May It Be a Happy Birthday

Just another year has passed, and seems like I've grown another year. I've seen another 365 days, and made many other memories. The feeling of entering the third decade of my life is strange and at the same time, worthy of deliberation. Every year when my birthday comes I wonder how I've lived and what of done in this other year of my life! This time, I think, is the first time that I am to some extent satisfied with myself. Don't know what I should say, the only feeling is that I am not the same Maryam anymore. Many things have changed in me during the last year. And I just don't know why but I feel like I'm near to the end of the story…. Wish me a happy ending.
I got nothing more to say just some sentences to thank God. First of all I thank God for the chance of loving Him and having Him. Then I thank God for the chance of living another year, I thank Him for the chance of having good friends. I thank God for the chance of having such a good mother; I thank Him for the chance of my pilgrimage. And finally I thank Him for everything that I might omit in writing!!!

Did You Know?

A statue in a park with a soldier on a horse with its 2 feet in the air means the soldier died in combat. If the horse has only 1 foot in the air, the soldier died of injuries from combat. If the horse has all 4 feet on the ground, the soldier died of natural causes.

When the English settlers landed in Australia, they noticed a strange animal that jumped extremely high and far. They asked the aboriginal people using body language and signs trying to ask them about this animal. They responded with ’’Kan Ghu Ru’’ the English then adopted the word kangaroo. What the aboriginal people were really trying to say was ‘’we don’t understand you’’, ‘’ Kan Ghu Ru’’.

Each King on playing cards represent a King in real history:

Diamonds: Julius Cesar

Spades: King David

Clubs: Alexander the Great

Hearts: Charlemagne

During historic civil wars, when troops returned without any casualties, writing was put up so all can see, which read "0 Killed". From here we get the expression "O.K." which means all is good.

The muscles in your heart have the strength to shoot your blood 10 meters in the air?

Multiplying 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.

The body’s strongest muscle is our tongue.

Statistically, people are more afraid of spiders than they are of dying.

All polar bears are left handed.

Crocodiles cannot stick out their tongue.

Butterflies taste with their feet.

A cockroach can live 9 days without it’s head. It only dies because it cannot eat.

A duck’s quack has no echo, and nobody knows why.

It is impossible to sneeze with your eye’s open.

Starfish have no brains.

Thomas Edison was afraid of the dark.

The word "cemetery" comes from the Greek koimetirion which means dormitory.

It is impossible to suck your elbow.

Mosquitoes have teeth.

80% of the people who read this will try to suck their elbow.

An Architecture Called God

Some impatient workers were making a wall. They put one brick on another inelegantly and unintentionally.
They hummed a poem that smelled of indisposition and it seemed as if the sky was cheerless, the earth was tired, and the sparrows were insensible and faint. Suddenly one of the workers saw the architect who was secretly looking at them. He informed other workers with some hints; when they all knew that the eyes of the architect were looking at them, they warmed up and rejoiced.
Their songs became warm and strong. It seemed as if the sparrows were happy, the sky was no longer cheerless, and the earth was no longer tired.
The bricks were put on each other fast and the wall was being made quickly. It was a beautiful struggle and an enthusiastic endeavor, because every body knew that an eye saw them and every body wanted to be the best in that eye. The architect looked at them and smiled.
When the sun set the wall had gone up more than any other day and the workers were less tired of ever. The architect came to them and kissed their hands and said: all this attempt and happiness was because you knew there is an eye seeing you.
But I wish we knew and believed that world also has an architect who looks at us without us being conscious, over all the moments and seconds. The life would be so cheerful and happy then, a lovely effort in front of the eyes of an architect called God!!



By: Erfan Nazarahari

Translated by: Maryam

Pilgrim's Progress in Summer

Kaaba

Most of the summer has passed and the university, the classes, and all the apprehension are going to start again. I never liked summers and vacations and always wished them to pass as soon as possible. But this time I was so tired that I really needed such a time to rest. And now for the first time in my life I am sad that the university is beginning soon…
This summer was the best summer I've ever had; I had the best time ever. At the beginning, some days after finishing my exams, I and one of my close friends, Leili, had the best trip of our whole life together. In the middle of the last semester there was a draw for students who wanted to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, and eventually Leili and I were selected. The feeling was inexpressible. We couldn't believe that!! Anyways, we prepared ourselves little by little and the great time came.

From left to right: Leili and me

We went to the airport with our family members, in the early morning, and said goodbye. That was such a dramatic moment, seeing all parents waving hands and many of them trying to hide their tears. Then the feeling in our hearts, when leaving everything behind and going to a place where we knew we wouldn't feel lonely or alienated. We knew we were going to the most familiar and most pleasant place. We spent one week in Medina and one week in Mecca. All through the journey I couldn't believe where I was; I couldn't believe that I had finally gone where I always wished. I couldn't believe I was in a place that whenever I saw it on TV tears came rolling from my eyes.

From left to right: Leili and Fatemeh (our other roommate)

The first look at the green dome of prophet's mosque, the first look at the Kaaba (the house of God), and also the last look at both of them shake you. Those moments become eternal and are engraved in your heart for all time. Time flied as all the times that you are having a good time and you are enjoying life. So the pilgrimage was over and we had to leave the city of love, peace, and everything good. We still couldn't and can't believe that we are pilgrims!!

The green dome of prephet's mosque

After coming back to our own country I still give my right arm to go back to that time, to all those good and memorable days, to all those lovely moments. I am still itching to say my prayers there, in front of the Kaaba, to put my head on its walls and cry. The interesting point was that during those two weeks I did not miss any one, and did not think of coming back to my home. Every thing was completely fine there. It was as if all those whom I loved, where by my side. I did not feel the lack of anything and anybody... No matter how much I talk about it, it will never suffice. So I will end talking about it here.


