Give Thanks. Spread Love. Proceed.

We are not meant to win. We are meant to struggle. Live golden anyway. "Authority, power, and wealth do not change a man, they only reveal him." -Imam Ali

[whatsthetruthruth]

31 and....

I turned 31 on Monday. It was a chaotic day to say the least. I took the day off only to have my mother have a health scare. This scare took me back to that awful place. That awful hospital that killed my dad. On my birthday. Best gift ever.

Now, I used to never believe in bad luck or being cursed (something my dad would say often in his last years), but I do now. I have done a lot of work to challenge my beliefs. I have practiced mindfulness, gone to therapy, journal, gone for walks, etc. But somehow, that dread, that negative bias just squeezes through. 

I do find joy in the little things but this is rare. I hope and have come to realize that hope is futile. I know I shouldn’t wallow in this mental space but I just don’t see a shift. My life and those of my loved ones has been in chaos since 2014. 6 years and counting with no real break in sight. And lets throw COVID in as the icing on the cake. 

I don’t have very high expectations for my life but I do expect some kind of peace. Is it even possible?

[citizins]

Don’t let Babylon trick you into harvesting the cocoa and never enjoy the taste of chocolate.

(via citizins)

The synchronicity of this!

[whatsthetruthruth]

It has been real.

Something told me to write today. My first post in years.

These last 6 years have been so real. The amount of chaos I have experienced has been surreal. I have dealt with illness, accidents and DEATHs on an intense scale. 

Uncle Family Friends Grandma Dad

And I have had experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows. I never would imagined how low life and I could get. But life goes on and I’m still standing. 

Something about yesterday. It feels like something has changed. Whatever negativity that had a hold on me is gone. And I hope it stays there. 

Unpacking the trauma and healing will take time. I know. And things may get worse before they get better. But a journey of a thousand miles takes one step right? 

I have to remind myself and start doing things I love again, things that bring my my true self out, because life is not promised. I know this all too well. 

It’s too short to stay in hell when heaven is all around me.

[niqabisinparis]

how do u start rebuilding your hobbies after years of depression and apathy woops

[whatsthetruthruth]

yassss!

[onlinecounsellingcollege]

Advice for 2019

1. Be wise in your friendships, and in choosing whom you’ll trust.

2. Love others deeply, and enjoy relationships.

3. Plan for the future - and work hard to succeed.

4. Practise being mindful and being present in “the now”.

5. Choose to be happy - despite life’s challenges.

6. Remember that life changes, and most storms pass with time.

7. You only live life once, so take risks, and seize the day.

[feathery-blog]

[observando]

[whatsthetruthruth]

Timbuktu

"Timbuktu" took me to another place! 

That movie was art. A beautifully tragic snapshot of life in Timbuktu during the Islamist takeover in 2012. The resistance, especially by the women who had the most to lose, was so inspiring. These are the stories you never hear about. 

While I watched the film, it felt like I was looking in a mirror. I had no idea the different colors the Tuareg and Malians come in. I kept seeing East African faces and had to remind myself that this is Mali! Plus, the main character's name is Kidane which is also a Habesha name. Not sure what it means in Tamashek but I'd love to know!

I swear it felt so familiar. My north west African brothers and sisters. 

Planning my visit in my dreams....

[oldroze]

Tuareg

[keltamasheq]

[bisousmwah]

The Tuareg by Luxor81. (B. Barbey) on Flickr.

[sarraounia]

Artworks by Mariama, self taught Tuareg artist from Niger. More here. 

[fyeahnorthafricanwomen]

According to legend, Tin Hinan was the first leader and matriarch to unite the Tuareg world. She is believed to have travelled from the Tafilalt oasis located in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, settling in the Ahaggar mountains of Algeria where she established her kingdom, becoming the first Queen (Tamenokalt) of the Tuaregs.

Her remains were discovered in the Ahaggar region of Algeria when her tomb was excavated by archaeologists in 1925 - 1926. She was found lying on a finely carved wooden bed and was covered in jewels. She had seven silver bracelets on her right forearm and seven gold ones on her left.

To this day she is still referred to by the Tuareg as “Mother of Us All”.

[whatsthetruthruth]

I SWEAR I was Tuareg in a past life. 

[mroverstanding]

"The Ivory Bangle Woman", so called because of the jewelry she was buried with, was seemingly one of the wealthiest women in Eboracum, or Roman York (UK). Archaeologists have recently proved that she was African.

[wakeupslaves]

White people are new to the earth new to wealth new to power and do not want to admit that black people taught them everything they know about living outside of the cold climate caves

[77plus11]

^^^^^^ Boom

[beautiesofafrique-deactivated20]

Do you know the origins or the amazigh? I keep hearing that were not real Africans and originated in either Europe or Yemen. But I'm confused because I have a dark black amazigh grandfather and a really pale amazigh grandmother. It's really confusing when you're trying to figure out what you identify with especially since lots of sources are very Eurocentric.

Imazighen (amazigh: singular) are indigenous to North Africa. Researchers believe that Imazighen have inhabited North Africa (or the Maghreb) since 10,000 BC. And like any other ethnic group they all come in different shades and there are different groups of Imazighen such as:

Tuareg

Brabers of the Atlas mountains of Morocco 

Chaoui/Shawia 

Djerba 

Kabyle

Mozabite

Zenata

And many more

There are many groups of Imazighen and it’s best that you do your research. I will reblog my old Imazighen posts for you

[beautiesofafrique-deactivated20]

(in response to Imazighen not being “real Africans” & skin tone)

[tradeyouforchai-deactivated2020]

Mubeen Shah.

-One of the 134 children who were murdered in the school of Peshawar Pakistan, uploaded a cover photo some days back which had quoted,

"We are a nation of beauty and great grief, our smiles are more powerful than your guns"

[light-upon-lightt]

This actually had me in tears.

[whatsthetruthruth]

Rip.