I came to Calgary this weekend so I can get away from the events of my life. I wasnt running away from them but just needed a break, a new perspective, so I can come back with re-newed hope and energy. Sometimes all we need is a break from our own reality to realize how small and insignificant our problems are compared to others who have it tougher, or millions in Africa or Iraq or other war plagued countries. Or simply a break to raise our energy back again.

I chilled with my cousins, watched so many moives, learned a few things about life - about never giving up, living up to your own dreams, never lose hope because hope leads to only good things, and..... ate my cousins tasty greek salad!!!! In the one movie, Bend it like Beckham, the character fought for what was her dream. So many of us live for what others will think of us or want us to do, like do it for our parents or someone else, but its not what we really want to do. It was inspiring watching the character fight for what mattered to her because at the end of the day, the smiles will disappear if we're doing it for the wrong reasons. And in Shawshank Redemption, the man was wrongly accused for murder and spent I think it was 20 years in prison and didnt lose hope for one moment. We've been told to be patient and perservere but how many of us really do patiently perservere?!?!...the man in the moive did and in the end, he got back everything he put in....

This weekend has been good and its helped me out a lot, alhumdulillah I came. I see there is no point in being depressed and sad. No point in throwing away my energy. We are here for Allahs swt sake, no one elses. I dont want to live up to anyone else's expectations of me except my own and those that Allah swt has prescribed for us all. And I never want to lose hope...as much as it hurts to be kicked down and I want to let go...there is a great benefit if we keep going with the hope of seeing the light or prize at the end. And I also see that it takes a nobler man/woman to continue to treat one who's hurt us so badly with kindness and respect...I mean, they are still one of Allahs swt creation, so who am I to be harsh back then.

I'm a bit random today....maybe it was the tasty greek salad, who knows. Salaams.