Where is your home?

Dear reader,

I’m the type of person that loves too much, that gets so consumed with emotion that it overtakes every corner of my heart, every part of my soul and suddenly I find myself entangled in the hurt of others, in their smiles and in their minds. 

I’m the type of person that gives away pieces of their heart to feel for others. 

On a very personal level, I see myself in the notes of music, effortlessly telling a story, free of judgement, flowing gracefully.

I see myself in the spaces between words, where the reader takes a breath as the meaning behind them consumes him. 

I see myself in the watery eyes of the spoken word poet as he tells his story of brokenness and I see myself in the brush strokes of an artist so masterfully combining his colours. 

It is never easy for me to finish a book, never easy to read a letter, or watch a movie. I get too attached to the storyline, too affected. 

Art, in all its forms, speaks to the essence of my soul.

The concept of home is very fascinating, it’s an escape from estrangement, a safe haven, away from chaos, it is the constant in a changing world.

While home is traditionally connected to a house, I believe that home is merely a feeling, a feeling of warmth, of acceptance and of inner peace. 

That being said, home is manifested in the things we love, whether that’s people, places or things.

I find my home in art.

I find my home in family.

I find my home in love.

Where is your home?

Modern Day Rebel

I am missing depth, drowning in the meaninglessness and superficiality of our modern society. Friendships are no longer quite as they used to be. We follow the lives of others through pictures; relationships are no longer intimate, no longer personal. We’re linked by ever weakening connections, slowly fading into nothingness. 

I am missing sincerity in the expressions we’ve so masterfully constructed to fit social expectations. All conversations seem the same. A repetition of shallow words we don’t care to understand and never cared to listen to. 

Wasted time on empty words, formalities, fake smiles occasionally exposed by unfiltered looks of honest eyes.

Those are our conversations. 

Instead of using our words to shape the world of tomorrow, we use them to fill the gaps of today and expect a generation more profound than ours. 

I am missing passion, joy and realness. I am missing struggle, pain and honest hurt. I am missing happiness, laughter and shining eyes.

I no longer care for language of conformity. 

It turns us into slaves of society.

Social echo is monotonous, it’s uniform, it gives no space for genuine expression and it’s toxic.

Dear reader,

For your heart is your crowning glory and your mind your weapon, don’t allow yourself to be a product. You are more than that.

Be a pioneer, be true to yourself. Let your words mirror your truth.

Rebel. Be different, be bold and be daring. 

Speak the words everyone is too scared to utter, speak your truth. 

Conformity is surrender. It is ceasing to resist insincerity. It is ceasing to defend what makes us human. Conformity is defeat.

In a world full of copies, dare to be original.

Joyfully yours,

Hanaa

Recap

Dear reader,

It’s been 2 years since I last published anything. 2 years of learning, of growing and discovering.
I think it’s safe to say, I’m not who I used to be.

Reading what i wrote, it no longer mirrors me the way it used to, no longer tells my story and draws my thoughts. And that made me wonder if we’re ever really who we perceive ourselves to be and if we can, consequently, map out who we want to be, sculpt ourselves, shape our futures.

Looking back at what I wrote, I never thought I’d be where I am today. I find myself reading words full of doubt, of uncertainty. Words that weigh between two options not knowing which to choose, words that shake with fear of oblivion, words that want to escape the inevitable.

I’ve grown to be more accepting, of the past, of the present and of the future.
I’ve learned to let go of resentment, fear and anger and accept whatever it is coming my way. It’s never easy to see the big picture. We’re so convinced that looking closely and getting nearer will lead us onto the right path when that couldn’t be further of the truth. Sometimes it’s having trust, being brave and being distant that makes you see things clearer.

I’ve grown to understand the difference between sight and vision. Looking at the facts, it sometimes seems as though nothing could go wrong. Vanity consumes us, we feel in control. I’ve learned that facts can mislead, that sight and calculation are never accurate. I’ve learned that we need to see beyond the figures. We need to see with our hearts, we need to see the light.

