Malak, what I love about your writing is that your heart always shines through. Life does fly by… keep being you. I hope you keep writing like you said you wanted to and keep succeeding. However, please know that you are already a huge success. Thank you for sharing this poem and being a part of our family. <3 Lauren
Lauren, I humble me with your comments. I love the fact that you understand my perspectives and that my writing appeals to you. Everything I write comes from within as well as a from my perception of our society.
I feel as though gh sometimes our goals can bring us down they can also bring us up at times. You said that you wanted to write more. I feel like that will help more with your goals just like how you are writing about your goals now. Your writing can always be an ongoing reminder of what you have on track of what you need to do.
I totally agree with you, which is why your advice will be taken to heart. There are times though when you feel too empty to write. This creates a heaviness that can block me from expressing my feelings.
Mother, daughter, sister, wife, friend,
All are one and the same in muslim women.
We hear what we need,
We mishear what we deem reprehensible!
We learn early the need for compromise, understanding,
And flexibility which are requirements of survival
In a world where the ‘I’ is more important than fighting
For togetherness, unity, and equality. Rather,
It’s replaced by the needs of the individual!
They surpass and prevail over the duties of the whole,
Whether that be the couple, nuclear and extended
Family which help fortify and solidify the need,
More, the essential requirements of values, ethics, and religiously
Equitable interactions that eliminate racism and all that’s dicrimatory.
We have to seem ‘perfect’ in both appearance and morality.
We have to be learned, open minded, not fearfully
Aware that we can be imperfect, human, and loving.
Not being the epitome of everything only highlights your humanity.
This is such a great letter, Malak. I can relate to your message because I am a follower of Yahweh and don’t put myself into any denomination. But I believe that we all should be able to care for one another and not just focus on ourselves. We should live a life where we would want to be treated and not treat others poorly. But even when people…read more
Exactly. We women need to support one another in order to leave our mark within others, whether in our children, society, or even only in writing. It’s still a wonder to me how some of us continue to believe that what we do as women lacks importance and relevance.
Togetherness is what propels family forward in all aspects of life. I feel that we forget that in order to truly succeed we need inspiration and most of the time that inspiration is founded and embedded in our family. Thank you so much for sharing.
As I look back into my past actions, I realize that there were things that I should have changed. It’s interesting how so many authors, politicians, philosophers have written about ‘the past’ in relation to our present selves, but we continue to belabor the point. McCarthy states in All the Pretty Horses, that “Scars have the strange power to remind us that our past is real.” Without this reminder, we won’t learn the lessons that the past has taught us, but rather repeat them mindlessly as if we don’t know any better. As I recall my worst mistake, I realize today, that it could have been circumvented by simply communicating clearly. However, if you’re like me, and the problem is within the family, you omit speaking in order to be respectful and not hurt the feelings of those you love.
I’ve also learned, that when you speak your mind and express yourself concisely, you get the result you need: understanding. Without talking, how can others know how you’re feeling, or even how you’re affected by a particular event? Added to that, by discussing the problem, calmly, you get to see the different perspectives that each individual is coming from, rather than assuming you already know. I’ve learned that assuming someone’s motives for an action may be wrong, and that is what leads to greater misunderstandings and conflict.
I think that Katherine Anne Porter says it best, as she expresses it best in saying: “The past is never where you think you left it.” By that she means that with the information, maturity you had at the time, you can grasp a part of the events that occurred. However, in retrospect, having changed, become wiser through various experiences, makes your perspective of the event change with time. Here I don’t mean the actions that took place, but rather the reactions and assumptions that you had made.
I’ll sum up with my poetic version of this:
Communication is a tool
You use to oppress the pool
Of depression, that spawns from regret
Over actions taken in past event.
Couch your speech,
Make it into a delicate flower to preach
Behaviors that promote, compassion,
Understanding, love, and devotion.
Communication is very very important in all aspects. Especially when it comes to self respect. To communicate your feelings is the first step to having a respectful relationship with yourself. Thank you for sharing
The combat to stear away from ingrained
Stereotypes built on empowering one group over
Others has been historically documented
Over and over again, without respite from war,
Revolution, rebellion, and power of religion.
