Inspiration
June 9, 2008
I just got through watching a truly inspiring film called “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”. Its about a well known and successful French man who becomes paralyzed from head to toe. Its his life from that moment on, from his own perspective. I won’t tell you just how they got it from his perspective, as he is paralyzed, because you have to see it to find out.
Lately you have been sort of obsessed with having us play this YouTube video for you. You don’t watch it as much as you listen to it. Its Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan doing “Allah Hu” .. your favorite song, and your favorite Zikr all in one. You do your very own dervish dance to it and you ask us to play it for you by saying “Taa?” and pointing to the computer and not letting up until we play exactly that. No other version, no other song, no other video will do. Just that.
You are about 16 months now and you are saying the word “Bookba” which in Safiyah language means Book. You also have been singing the tune of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” with the word Bookba. You have been doing a lot more walking. I no longer carry you out to the car. You walk with me, except for the stairs, down which I carry you. Outside of our condo is a courtyard with grass, pathways, and a round water fountain lined with what looks like Turkish style tiles. I like the fact that our building, although in the middle of our quite boring town, is a Mediterranean style building, and actually has these impressive tiles in different parts of it. Its not the most amazing looking building, but for this nameless town, its not bad.
I have started practicing Capoeira again. Other than Yoga, it is the sport/martial art/exercize that I enjoy more than anything else. I want to get my body back to feeling more flexible, balanced, and strong. After having a child, a woman’s body goes through many changes, and it takes a while for it to be worked back up to how it was once upon a time. (Not in any way intended to blame you my dear, I am happy to have given birth to you because you are the most beautiful thing in my life. Nothing makes me happier than you).
More to come…
June 13, 2008 at 7:25 am
I loved “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”, but the movie I’d rather see is “My Stroke of Insight”, which is the amazing bestselling book by Dr Jill Bolte Taylor. It is an incredible story and there’s a happy ending. She was a 37 year old Harvard brain scientist who had a stroke in the left half of her brain. The story is about how she fully recovered, what she learned and experienced, and it teaches a lot about how to live a better life. Her TEDTalk at TED dot com is fantastic too. It’s been spread online millions of times and you’ll see why!
June 13, 2008 at 4:41 pm
As salaamu alaikum! Just checking in to see how your little Safiyah is doing. I am amazed at shocked to learn that your Safiyah has a thing for YouTube! My Safiyah is OBSESSED with YouTube (on my iPhone), particularly the “Your Mother” Muslim song about honoring your mother. Have you heard it? Well, hope all is well otherwise. You’re inspiring me to blog, so hopefully I’ll have a new post up sometime in the near future.
June 16, 2008 at 5:40 am
I can’t believe both Safiyahs are obsessed with YOUTUBE! Does yours also watch Charlie and Lola on it? That is my favorite show (and Safiyahs.. i think). I guess being from England it reminds me of my childhood. We are totally going to check out the “Your Mother” song you mentioned iA and see how she likes it.
As for the film “My Stroke of Insight”, I have never heard of it, but it does sound inspiring. I will have to look for it. Did it come out on DVD? I love the way film (as well as books) can totally reach an audience and teach people things.. especially how to think in a different way.. that is the really well made and inspiring ones.. that is one of the reasons I choose the film medium to express myself when I’m not writing.. speaking of writing.. i’m going to do my next post!