I’ve grown to be more lenient, to be more flexible, like water, morphing into whatever the circumstances require, never losing my composition, never changing my texture, always remaining true to who I am.
Water is a great source of inspiration, calm and still but rough and rigid. Flexible and yet destructive. Water shows that being kind, being easy and being adaptable in no way means you are weak. It adds to your strength, it pushes you further.

It’s been 2 years since I last published anything. 2 years of  learning, growing and discovering.
 It’s been 2 years since I last published anything, and it’s time to start again.


Joyfully yours,
Hanaa

All former fat kids out there

The struggles of a former fat kid

I can confidently say that I am at a point in my life where I am truly happy with who I am.

This however, was not always the case. I know that a lot of people struggled with having been 'the fat kid' and could definitely relate to so much of what I'm going to say. Needless to say, the most important thing is being happy with yourself. Social pressures can cause us to develop very disrupted images of ourselves at an early age which lead to the following:

To start off, The comments:

Oh my God, the comments! When you tell me that 'I was so fat' it's not a compliment. It's basically like saying 'I've been lying to your face' and it gets to you the same way it did when you were younger, just because you still have that little fat kid inside of you. 

It's not really former

You sometimes don't feel confident enough to call yourself a former fat kid. It's all just really fresh in your mind and it doesn't seem to go away

Do I really need to mention the diets?

The social pressure of being 'thin' is ginormous. Notice how I said thin and not healthy, see healthy weight loss is very rare. The thing is that kids shouldn't really worry about society. They should just maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. However whenever you go to a nutritionist or in other words 'دكتور دايت' (who is clearly not certified) you are given the most unrealistic plans that make you end up hating your life. I know I've had my fair share of yo-yo dieting. 

Which leads us to the next point.

You know a lot about nutrition and weight loss

You've probably had a lot of trial and error which means you kind of understand the way your body works. I personally used to read a lot about adequate caloric intake, benefits of foods, chemical structure of macronutrients etc. at the age of 10.

You've had your share of bad coaches

When you're young you have authority figures that can really mess up how you perceive yourself. These people can hinder all of the progress that you can make. From working extra hard to just being plain over it, I know you too have had your share of bad coaches

You can relate to every fat little kid

Oftentimes people make fun of fat children or at least comment on their weight. You just feel an obligation to defend that kid, even if it wasn't really a big deal.

That was it for this week.

I hope you have a great week

Joyfully yours,
Hanaa

1 year blog anniversary

Today, 23 October 2015 marks my 1 year anniversary for starting to write this blog. This year has been a journey of ups and downs but ultimately one of growth. I've learned a lot.
I can proudly say that I've grown my community to 935 regular readers.

In honor of this occasion I thought I'd tell you why it is that I write.

Right when I thought of this idea, I picked up my pencil and paper, something I do on a regular basis and found myself at a loss for words. Why do I write? I write for so many reasons!

I write because I'm in love with the world in my head, all the ideas, hopes and dreams that I have. I share it with everyone in hopes that someone will read it and feel better about themselves or feel empowered or motivated. I write to explore the universe in my head. It gives me a rare opportunity to get closer to my fears and figure myself out. Writing has made me realize that I'm both the person I'm terrified of and obsessed with. It's crazy how strong and yet how vulnerable writing can make me feel. It makes me kinder, more graceful and more empathetic. And here's the thing about empathy, in order to relate and connect with the core of another person, you have to first connect with your own, writing helps me get to my core.

I write because I believe in my passion. I have a strong urge within me to grow and articulate. I write because ignoring that passion is slow suicide. Words make my heart skip a beat. They possess a certain power that nothing else does and I want to use that power to motivate and inspire. I write because I want to bring out the best in people just like my passion brings out the best in me. 

I write because I believe in the beauty of words that enlightens my soul. I've always wanted words, they light an inextinguishable fire in my mind. Words have the power to soften the hardest of hearts and strengthen the weakest of them. They can move mountains and break walls, I write because I believe in that power, I feel that power.

I write because I live and breathe words.

Thank you for your love and support, I hope you have a lovely week!

Joyfully yours,

Hanaa

Struggles of being a girl in the Egyptian streets

Hello there my lovely readers! I hope you're having a great day!
Now, being a girl in Egypt is not particularly easy to say the least.Even the smallest of activities like walking on the street can get pretty intense.

