Bismillahir rahmanir rahim.
An important reminder. Aaminah’s “40 day challenge” is something I think I want to try for myself – the spirit of which I’ve been trying to incorporate in my life ever since 2010 started, but I haven’t been doing a very good job of it.
Things I want in my life: healthier eating, better time management (meaning, finishing my assignments and getting work done without feeling so rushed/pressed), more writing (blogging and otherwise), and at least some time for art, even if it’s just coloring. I want to surround myself with positivity and creativity – read more things that inspire me and actually matter to me.
I’m in the middle of reading Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson, the incredible follow-up to Three Cups of Tea. If you haven’t read it yet, I definitely recommend it. (Maybe one of these days, I’ll write a review.) There’s a point in the book where Greg’s daughter, Amira, calls her dad on the fact that CAI schools (the schools his organization is building in rural Pakistan and Afghanistan) don’t really have playgrounds or toys. Some have soccer fields, but in the urgency over the earthquake in Kashmir and getting water to the schools and working out the logistics of building them, the need to ensure playtime has fallen by the wayside. So they change their policies and start building playgrounds in every school, providing jump ropes for the kids, etc., and it makes a huge difference in these communities which are so devastated from the fallout of the earthquake. It makes such an impression that when some village elders who are supporters of the Taliban come to tour one of the schools while making the decision whether or not to allow CAI to expand into their villages, they stop outside and play on the playground and without even seeing the rest of the school, they ask CAI to build them a school.
Another thing that I love about this book (which I also loved about Three Cups of Tea) is the reminder of how important it is to really get to know people, and take your time with things. That’s the meaning of “three cups of tea.” In American culture, it’s par for the course to get down to business and try to get everything done quickly. Part of CAI’s philosophy, which was developed based on Greg’s own experience trying to get to know the communities he works in, is that everything has to be done in the spirit of hospitality – stopping, talking to people, taking time to share a cup of tea. That spirit of slowing down is something I’ve been trying to live for quite some time now.
I have so many things that I feel really passionate about right now, particularly in terms of women’s rights – I’ve been reading some really great articles and books and such. And getting really fired up and passionate, which is good. But I am having a hard time translating that into good blog posts or articles the way I used to. Actually, I’m having a hard time writing at all these days.
Random note: MMW has a great article on lukewarm opposition to the ban on niqab.
