You Can Be Whatever You Want To Be!

There is inside you
All of the potential
To be whatever you want to be;
All of the energy
To do whatever you want to do.
Imagine yourself as you would like to be,
Doing what you want to do,
And each day, take one step
Towards your dream.
And though at times it may seem too
difficult to continue,
Hold on to your dream.
One morning you will awake to find
That you are the person you dreamed of,
Doing what you wanted to do,
Simply because you had the courage
To believe in your potential
And to hold on to your dream.

by: Donna Levine
 

TGID -- Thank Goodness It's December

Woah...
what.a.year.
2011 has been a year of change
a year of tears and loss
of hard work and perseverence
of hope and prayer
finding the silver lining.
December brings
the light at the end if the tunnel
relief
holidays
my birthday :)
fun in the sun
family, friends
After the year we have just had
all I can think is...
Thank goodness it's December!!

Hello Summer

Hey Summer... nice to see you back in Cape Town!

Summertime in Cape Town...
reminds me of school holidays,
oh the stunning views and the gorgeous drives
sea, sun, houtbay ice cream :) mmmmm
hats, sunscreen, heat!
but also lazy days with friends and fam
Kirstenbosch summer sunset concerts
picnics, strolls along the beach
brekkies, coffees, braai's
yummy lunches
fresh fruit, smoothies
Lots and lots of photo's!
catching up with old buddies and new
the laughter, the smiles
reminiscing
and welcoming new possibilities
thankful for the end of a busy year
and the beginning of a new one
the vibe, the atmosphere, the gees
Newlands, Camps Bay, Table View, Big Bay
Llandudno, Houtbay
Stellies, Franshoek, Langebaan
Mountain, seas, views, farms, forests
Home, away
How lucky we are...
Love Cape Town!

R

Singing along to Coldplay...

Am loving this song at the moment... Coldplay becoming surprisingly awesome! Great song when driving around on a rainy day. Cant help but press repeat!

FIX YOU -- Coldplay

When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down on your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down on your face
And I...

Tears stream down on your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down on your face
And I...

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Our Dear Dedda

I wrote these words as part of a tribute to our dear grandfather, on behalf of his grandchildren...

Thinking about our beloved grandfather, Achmad Sadick Saban

Who was lovingly and affectionately known as DEDDA to us

Brings tears to our eyes

But also so much love and so many memories...

Dedda... The one who's face lit up whenever he saw you

Who always greeted you like you were the best part of his day

His jokes and laughter

Who appreciated every single little thing that you did for him

Or gave to him

Such a genuine person in every aspect of life

We'll always remember...

The kites he made for us on windy days

The cricket bats for a game in driveway

The carts and cars and so much more

He was so talented with wood

And with making things

And with fixing things

He was our McGuyver

We knew, if it was broken... Dedda will find a way to fix it

Never worry or fear if Dedda was near

And he was... He was always near and he was always there

He saw electronic things and technology as a challenge

Instead of being overwhelmed by technology, he loved finding out how it works

Dedda has been using a cell phone for years!

And not just answering phone calls

But making them...

And sending sms's too

He was so talented in so many ways

When he made things or fixed things

He would show you how, if you were interested he would teach you

And such a good teacher he was too

We remember... his beige Ford Escort that he would lovingly take Mamma wherever she wanted to go

And fetch us from school, where our friends would affectionately say "hello Mr Miyagi"

His savvy shopping skills

The soup he made on rainy days

His love of sport! He was an avid supporter of South African teams, especially in rugby and cricket

He always supported the Springboks, Stormers, Western Province

And yet he admired the way the New Zealand teams played as well – he was fair like that :)

There are so many more memories

And so much more to say

We learned so much from him

Some things tangible and some intangible

Generosity, honesty, dedication, perseverance, hope

spirituality, salaah, duah, hardwork and playtime

The importance of family, friendship, relationships, supporting each other

Joy... So much joy and smiles and laughter

But most of all...

LOVE

Showing it, expressing it, living it

He made such an impact on our lives

We will always love and remember our beloved DEDDA

May Allah grant him Jannatul Firdous

Insha-Allah ameen

R

16 July 2011

Blessed

Algamdulillah
Calm and blessed is how I feel now
Steady underfoot?
Yes, most days.
I really do feel grateful
for everything that has happened.
So much growth has come of it
Self-development
Inner strength
I can feel the strength
the inner glow
For the 1st time, since I can remember...
I can honestly express
that I am happy to be ME... algamdulillah
Really, truely
This self-knowing...
This sense of self
is such a blessing
I say shukr ya Allah
for granting me all that you have granted me
thus far in my life
I see now that it all happens
and it all happened
for a reason and for so many reasons.
That confident, bustling, happy little kiddie Rabia
So full of joy
Has finally re-emerged in grown up Rabia
The honest joy is back
Grown and wiser
but joyful
Grateful and thankful
Ready and open
to give and receive
So much love

R
20/7/2011 

Perspective

Its's amazing how life just gets put into perspective
What a rollercoaster the last 6 months have been...
I am staring at this page
wondering just how to put it down into words...
Today was really the first time in so long
that I felt I was standing on steady ground
I have been floundering for so long
that I started thinking that it was 'normal'
Like a duck...
Paddling frantically under the surface
in order to keep going, keep moving, keep floating
Whilst trying to keep calm above the surface.

So yes
Life got put into perspective in the last 6 months
Algamdulillah
I think I have grown up in so many ways
more in the last few months than ever before
I say thank you to the Almighty
I see now what an important time of self-development and self-growth
that I have been through.
Intense training almost.

I have learnt so much about expectations
about change
about dealing with emotions
about relationships...
those that are good for you
and those that are not good for you at a certain time.