1- The adrenaline

I don't care how often you walk in the streets, whenever you are confronted by any person particularly a man you feel a little threatened and suddenly everything you do has the same purpose: getting away of this stranger.

This is not because they're bad, most of the time it's just an innocent person walking in the streets but the stories that circulate are enough to intimidate you.

2- The looks

The looks you are given by the random guys walking about the streets are painful. Regardless of what you're wearing, you cannot avoid them. You feel violated and helpless almost. " Look straight ahead" you say to yourself. "don't give them the satisfaction of acknowledgement"

3-The insecurities

While you're on your way your eyes are focused on all of your surroundings. To take everything in and make calculated moves. It's not easy.

4- The Countdown

You find yourself constantly thinking about your route and how much is left for you to arrive, whether that's a short walk to your car or a long one to your house. You're always calculating how much you have to go until you arrive.

5- The watch

You are always aware of how your clothes are moving and where you place your valuable items (e.g. Watch; phone etc.) You are aware of who is behind you at all times. 

That was it this post. And it gets kind of sad, walking in your own country surrounded by people who speak your language but you're scared. 

If you have any requests for future posts i'd love to hear them.

Other than that please like my facebook page if you haven't already:

www.facebook.com/Hanaameanshappiness

And follow my second account on Instagram : @hanaameanshappiness

And read last week's blog if you haven't already

http://hanaameanshappiness.blogspot.com.eg

All feedback is much appreciated

I hope you have a great week

Joyfully yours,
Hanaa

6 things Egyptians know too well about Eid

 It's beautiful outside, the sun is shining and the streets are empty (not only because it's a friday). Yes, it's Eid. If you're not familiar with the concept of Eid Al Adha it's a muslim feast where we slaughter sheep to give meat to the poor who can't afford it. This festival commemorates Ibrahim's (Abraham) willingness to sacrifice his son to God. This festival also marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca

BUT here in egypt there are usually a few 'typical egyptian' behaviours that accompany Eid.

So without further ado, here's a list of things that egyptians will know too well about Eid

 

1- Lebs El Eid

  
I don't care how old you are,  the new clothes you wear on Eid morning light your day. It's a different feeling.
And somehow you end up feeling like this

2- El 3edeya

I think this is a national favorite. No one is ever too old for a 3edeya. The second day of Eid everyone seems to avoid public hotspots like Carrefour/ San Stefano and all cinemas just because they're always crowded with kids and their freshly handed out 3edeya.



3- The Sa7el Craze
 Ever since eid has come during summer people seem to head out to sa7elor some type of beach, and honestly you can't blame anyone, our beaches are absolutely gorgeous. You wouldn't miss the opportunity to go to any one of them

4- The family gatherings

We're a warm society that gathers during times of happiness and joy. Sometime around Eid the entire family gathers for a nice meal and some catching up. This is one of the best times of eid and the one that egyptians abroad miss the most. The spirit and laughter is over the roof.
P.S. this is where most 3edeya handouts happen ;)

5-  The best smilles

Eid is literally one of the few occasions where you walk around seeing happy and satisfied faces occupying a once frowning city. People feel fulfilled and joyous and the positive vibes are radiating everywhere.

6- Eid prayer

Eid prayer is powerful. When you see this many people gathered to do the same thing, with the same goal and the same intention, it's powerful. The harmony and union of people with different social backgrounds and ideologies is beautiful. It really is. And I believe that prayer with others is one of the most beautiful things you can see because each person has a different way of thinking yet all come together on their love for God.
This leaves me speechless every time


That was it for this blog, for all those who celebrate eid, i wish you a blessed one and may it bring God's mercy into your house

That was it for this blog.

P.S. Expect a few more than usual the next while

 Tell me what Eid is for you

If you have any requests for future posts i'd love to hear them.

Other than that please like my facebook page if you haven't already:

www.facebook.com/Hanaameanshappiness

And read last week's blog if you haven't already

http://hanaameanshappiness.blogspot.com.eg/2015/09/the-end-of-summer-bucketlist.html

I hope you have a blessed week