After coming back to Iran, I had a very full and busy schedule, since everybody came to see me and then I had a trip to the north and I visited some friends and relatives there. Then again I and my friends gathered here in our home and next week we are going to gather in Leili's house. It was fun to see friends after so long. Now we just have one more month to rest and relax, and then we must get down to studying again.

Fake Friends and Real Friends

Yesterday I read something about friends somewhere, and I thought I'd share it with you.

FAKE FRIENDS: Never ask for food.
REAL FRIENDS: Are the reason you have no food.

FAKE FRIENDS: Call your parents Mr/Mrs
REAL FRIENDS: Call your parents DAD/MOM

FAKE FRIENDS: Bail you out of jail and tell you what you did was wrong.
REAL FRIENDS: Would sit next to you saying "Damn ... we messed up ... but that s*** was fun!"

FAKE FRIENDS: Never seen you cry.
REAL FRIENDS: Cry with you.

FAKE FRIENDS: Borrow your stuff for a few days, and then give it back.
REAL FRIENDS: Keep your things so long they forget it's yours.

FAKE FRIENDS: Know a few things about you.
REAL FRIENDS: Could write a book about you with direct quotes from you.

FAKE FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that is what the crowd is doing.
REAL FRIENDS: Will make the whole crowd that left you pay.

FAKE FRIENDS: Would knock on your front door.
REAL FRIENDS: Walk right in and say "I'M HOME!"

FAKE FRIENDS: Are for awhile.
REAL FRIENDS: Are for life.

FAKE FRIENDS: Will take your food away when they think you've had enough.
REAL FRIENDS: Will look at you stumbling all over the place and say "Yeah, eat the rest of that, you know we don't waste any s***."

I Can Never… You Can Never…

Looking into your eyes,
Searching for words,
I know nothing can reveal how I feel!

Standing in front of you,
Trying to talk,
I know nothing can reveal how I feel!

Listening to your voice,
Struggling to concentrate,
I know you can never feel the way I do.

Telling you that I love you,
Seeing you smile,
I know you can never feel the way I do.

Hearing you speak about the ones you love,
Wishing to be one of them,
I know I can never tell you what I want.

Saying goodbye,
Seeing you go home,
I know I can never tell you what I want.

By: Maryam

Hello all...

Hello all,
The last two weeks were such hectic times and it seemed like everything wanted to be a mess. I didn't have time to post anything new to my blog, not even to have a look on it. One of my cousins who is very close to me has had an operation on her knee and I had to stay with her at the hospital and help her. Then I had to stay awake at night and study some of my lessons, until morning. I thank God that it is over and she is at home after all. Ofcourse she isn't completely fine yet!! On the other hand my examinations are coming soon and there is a huge load of studies to do. I feel too tired to start studying, but there is nothing I can do to change the situation. I pray to God to hold me tight and to keep me from faling...

Hijab, the Purity

I think Hijab (the veil) is a sign of God's love to His creatures. It is as when you have a precious and valuable thing and you try to protect it from any hurt or disturb. The veil which is indispensable for the Muslims is such a protection to keep the high value of a woman and avoid her from becoming a means of pleasure for men. Hijab in Islam doesn't only belong to women and to the appearance. It is also about the inner self, the spirit, and keeping it away from any bad thing and any sins. And at the same time it is associated with men.
The kind of veil for men and women is different. As God knows human beings and their weak points better than anyone; He helps them control themselves in those aspects and not to let those weak sides take their control. I think the point that God doesn't want us to lose our values is that He cares for us and He loves us, so whatever He does to keep this worth is out of His unconditional love and kindness. The veil for men must be in their eyes, as they must keep their eyes form the scenes and things that instigate them to evil thoughts and feelings. And the veil for women must be in their clothing, as they must wear kinds of cloths that cover most parts of their body.
Many people think that the veil is a kind of captivity that stops women from improvement. But I think just the superficial people might think this way. Because as can be seen in our country, there are many women who have a complete Hijab and they have achieved many successes. The other reason why I think Hijab isn't a captivity, is that captivity has always sort of an obligation in it, but it's a fact mentioned in the holy Koran that nothing is obligatory in our religion.
It is a fact in Islam that people have authority and power to decide and choose. But I think this power is like the power a patient has to choose her/his medicines. S/he might be able to choose a good one but there are also some possibilities for her/him to make mistakes. But if s/he does what the doctor tells her/him, it will be the best way and the best cure. God is the doctor in our life who shows us the best ways and the best cures, all we have to do is believe in Him and know that He wants nothing but our goodness and well-being.
I think lack of enough awareness about something, in a society like ours, and then the force and obligation of the government to make people obey it, makes everything worse and has a totally different influence on them. So, I believe what the governors and the authorities must do is to help people know about Hijab more, and somehow make them more interested. They must describe various aims of the veil and its advantages. The other thing I think they can do is to create and set up miscellaneous types of cloths and garments that attract people, especially the youngsters.
I think Hijab isn't the most important part of Islam whose lack might mean that you are not a real Muslim. You can't find it anywhere in the holy Koran that the ones who don't have a good Hijab are not Muslims, whereas it is said that a liar is God's enemy. So there might be people with a complete Hijab, who tell lies. And some others with a less complete Hijab, who never tell lies.
Wanting to have a perfect and complete Hijab seems difficult to me and I think it will take me a lot of time to decide to do that. To have the complete veil, needs a lot of patience and strength that I can't find in myself yet. But I'm sure I won't ignore the prescription of my doctor, my God.