With all that has happened this year
I have become so much more aware about what is really important in life
(well to me at least)
and what is just not an issue / unnecessary
Dont assume anything... everrrr
The Almighty's plan is so immense
and sooo beyond our realm of possibility
that we cannot really comprehend
the full extent of even the tiniest part of it.

What an emotional rollercoaster the last 6 months have been.
Physically too.
All I can say is shukr, thank you to the Almighty
for getting me through it all in one piece.
I actually cant believe it.
The power of prayer has been a light at the end of the tunnel for me
Algamdulillah!

For so long
I couldnt really deal with alllllll that was going on
To me
in me
around me
with me
Everything was just too much
I didnt know how to even verbalise my
thoughts, fears, emotions
Nevermind to write them down.
But I first managed the unsaid
from the heart and soul
Which gave me the courage and ability
to give the said
To verbalise
and now to start writing it down
Algamdulillah.

Steady underfoot is what I feel like today
Inshallah it will continue tomorrow
But Algamdulillah.

Calmness
moderate
serenity
peace
gratitude

R
1/7/2011

Can you imagine?

Wow, John Lennon where are you these days?! Imagine what he would've said about things in 2011. An excerpt of his song "Imagine":

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

John Lennon

Hang in there...

It has been far too long... and I have missed sharing words. Today I found this piece of writing given to me when I needed it the most but was totally unexpected:

When you're feeling overwhelmed
By anger or dispair
It's hard to cope from day to day
And life can seem unfair.

But this won't last forever
Things will turn around
Then you will appreciate
The strength that you have found.

So treat yourself with kindness
Surround yourself with calm
Call on friends who love you
And shield yourself from harm.

Then when this is over
You'll look at life anew
Knowing you faced up to things
And courage saw you through.

15 Sept 2008

A friend is one of the most beautiful gifts

A friend is a person
you can trust,
who won't turn away from you;
a friend will always be there
when you really need someone,
and will come to you
when they need help.

A friend will listen to you
even when they don't
understand or agree
with your feelings;
a friend will never try
to change you,
but appreciates you for who you are.
A friend is someone
you can share dreams, hopes and feelings with.

A friend always remembers
the little things you've done,
the times you've shared,
and the talks you've had.
A friend is one of life's
most beautiful gifts.

Luann Auciello

So succinct

So succinct... yet so eye-opening. Focus on and realise your own potential and abilities :)

What lies behind us
and what lies before us
are tiny matters
compared to
what lies within us

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Who... me?

Who... Me?
Really? Me?
Opening up like this?
Wow! What a shift for me...
to put my writing out there
in the public domain
for all eyes to see
Really feels like baring my soul
is what I'm doing
May seem like a little thing
But it really is not
For a person who is really very private
until recently maybe
About feelings, emotions, underlying thoughts
The deep nitty gritty of it all gets penned down
- usually in a little book or piece of paper
and kept in a safe place for my eyes only
But I think that I finally feel brave enough,
confident enough, and yes, safe enough
to be able to take the leap.
Yes I have always been jotting down
But for the 1st time I am putting myself out there
- for the things that I have written
and those pieces that I have picked that were written by others.
It really is quite a shift...
a big step
like you can see right down to my inner being
my soul
Each piece, each word
carefully chosen over the years
Being used as a band-aid at times, as encouragement and motivation,
as a sounding board for raw emotion,
for so many things and so many contexts.
I used the words, mine and others,
as a means to express myself
And now I continue to use it to express myself
- and between you and me...
It is a bit nerve-wrecking
But oh so liberating too.

R

Courage

I really seem to connect with these words:

The true meaning of courage is to be afraid, and then, with your knees knocking and your heart racing, to step out anyway - 
even when that step makes sense to nobody but you.
I know that's not easy.
But making a bold move is the only way to truly advance toward the grandest vision the universe has for you.


Oprah

If

Find this so inspiring... especially  -  If you can fill the unforgiving minute, with sixty seconds' worth of distance run...
Its worth the read!

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
 
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son! 

Rudyard Kipling

Stay Strong

Written for a dear friend after a tragic accident:

Stay strong little bird
The wind is strong 
pushing against you
But, be brave little bird
Spread your wings
flex your muscles
Spread your wings 
- and fly
Fly above the 
turbulent clouds
Rise above the 
thunder and rain
Fly
Rise above
and come back
smiling again

Rabia Edries

12/3/2003


 

beginnings

Wow... my 1st post on my 1st blog! Written expression in different forms has been part of my life since I started to write. Little scribbles here and there, on pieces of paper, napkins and any surface that was at hand actually! Never thought that it was important in any way, but always felt the urge to jot down my thoughts or feelings or observations. A few words here and there, then a few lines. Today I found my "collection". Hahaaa... I had such a laugh flipping through the file I had so diligently put together during my college days. It contains little scribbles and song lyrics that I so earnestly had written down, and the latest additions that were typed out. Lucky for me, I had made the point of writing the date each time, which has made it now so meaningful to me. Looks like I got very into song lyrics at one stage during primary school, jotting down the words of my favourite songs and even making up a few of my own. Funny thinking about it now! Besides my own "collection", during high school I started collecting pieces of writing - short quotes, sayings, poems etc - by famous authors, writers, even celebraties... anything that I found interesting. It was at that time where we started analysing poetry, plays and stories for English that my interest in the meanings became hightened. The words behind the words... the said and the unsaid. I started to appreciate the talents and genius of known authors and poets, and also the jottings and writings of the unknown. So here we go... from the known, unknown, mine, others... a kaleidascope of thoughts, ideas, observations and feelings.