The Letters that Time Forgot

You're not meant to miss something that's been replaced with something easier, faster and better. For example, letters and emails.

But if like me you had a childhood that was relatively Internet free, or you  grew up in a primary school where pen-pals were assigned to each pupil, then letter writing is a novelty you miss even when the ease and convenience of email wins over your letter writing days. Now, If I want to say hello to someone I haven't seen in a while, I'll do it via email. In fact, I'll do everything via email.  I'm so dependant on it I often wonder how anyone functioned without it in the past.  But as my mum keeps reminding me, you don't miss something you've never had.

Whilst my inbox overspills with new mail everyday, I hardly get any letters through my door unless they're Statements or updates from Student Finance, neither of which are particularly exciting. But, if the envelope bares a hand-scrawled address across the front, or if it is another colour other than white, there's no denying that I still feel that tiny rush of excitement. There's just something novel and almost suspenseful about getting an unexpected letter through the door which doesn't have it's 'subject' typed across the front or the name of the person who sent it to you.

The most exciting thing I've ever had posted to me was an anonymous parcel of beautiful headscarves. Adding to that, one of my favourite letters I received was from a cousin when she went on holiday to Trinidad a few years ago.

I still have the letter, she was about 6 or 7 at the time:

It says:

Nabihah's Trinidad news:


Dear Anisa,


It is hot here. I climbed upa mountain and wen I got to the top it was flat. I eat some coconut but I did not like it. I liked the squsages and Trinidad bread. But I did not like the coconut water. Me me and Haaniah sat at the back of uncle Jubs car in the boot. On the way back from my dad's cousins house the car crashed the frunt off the car came off.


from Nabihah

Talk about ending with suspense!

My second favourite is the card I got from another cousin when I was ill a few years ago in hospital. He was five at the time, and was thoughtfiul enough to draw this portrait of me:

 I still wonder why he drew me with just ten strands of hair and three feet. But anyway, this is  one of those things that could never be achieved to the same effect via email!

Everybody should have a Creative Outlet

I was watching an Outlandish video before Ramadan called Let Off Some Stream. Have you seen it? It’s got bizarre lyrics and some really bright outfits, but that’s just Outlandish, it’s part of what makes them irrationally brilliant. Anyway, amazingly, I took some good advice from that video.

Everybody should have a creative outlet, a little something to turn to when the going gets tough. It could be anything really- drawing, carving, calligraphy, paper making, drum-bashing, song writing, graphics designing- anything. Never let your ‘creative talent’ stress you though -if something that you’re supposed to be enjoying becomes stressful then it essentially defeats the purpose. That doesn’t mean to say it shouldn’t be a bit challenging. Writing for me can be challenging, but I love it. When my creative writing course demands that I write the dreaded poem and it goes well, I love it, I feel like it’s my greatest achievement in the world. (I’m really not much of a poet).

I’ve been scribbling stories from the age of two. My dad actually saved some of my ‘scribble books,’ they look like they’re written in another language. Apparently however, I was always able to decipher my scribbles and tell the same story each time, even after I’d written fifty different scribble-books or so, so maybe I should be credited for creating my own language?

Anyway, I have friends and cousins who are amazing artists’ mashaAllah. Drawing is not particularly my strong point, so I always admire people who can draw and sketch really well. Also, to date I have broken every sewing machine that I’ve used apart from one perhaps, so I also really admire people who sew and make their own clothes. However, I will give myself space to say that I’m much better with piping bags and cookie cutters than I am with a needles and thread, so a more enduring hobby of mine has been cake baking and more recently chocolate making. This Ramadan however I’ve discovered another little creative outlet that I think I’m going to pursue— card making. I never realised that fiddling with bits of ribbon and craft paper could be so satisfying. Trying to replace the time I would usually spend eating with other activities I think, has made me more productive!

I even took some pictures:

Those of you who know me will probably be getting one through your doors in a couple of days. Eid Mubarak! :)

To wrap up this post, what are your creative outlets? Feel free to leave a comment. Or not.

Radio Ramadan High Wycombe

A quick post-
even if you're not living in the area, check out the blog Radio Ramadan High Wycombe for some great info and articles:
http://www.radioramadanhw.blogspot.com/
Thanks!

'Beautiful' Boonaa Mohammed

Take 6mins and 22seconds out of your time to watch this, it's worth it.

This time again

Nearly all the blogs I've subscribed to have posted something about Ramadan. It's all part of the unique Ramadan atmosphere. You know the atmosphere I'm talking about. Not just the spiritual changes we undergo with the change of month, but the atmosphere that comes with the change of routine, i.e. when people are willingly waking hours before dawn to pray and begin their fasts, when TV channels are blasting Live Taraweh Prayers instead of EastEnders, when visits to the musjid become more frequent and when there's a general feeling of calm in your household because everyone's trying their best to be nice to one another.

Yup, it's a wonderful atmosphere. Even with its yearly moon-sighting dramas and Taraweh 'burping episodes' that Baba Ali sums up perfectly:



Anyway, I apologise if there are any non Muslims reading this who don't know much about Ramadan and therefore don't know what I'm talking about. The Cover Fell Off gives a brief explanation on her blog. Just to add to that, 'Taraweh' is the name of a special prayer performed during the nights of Ramadan.

Before I end this post, I'd like to draw your attention to an advert that I found hilarious before I got the point of it:



Needless to say this is a necessary reminder for us all. We're blessed with an entire range of different foods to break our fasts with, but some people only have water and dates, if they're lucky.

Feed the Fasting-Islamic Relief