Family Encourager

Seven weeks ago we woke up to school being on a break for two weeks and then two weeks of online schooling. Now we are on our fifth week of online schooling and our fifth week of being in lock down. No social interaction except with the people that live in our home! Who knew back in February that this would be our new normal! People working from home. Restaurants, malls, movie theaters, opera houses, metro, any sign of a normal life, CLOSED! Here is what I have learned in this self isolation: 1. I loved my life! The crazy rush, the social connections, even the daily grind, I loved it all! 2. I need a lot less then I think I need! My life is confined to my home and garden. Yet, I have managed to remain productive. 3. I need social interaction! As great as social media and video calls are, nothing beats being with friends face to face! I want to meet my friends in a cafe and chat. 4. Confined or otherwise I remain true to myself! I have not suddenly become something I am not!...

What is happening to the world? Is this World War III with no weapons needed? Being waged on the streets of every city and town, and not on a battle field?  Is this the end of the world? Have we woken up to a brand new reality? What is this? We have all heard about the super virus prophecies. It was spoken about in hushed tones, that one day humanity will face an adversary swift, unseen, and deadly. One little super virus has brought nations to their knees. Brought humanity to a halt. The economies have been destroyed in what seems to be overnight. Panic has hit many communities. People hoarding, self isolating, suspicious of their neighbors. Whole industries locked down for the foreseeable future, possibly forever. Lives interrupted, put on hold. Many unknowns. Too many questions and certainly not enough answers. Last December we all heard little background chatter about a virus that started in China that sounded a little more dangerous then the flu. In a few weeks,...

This will be a short blog just to open the conversation. It's a topic that I have thought about and debated often. Are there chance meetings in this world? Are you meant to meet the people you need to have in your life? Why that person and not another? Is every chance meeting meant to teach you something? Give you something? Bring something to your life? I am not talking about love or friendship only, I am talking about lessons learned, moments shared, about questions answered, all and every chance meeting we have. To take it further, I always think about children born into impoverished nations, why was that child born on that piece of land starting life at a disadvantage? All of your life can be dictated from that moment of chance, born there or a few miles away in a thriving society, couldn't it? Accidents why that moment and that person? Does chance exist? Or do we believe in it so much that we make it exist? Do we look for things to make them the chance that c...

I remember when we had the anticipation of the year 2000, everyone thought the world would stop. Computers would fail and our whole world as we know it would collapse. We waited anxiously for the clock to strike midnight with abated breath, and nothing happened. That was the year I had gotten married and a new life journey had begun. Fast forward 20 years later, 20!!! We at least know that as the clock strikes midnight later today the world will not fall into tech chaos and we will not wake up to an earth that has changed forever. As for me, I have been reflecting on the past 10 years and what has changed or remained the same in my own life. How has my outlook on life in general changed, what priorities shifted, and how I would like to handle my world moving forward into the 5th decade of my own existence or is it 6th? What do you call the years from 2010 to 2019? Cannot find a credible name that held. If you know any, please share with me!  Anyway, this decade br...

I have volunteered in my children's life as far as I can remember. I have been the mom that bakes for the bake sale or party, the mom that reads to the kids and with the kids, the mom that organizes Christmas and Easter celebrations, the mom that brings new ideas to the school and makes them happen, the mom that helps the teacher when needed, the mom that wants to be involved in her kids lives and be around their school. Volunteering as the word denotes, is something you do for free and because you really really want to. It is something you are willing to give to the community for the love of the act. We all have our reasons for wanting to give our time and effort. We want to be part of a community, we want to give back, we want to make a difference. I do it because it allows me a glimpse of what my children do at school and it gives me the satisfaction of doing that within my comfort zone. I love watching the kids interaction and seeing how they blossom thr...

My small tiny home country seems to be in a state of revolution. For a few days now millions of people in all neighborhoods have been demonstrating, asking for change. Change in government, change in process, change in economy, change in view, change in grass roots ideology. In a united front it looks like more than one third of the population has stood up and said enough!  Has it been a long time coming? Yes! Has it been something on everyone's mind? Yes! Has the governing body just done too little, not enough, too much? Yes! What did it take to start a friendly peaceful uprising for regular people wanting better for themselves and their families? Probably just like in every revolution one tiny event that was the last straw. The populace stood up and wanted to be heard, seen, felt. As I am neither a political analyst nor an informed citizen on the history of governing in my country, (ssshhh do not tell anyone, my excuse is I have not lived there permanently in ...

I guess it's time I use my heritage for a blog.  In the Arabic language we have beautiful words with deep meanings. It is a rich language full of poetry with multiple explanations. The Arabic language, if you are well versed in it, can take you on a sublime journey. Sadly, you will get none of that here. I am neither a linguist nor have I learned enough Arabic  to be able to appreciate all it has to offer. Maktoob, means a letter we send to someone or as I intend it in this blog, it means it is written. Written for us, as our destiny. The last few months have brought me sad news of parents lost and family members passing on with unexpected speed. Having lost my mother a few years ago, I can feel deeply with my dear friends who have had to grapple with the devastation. Trying to make sense of a loved one being perfectly healthy and in what feels like a blink of an eye to have to say good bye. Questioning the essence of life. The why has this happened? Did we miss the...