Gaslighting’s cruelty needs to end,
People need to accept that they lend
One another strength, humanity, and empathy
That encompasses all within its circly,
Eviscerating all negativity of cruelty.
Just as gaslight’s days have disappeared,
So should we annex racism, superiority,
Cruelty, and hate from our vocabulary
To surpass our own need of demeaning Others to feel lightly about our savagery.
Eventually, the subjugated becomes the tyrant
In a bid to brush off the feel of enslavement.
The mortal heart can only take such demeaning
Speech for so long, then pride and the need
To assert one’s existence and value
Will, inevitably, lead to violence that bleed
Inflammatory speech, writing, cartoons,
Or any type of social media that accepts
Such verbal vulgarity.
This is so deep and so real. All in the world should be rooted in love. There is no need for hate, stereotypes, hierarchy, or violence. The foundation of life and society should always be love. Thank you for sharing @malakkc!
Malak, Embrace the vulnerability of your paper heart, for its unique shape holds both joy and pain. Let love guide you and choose wisely, for decisions can bind. Embrace the beauty of love and let it blind you to the cuts.
awww there is a quote I love from Maya Angelous “Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time”-Maya Angelou- Sending love your way. <3Lauren
Share your inner thoughts, ideas, ideals,
That power your imagination and hails
Down upon you, admiration, envy that entails
You have to choose who needs some derails.
Today, we hide behind our likes,
Our social media personae that drives
Our self-esteem into the grounds
If it’s not up to par with our peers’.
Why do we hide?
Is intimacy such a bad ride,
That you need masks to keep all inside?
Or do you soar in flight
Fall, shatter, break, and give only a bite
Out of the ball, then turn it into a free
Wow!!! This is so real and so beautiful. Social media is supposed to keep us connected to others, but I feel like it often makes us lose or dislike ourselves. This poem is so real and so beautiful. Thank you for sharing. <3
Dear Malak,
You are so right. People today hide behind their social media. That is not a Healthy thing to do. I wish people could be more honest about their feelings and their life. I am glad you have pointed this out. Thank you!
This is so true. I love your Poem Malak. I myself used to be an influencer and when I Started to see that some of my posts would get likes and others wouldn’t get as much likes I would stress out about it. It made me so stressed to the point where I had anxiety because I’ve always wanted to be at the top when it came to doing some thing I lik…read more
Kayjah, it’s wonderful to see that there’s an audience who understands my work and the ideas behind them. When anything in work becomes that stressful, one definitely needs to step back and decide how badly they want to be noticed.
I love your poem! It’s crucial to remember that we don’t need to hide behind our personas. Even thought social media was created to keep us connected, it’s more like a disconnect from the world and others around us
“To Time
Hello time,
Haven’t heard from you for a long time.
How are you spending your time,
Without me coming along for a run of time?
I miss your light, bright laugh as you fly by
Your transience makes you all the more precious.
Don’t abandon my side and leave me lonely.
Alone to face your swiftly moving wondrous
Glory that eases with your passing.”
(Chehab, M. K., PerfectlyFlawed, 2021)
I wished to thank you for your time, the one that helped me overcome pain and disillusionment, that almost brought me down, at one time or another. Yes time, your earthly flow is a balm on my soul, which you soothed with your constant presence and support. Your availability at all hours of the day brought me comfort, when I was confused and drawn. Your help in marking time with me, gave me permission to speak my mind and get all the hurt off my chest. ‘A clean slate’ for a time, is a wondrous gift of rejuvenation imbued in optimism.
Whenever I think of you, time, I know that each of your hands is holding me up to the tests of time. In my five decades, I have emigrated four times to three Continents, experienced loss, betrayal, disillusionment, fear, horror, injustice, motherhood, ‘wifehood’, childhood upheaval, travel, adventure, laughter, faith, optimism, and love. With your help, time, I have had many ups and downs, but what leaves the greatest impression is laughter. To laugh is to live, and, to live is to savor life. With laughter comes the humor of a situation that you can only perceive when thinking positively. They’ve even come up with laughing yoga, laughter university (California- of course, where else?!!), and laughing Kung Fu. If that doesn’t prove my point, I don’t know what will! So, laughter is uplifting, optimistic, and tickles your funny bone in order to redirect your frown to a smile! It’s also important to note that, life’s constant changes and your ability to adapt to new realities is but a drop in the well of your knowledge and patience, especially when you have a sense of humor that helps alleviate the stress, anxiety of any major changes.
