I am at a pivotal moment in Instagram. I have 994 followers so I am somewhat breathless with anticipation waiting for the leap to 1000. It is rather silly as it is not going to make any great difference in my existence. It is, after all, only a number. (This trite phrase is heard constantly when people learn of my age. Trust me, there is a vast difference between being eight years old and being eighty.)
Yesterday’s blog began with my speaking of assuming a different Instagram persona, unfortunately, I got hopelessly side tracked; focusing instead on the couple of the moment H & M. This was, admittedly a trivial pursuit. Perhaps trivial shall be the word of the day. Trivial is of little value or importance. Of a person it means one who is concerned only with trifling or unimportant things. Being absorbed in trivialness (the noun) is a danger – one that is rampant in today’s world with all of its distractions. The major distraction being social media.
Alter Ego: This is social media Alexis
Me: Oops it is, come to think of it.
Alter Ego: So you are using social media to tell people not to involve themselves in social media.
Me: That is a bit paradoxical. Do have to admit. But it suddenly came to me in a dream, not directly in a dream but by analyzing it when I woke up) that the problem with social media is that a person has no say in the agenda. Others topics and viewpoints are, in a way, forced upon a person.
Alter Ego: I see what you are saying. The person should be examining, should be thinking of other matters that may be more important to their lives.
Me: Exactly!! It came to me, actually in a dream. Wake up Alexis it said, said the dream, you are almost eighty years old – you have only so many days left on earth. What and equally (perhaps more importantly whom) should you be spending your remaining time with. Who will give you, Alexis, comfort and needed contact, who can you, influence in a good way and who can influence you.
Alter Ego: So you look at yourself, where you are, who are the people that are in your present life, not get distracted by trivial matters and focus.
Me: You have got it. You understand! We are a team! Hahahaha
Alter Ego: Yes. An important concept, a team.
Me: I know! It is funny I constantly say to LOL (we work so well together) We are a team! Teams have a common goal, that is shared. In team sports the goal is to win, to play the game well is a slightly higher calling.
Alter Ego: Yes playing the game well is a higher calling.
Me: Yes, it was so incredibly impressed to see a video (oops on social media) of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia speaking to the Saudi team prior to their playing in the World Cup. All gathered in a room, sitting on chairs, the players not in their athletic gear but in Arab dress, the Western coaches in suits and ties.
MBS began by saying that he was so proud that they had qualified and qualification was a continuing goal of the country. He went on to say that the competition was stiff, that he was not expecting that they would win. But that he wanted them to play their best, to relax and enjoy the sport and the game. He said that being stressed about winning and loosing was actually detrimental to their performance. It was so impressive – the pride he had in the team and his care and concern for them.
Alter Ego: That is really something because you went to Saudi Arabia in fear of his power and him. Your faith overcame your fear.
Me: It did! Allah will keep me safe I said. Then my sense of humor kicked in and I said: if not then for sure I will go to Jannah. It was not exactly a laughing matter but if you are killed for your faith – you go to Jannah,
Alter Ego: How do you know that?
Me: Through the knowledge that I have of the faith. Also the Sister at the Islamic Center in Abu Dhabi when she heard of the persecution I suffered in Marin County, told me that such suffering would be rewarded by Allah. Although I am appalled at the situation in Palestine I do know that the killed will be going to Jannah, their tormentors will be occupying the warm place as I call it. It is not just warm, it is hot with fires and boiling water. If I were an Israeli I would be doing some reading of the Quran and not be following their despotic rulers.
Alter Ego: You make a good point.
Me: Thank you. But you can see that it is difficult to see how one should be spending your time on earth. Social media does have things to offer. I get a great deal from Instagram as the stories of the responses I received will reveal.
Now finally, and, at last, I shall speak of comments made to other’s engrossing Instagram stories but by first speaking of why the Instagram post was so significant to me.
The About Me section of this blog discusses my on going, life long commitment to women’s rights. I am a feminist – feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings, to paraphrase a brilliant woman. Needless to say this reel caught my eye. It was stunning, a London demonstration showing a silent protest, made by British-Iranian women totally silent, dressed and illustrating the showing the dystopia of Handmaiden’s Tale. The Instagram comment described that “Atwood’s novel was inspired by the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1978-79 to write the novel on an oppressive regime that controls women’s bodies.”
This so powerful to me, brought forth this comment: How extremely creative this demonstration. Margaret Atwood is a fellow Canadian. Her works have been an inspiration to me for years. Unfortunately nothing has changed since those days and the oppression of women continues. Thank you sisters for your courage in staging this demonstration. There were 24 likes and 4 more replies. I conversed with one woman.
She: Thank you for your comment, It is so true, it is so sad.
Me: And no relief in sight. The Islamic faith desperately needs a strong woman whose conversation goes beyond whether or not we should be wearing a hijab. But I see no one out there. Well except for me. It is that bad. (Laughing emojis)
She: Exactly!!!! Every religion has to adopt to modern times. What doesn’t bend, breaks. Just like the regime in Iran will.
Me: I totally agree with you. As they say 100%
I commented but 522 others did as well. Most comments were supportive and laudatory. But not some, a few were condemning made by stupid men who had no idea what was going on and/or were bragging to their macho men friends. Their ignorance was apparent and demonstrable. They are not the sort of people who would be protesting – people who make negative comments on Instagram and other social media just sit on their rear end spewing out negative stuff. I am safe from them with the wall that Computer Guru Chris built. I can say what I want without negative repercussions. Well without positive comments either – but that is fine. I might end up writing to please the positive people and end up not pleasing me. So the decision made at the very beginning of the blog works.
This another entry that was fascinating and SO important for me to read and learn from it. Faithful readers and those who read About Me will know that I was horribly abused as a child. This knowledge from a post on Instagram. One man spoke, quoting from the Quran 7.179 as well of a discovery made by scientists in 1991. Approximately 40,000 sensory neuritis were discovered around the heart, these neuritis are ‘brains’ so every experience makes an impact not only in the mind but in the heart. So every experience is learned both in the mind and in the heart. The sensory cells think independently of the cranial brain. It means that talk therapy does not speak to the sensory cells around the heart. I have spent a fortune and several eons in talk therapy. I used to joke that I had more therapy than Woody Allen.
I wrote: WOW WOW that is why I needed to become a Muslim before I could totally heal from the horrible abuse I suffered. Lots of talking therapy but not until I became a muslim could find peace. This blows my mind. I became a Muslim 2 years ago. I am 79.
Seventeen people liked that comment. Fortunately no negative men made insignificant comments. The lawyer in me would arise and they would fall.
I shall at a later time discuss other important Instagram posts made by others but, for once I posted a reel which, for me gathered a large response. It is most amateurish, filmed from my hotel room in Mecca, entitled Mecca at Night. I spoke, very emotionally saying, that it was a sight that you cannot imagine and it happened all the time. Thousands, if not millions, of Muslims came to worship Allah. It is a sight that you can not imagine. “It was a sight you cannot imagine and it happens all the time It was night so one can barely see what was going on, there was no music or any Gifs or emoji. Simplicity in action. It won 272 likes and 6 comments.
The attached photo is one taken from that same hotel room. I am blessed, truly blessed by Allah. I was able to be at that Holy Place, in that room for nine days. WOW.
Glad to say that I am not a trivial person. Synonyms are: frivolous, superficial, shallow, unthinking, empty-headed, featherbrained, lightweight, foolish, silly. Who in the world would want to be featherbrained and empty-headed. Macho men prefer their women that way. Who would want a man who wants to be surrounded by foolish, silly frivolous and shall people? Antonyms are: serious, profound.
