Have you ever felt like you have been kinda floating through life? That’s a big mood for me right now. I’m on autopilot. There’s a task, done. Another task, done.

I’m not usually like this. I tend to create energy somehow and can’t sit still.

Thinking about floating, treading, and swimming helped me create the poem for this week.

A visual representation of my brain after this week.

I am at a loss for words. So, here is a poem about history and democracy.

Happy new year! It’s strange to compare this new year to last year’s. So much has changed. I remember writing my first blog post of 2020 inside a Boston coffee shop before prayer. Sigh such a normal day.

The pandemic isn’t over, but the start of a new year feels like a glimmer of hope. This borderline cheesy poem reminds us to live. If that’s what you accomplished in 2020, I am proud of you. Living is beautiful. Life is beautiful. Sending you lots of love ❤️

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! I hope you are taking this time to truly connect with family and friends.

The holidays have got me thinking about connection. I have never really liked texting, phone calls, and video calls. Obviously, nothing beats in-person conversations.

But now we are in a time where these tech-based methods are my only means of contacting many people, and I dislike it even more. Every few days, I want to chuck my phone in the water and drive away.

With texting, there are problems with tone, and it feels fake. I’m so brutally honest, and it’s hard to change that through text. Video calls are too close to being real, but not. If I want to reach out, I’m constantly reminded that I can’t, and it makes me miss the person even more.

If I had to choose a form of communication, I think I would choose to call someone. Here is a poem about the beauty of a phone call.

There is nothing like a beautiful snowy day. Despite the quiet that a snow day brings, many things did not allow my brain to shut off and relax after a long semester.

To make myself feel more optimistic, here is the subtle beauty of winter in a poem.

For a brown person, I am light and it’s hard for me to be fine with it. I despise how people see it as a good quality and even resent it when people mention it as one of my defining characteristics.

Besides the usual Seasonal Affective Disorder atmosphere, I really notice the color of my skin this time of year and I dislike it. I hate the privilege that comes with being light. I hate my privilege. My summer tan is obviously gone and with little sun exposure, my skin gets even lighter. It doesn’t make me feel like a true person of color.

If you're a writer, you know that sometimes the strangest things inspire you. The song "Monster" by Shawn Mendes & Justin Bieber inspired me to write a short thought.

I have been experiencing a recurring nightmare. It's not entirely the same every time, but there seem to be consistent themes.

The poem today is inspired by dreams & nightmares.

tw/trigger warning: this thought talks about weight, body image, PCOS, self-esteem issues, and eating disorders. Please be cautious and take care of yourself.

The election has brought on some very powerful womxn to the forefront. Although some shout-outs may be obvious, this poem is not about specific individuals. The term "she" is also meant to include womxn change-makers in our past, present, and future.

I know this week has been tough due to American politics. So I decided to make sense of my feelings as an American & Indian Muslim by imagining a different life.

Indian politics is comparable to what is happening in America. Instead of white nationalists, there are Hindu nationalists. Many of them want Muslims dead or in Pakistan. The Hindu/Muslim conflict has always been a problem. However, the current Prime Minister, Modi, has made it much worse.

Modi is like Trump. And Trump is like Modi. Promoting fear and violence. Blaming the “other.”

America & India, which I hold dear to my heart, seem to hate my religion. A religion that has allowed me to evolve and grow.

These thoughts are coming back because of a book that I recently read called “Azadi,” which means “Freedom.”

Arundhati Roy tackles Hindu nationalism, as well as other topics, in this collection of essays.

Her words reminded me of the complexity of identity. And this poem is simply a fragment of what I have thought about over the years.

No really. Have you lived? It’s something that’s always on my mind. Making my moments on Earth count and enjoying them as well.

In times like these, it’s hard to enjoy life.

People have many definitions of what it means to live. However, Henry David Thoreau seems to be onto something, and it’s pandemic friendly.

Being in nature for an extended time, without the distractions of everyday life, can allow us to sit with our feelings and make sense of this thing that we call life.

My time at Walden Pond inspired something, and I hope you enjoy it.

People have this annoying habit of making you not feel good enough. It happens to all of us. Here is a piece that tackles these complex emotions.

There are gaps in my thinking, and I have been taking steps to lessen these gaps. Some may call it a disaster, while others may think I have outdone myself. Regardless, it’s progress and growth.

The air has officially become crisp and I really want to write about fall :)

Photo from Unsplash by Charles Deluvio

This week, I have been listening to podcasts and reading about the idea of control. It’s such a complex notion. Losing it, gaining it, simply feeling like we can never get it - makes us feel many different emotions.

Photo from Unsplash by S O C I A L . C U T

Weaving a good story has been on my mind lately. In school, we have been learning that perception is reality. In a sense, that is true. A person’s perception of a particular event makes it reality for that specific individual.

Recently, someone pushed me to recall details in order to improve a project of mine. Show, not tell. It’s always a difficult task. You have to trust that the reader will understand the point you are making.

Photo from Unsplash by Stan B

This week has been full of happiness. One thing that has brought me immense joy is service.

Photo from Unsplash by Julien DI MAJO

It’s been 19 years since September 11, 2001. Every year, this day reminds us to cherish life because everything we have ever known can be changed instantly.

Photo from Unsplash by fotografierende

I have been taking time to relax before classes start up again. One way that I have been doing this is through reading.