Relish each stage in your life as each is as transient as time itself, one moment it’s there, another gone into the caverns of memories so deep you need to excavate them in order to remember a specific moment in time. I’ve learned that time is precious, and that you need to make the most of this treasure you’ve been given. As time flows into an ocean of evocation: a smell, a ray of light, a flower, a cry, a laugh, a touch, a kiss, or all together, will invoke a feeling of well-being that’s unparalleled in your heart. Savor it, and don’t dwell on the negativity that time, and time again, may erode facts turning them into feelings and interpretations that become dubious in their veracity.
I hope we meet more often time, as I enjoy unburdening my lot to your compassionate ear.
Malakkc this was such a heavy and educational piece. Thank you so much for sharing!! I like how you described time in different phases/sequences which allowed for the space to breathe and appreciate time as we know it!
Wishing you well 🙂
Hi,
This was my first piece on the unsealed, and I’m still flabbergasted that it still gets likes. If you enjoy what you’ve read, please follow me on my blog: http://www.malakkcwriting.com.
Thanks for the beautiful comment, they help inspire more writing!
“To Time
Hello time,
Haven’t heard from you for a long time.
How are you spending your time,
Without me coming along for a run of time?
I miss your light, bright laugh as you fly by
Your transience makes you all the more precious.
Don’t abandon my side and leave me lonely.
Alone to face your swiftly moving wondrous
Glory that eases with your passing.”
(Chehab, M. K., PerfectlyFlawed, 2021)
I wished to thank you for your time, the one that helped me overcome pain and disillusionment, that almost brought me down, at one time or another. Yes time, your earthly flow is a balm on my soul, which you soothed with your constant presence and support. Your availability at all hours of the day brought me comfort, when I was confused and drawn. Your help in marking time with me, gave me permission to speak my mind and get all the hurt off my chest. ‘A clean slate’ for a time, is a wondrous gift of rejuvenation imbued in optimism.
Whenever I think of you, time, I know that each of your hands is holding me up to the tests of time. In my five decades, I have emigrated four times to three Continents, experienced loss, betrayal, disillusionment, fear, horror, injustice, motherhood, ‘wifehood’, childhood upheaval, travel, adventure, laughter, faith, optimism, and love. With your help, time, I have had many ups and downs, but what leaves the greatest impression is laughter. To laugh is to live, and, to live is to savor life. With laughter comes the humor of a situation that you can only perceive when thinking positively. They’ve even come up with laughing yoga, laughter university (California- of course, where else?!!), and laughing Kung Fu. If that doesn’t prove my point, I don’t know what will! So, laughter is uplifting, optimistic, and tickles your funny bone in order to redirect your frown to a smile! It’s also important to note that, life’s constant changes and your ability to adapt to new realities is but a drop in the well of your knowledge and patience, especially when you have a sense of humor that helps alleviate the stress, anxiety of any major changes.
Relish each stage in your life as each is as transient as time itself, one moment it’s there, another gone into the caverns of memories so deep you need to excavate them in order to remember a specific moment in time. I’ve learned that time is precious, and that you need to make the most of this treasure you’ve been given. As time flows into an ocean of evocation: a smell, a ray of light, a flower, a cry, a laugh, a touch, a kiss, or all together, will invoke a feeling of well-being that’s unparalleled in your heart. Savor it, and don’t dwell on the negativity that time, and time again, may erode facts turning them into feelings and interpretations that become dubious in their veracity.
I hope we meet more often time, as I enjoy unburdening my lot to your compassionate ear.
Yours truly,
I love how you spoke of time as if you had a relationship with it. I believe we all had a relationship with time because time is basically recorded as every second, minute, hour, day, and weeks. You have shown true meaning to what time is all about. It’s the relationship we have with it time can bring up sadness, and happiness but without time how…read more