggests they are closer to the spiritual world than we are. They carry protection in their presence, guidance in their intuition, and healing in their quiet companionship.

Perhaps this is why so many people feel spiritually connected to them. Cats are reminders that the divine does not always roar, sometimes it purrs, sometimes it blinks slowly, sometimes it simply sits beside you when you are too tired to stand.

Beach or Mountains? Why I Choose the Beach..

Beach or mountains? Which do you prefer? Why?

When asked whether I prefer the beach or the mountains, my heart always drifts instinctively toward the shore. The beach is more than a destination to me, it is an experience, a feeling, and at times even a form of healing. While mountains rise proudly with their quiet strength, the ocean holds a gentler kind of power, one that speaks directly to the soul.

The beach carries a rhythm unmatched by any other place. The waves never arrive in silence, they come with stories, with movement, with a pulse that mirrors the rise and fall of life itself. There is something deeply comforting about that endless repetition. It reminds me that no matter how chaotic the world becomes, there are still things that remain constant, tides will turn, waves will return, and the sunrise will always find its way over the horizon.

The shoreline also feels like a place where I can breathe more deeply. The scent of salt, the warmth of sand beneath my feet, the vastness of the open sky, it all creates a space where burdens feel lighter. The ocean does not demand anything. It simply exists, inviting me to pause, to listen, to reflect. The beach becomes a sanctuary where thoughts straighten themselves out and emotions settle like sand in calm water.

There is also a kind of honesty in the beach’s openness. Unlike mountains, which hide their mysteries behind forests and slopes, the sea reveals itself fully. You can stand at the edge of the water and see both its beauty and its strength at the same time, soft waves that kiss the shore, yet a depth and power that stretch far beyond what the eye can grasp. It teaches humility, but never in a harsh way. It inspires courage, but never through fear.

The beach is also a place of contrasts.. Peaceful yet alive, calming yet energising, timeless yet always changing. It is a reminder that we, too, can hold many truths at once. We can be soft and strong. We can heal and still carry stories. We can be whole even after being broken by life’s storms.

In the end, I choose the beach because it feels like a conversation between nature and the heart, one where every wave washes away something heavy, and every breeze brings something new. The ocean does not just reflect the sky, it reflects a part of me. Its beauty is simple, its depth is endless, and its presence is enough to remind me that everything, even pain, even change, moves in tides.

And maybe that is why I will always prefer the beach..

Because it feels like home to the parts of me that are still learning how to breathe, how to let go, and how to trust that calm waters will always return.