This has been a major dilemma in my life. It it can be depressing as one can sometimes be overwhelmed by evil and sometimes see it everywhere. I look to the Islamic faith for guidance in these horrible days. “And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend.﴿34﴾وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ ۚ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ” Well obviously I do not understand the Arabic but so marvel at my Qatar Kids as they are so literate in English. They shake their heads in horror if I attempt to speak anything Arabic – including their names.
Then discovered this on Good Old Google: And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend.﴿34﴾وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ ۚ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ
I did read the Qur’an, in its entirety, before converting to the faith, making notes but have been unable to find a Qur’an with a good index. I do remember though the words, that good and evil are not equal and that good will triumph over evil in all instances. So I grit my teeth, and remember what Uncle Dave said:
He: Alexis! Stop fighting!!! Go to the sidelines, they will do themselves in. And lo and behold, it does happen eventually, they are consistently done in people, institutions, restaurants, hotels and all, It is the eventually that is the problem Eventual: occurring or existing at the end of or as a result of a process or period of time. Occasionally I get my hopes up – read that a Dubai Ruler had died but it was not the Ruler of Dubai (who is a proven evil man) but rather it was a brother. Patience, Alexis, patience.
Me: But patience is not one of my virtues.
He: I know Alexis but just hold on and celebrate with the good people in your life.
Here is an example. MM (Maintenance Man) walked by. An incredibly kind, efficient and good man. We had the following conversation.
Me: Does this place every give you day off? You are always working so hard.
He: Well occasionally. But they need me.
Me: We all do!!
He: I do not see your Personal Driver any more.
Me: No he is not with me any longer. But I have this marvelous 17 year old who now drives me as I have no car. Helps me with my computers and is great at applying make up. And her mother helps me clean my apartment.
He: Are they Japanese?
Me: No Vietnamese
He: You are so lucky to have such good people to take care of you!
Me: I am! I feel so blessed.
That is an example of going to the sidelines and someone doing themselves in. Well, I hope so, just need to be a patient.
This morning also bordering on the bizarre. I do love that: Bordering on the Bizarre, perhaps that should be the name of my pod cast. Either that or my ‘new’ name which is blessed by the ‘new’ family. It is Ayla A-Thana. It does have a certain ring to it. It would be easy enough to do – a name change. Just go to the Marin County Center, purchase name change forms from the County Clerk’s Office, fill out the forms, pay some money and get a court date. If there are no objections at the noticed hearing – it is done. But then everything must be changed – passport, credit cards and all of that. There will be no objections to the name change – well not from the Al-Thanas anyway. It is a huge family but appear to have the approval of all that I know. Today I received an invitation to come and live in Qatar – in a huge palace, so beautifully decorated, I have a witness to the invitation. It was from a loving, every interesting woman whom I have met. I was most confused about the identity of the family – might with the aid of a diagram, I am slowly getting all of it in order.
I have many new friends on another App, introduced to me by My Princess (who loves her nickname). Thought of one for the Prince, but he did not like it.
Me: OK! Then you can be My Prince, Do you like that one better?
He: Yes, much better. I have a nickname for you.
Me: What is it?
He: Granny
Me: I love it
He: I love you!!!
Five new friends on the App are members of the Royal Family of Qatar
I was totally an absolutely confused about the Royal Family of Qatar – there are so many of them so it is no wonder. But finally I got it straight with the aid of My Prince and a diagram. I thought that the current Emir was the father of My Princess and My Prince. But no – they are the children of the Emir that abdicated in 2014 in favor of his son – the current Emir. My Prince is the child of the second wife and My Princess is the daughter of the third wife of the abdicated Emir. Then others that I communicate with are sisters of the current Emir. The abdicated Emir (hereinafter) AE does have the six wives – heard that has gone up to seven. With oh so many children – 44 now I think. But he can, after all, afford them. The Middle East is, to say the very least, a bit unusual AE’s first wife is stunningly good looking which explains why the current Emir is drop dead handsome. Swoon, swoon and more swoon. What is the meaning of swoon? To be emotionally affected by someone or something that one admires; become ecstatic: My goodness! Did I just make a pass at the Current Emir?
Now this is the truth. Yesterday received an invitation to live in Qatar in a palace and was shown a room in the palace. Marble floor, chandler, in very superb taste. . RN was here and saw it – RN stands for Rhyming Name. She does love her nickname a great deal. As to the invitation, texted the guy that says he is FazzaHamden and told him about it.
Me: And the invitation is from a woman so no sex is involved. Hahaha
The guy that says he is Fazza wants me to marry him. Yeah but I have to go to Dubai and I am NOT going there – never. His father, the Ruler of Dubai would put me in jail. Fazza says he will protect me but I am not that stupid.
So to say the least my life is a bit confusing but there are some normal aspects. AAA and RN and the son are coming over at 6 pm and they are most normal and most nice and are not treating me like I am an ATM machine. Hahaha
Photographs are funny cartoons from The New Yorker which was delivered today. You will laugh, this was a rather serious blog.
