I do overthink. interestingly there is an Arab word for it: altafkir alzaayid ean allaazim. Needless to say it is impossible to pronounce – for me anyway. I know of the concept and do know I have been doing it my whole long life.
There are books that mention it, for example:in the Darker Side of Western Modernity it says: “over thinking in a Francophone language and dwelling in colonial history; or, yet, has epistemic privileges over thinking in Arabic at the crossroad of Islamo-Arab history, Western interventions,…pg. 94
But talk about overthinking – wait until you hear more about this book:
During the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, coloniality emerged as a new structure of power as Europeans colonized the Americas and built on the ideas of Western civilization and modernity as the endpoints of historical time and Europe as the center of the world. Walter D. Mignolo argues that coloniality is the darker side of Western modernity, a complex matrix of power that has been created and controlled by Western men and institutions from the Renaissance, when it was driven by Christian theology, through the late twentieth century and the dictates of neoliberalism. This cycle of coloniality is coming to an end. Two main forces are challenging Western leadership in the early twenty-first century. One of these, “dewesternization,” is an irreversible shift to the east is struggles over knowledge, economics, and politics. The second force is “decoloniality.” Mignolo explains that decoloniality requires delinking from the colonial matrix of power underlying Western modernity to imagine and build global futures in which human beings and the natural world are no longer exploited in the relentless quest for wealth accumulation.….
The book was written in 2011, thirteen years ago. Walter Mignolo has written a number of books, one as recent as 2021. I wonder if the Ithra Library has it. I shall have to go and see. If so I am a Knowledge Partner and I can borrow up to five books at one time.
.Do admit that this book review is very relevant to what is happening today but it is not what I was had in mind when I started thinking about overthinking. Hmmmmm, I think I will go back to my original thinking and not overthink. Hahaha .
Did some more research, which is research, not overthinking by the way. I was able to find this which is more in tune to what I was thinking about
Overthinking is actually a special form of fear. This fear is exaggerated and becomes worse when mixed with anticipation, anxiety, imagination and emotion. Learn to accept things as they are. Ask the Almighty to constantly guide you. (Mufti Menk on X)
Overthinking is spoken about in the Quran. We are not actually meant to be thinking about everything and need to be aware of our thoughts and stop ourselves when we do it… especially when overthinking about matters in the unseen (Ghaib) and future. That space is only for Allah (swt).
There are six Islamic tips
- Turn Your Anxiety Into Dua. …
- Accept that Allah Controls Everything. …
- Take a Salah Timeout 5 Times a Day. …
- Seek Allah’s Help Through Sabr. …
- Have Tawakkul. …
- End Your Day On a Positive Note.
It is important to think, but not to overthink.
‘in Islam the spiritual guidance illuminates the faculties of reason and perception to enable them to function properly and meanwhile urge us in using them in getting a deeper insight into the reality of things because God created them as a source of guidance. “
Now that is more like it. If you say that’s more like it, you mean that the thing that you are referring to is more satisfactory than it was on earlier occasions. It can also mean more accurate and true. Used in a sentence: :I think he likes her – or maybe he’s madly in love with her is more like it.
Well, that is an interesting sentence and might have relevance but it is best that I not overthink.
This has been a process, First I found an overthinking topic that was very wise, but not helpful to me at this exact moment. Perhaps later I will explore it, nevertheless just now I needed to calm my anxiety and put my trust in Allah (SWT). I did.
Mission Accomplished! Used to indicate that an objective has been achieved or a task completed. Used in a sentence: She’s not declaring it mission accomplished until the virus is extinguished. ”
It is horrific to think about the origins of Mission Accomplished. “On May 1, 2003, United States President George W. Bush gave a televised speech on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Bush, who had launched the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq six weeks earlier, mounted a podium before a White House-produced banner that said “Mission Accomplished”.
It is difficult to escape the world’s woes despite valiant efforts. First the words of Walter Mignolo and now the echoes of George Bush’s so-called victory.
But now that my mission has been accomplished where now do I direct my thinking?
This is where and perhaps it will provide some relief from world politics. . A couple of days ago began ‘playing’ with the beginning of the book I am threatening to write. This is what I came up with. It is totally beside the point, but one has to take the first step. I think I have decided that the title of my book will be: Create the Things You Wish Existed. Made an attempt to ask the folks at Ithra if I could ‘borrow’ their theme but have not heard back. I guess I could just steal it, but that seems a trifle dishonest. So what’s a girl to do? (It’s a humorous way of cheekily justifying something, as if no other option is possible – even if it is!) But Create the Things You Wish Existed does have real possibilities related to Ithra, because of this exchange between AMA and myself
Me: I am here at Ithra. It is amazing place to be as you shall soon see. Found out I need a kid before going into the Children’s Museum. It is a little late for that. I fear.
He: Never too late. Always there is a child in every one of us. Your always present laughters are constant reminders of your longing.
Me: I did chat about 40 young boys on may way into the Museum Alhamdulillah. Showed them my blog. They here on a school trip. All were English speaking.
But then I thought of another way to use that title.
Me: Create the things I wish existed. Well I wish I had a little boy called Mohammed. How in the world am I to do that when I am 80?
Alter Ego: Well Sara had a baby when she was 90.
Me: Well, true. And Ibraham was 100. But I do not have an Ibraham.
Alter Ego: Be patient.
Me: Okay. Okay. I guess I have at least ten years to go.
I should perhaps think of a new title? I could use that title wait until they sue me? I can produce the Message and say the woman did not respond. That could be my defense. The possibilities seem endless.
Maybe write the book first and then decide on a title. But all the templates begin with a title page. Maybe call the book To Be Determined? Or I Will Get Back to You on That? What about None of Your Business. Or maybe base it on this joke about the Three Bears.
Papa Bear: Whose been eating my porridge.
Baby Bear: Whose been eating my porridge.
Mama Bear: Moan! Complain! Moan! Complain! I haven’t even made the porridge yet. .
Rather like that for a book title: Moan! Complain! Moan Complain! I Haven’t Even Witten the Book Yet: Or this: Wait Up! You Got Ants in your Pants?
(Got ants in your pants is called a rhyming idiom. It means: Be extremely restless, uneasy, impatient, or anxious) synonyms are: heebie-jeebies and the fidgets.
The stratagem is to write of my introduction to the Islamic Faith. Could put it into the category of self help genre books: The Islamic Faith: Cure for Heebie-Jeebies and Fidgets.
Decide to do it step by step, which is always good advice. One step at a time but you gotta take the first step. This is might just be it. This already written stuff can be called the Prologue. Hey, got that word right – looked it up: a separate introductory section of a literary or musical work. I can also call it. Introduction, foreword, preface, preamble, prelude, preliminary, intro; exordium. . Or I could totally confuse everyone and call it Epilogue. Hahahaha
So the fun has begun. That is being a little bit optimistic, more than a little bit. Since when was writing a book fun?? I would say never. But yesterday checks out a book that should be completely funny. The title of the book is Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free. Just in case you do not believe me I will include a photograph of the book written by Charles P. Pierce.
Yesterday I went back to the Ithra Library. This time getting there and back was an relaxing experience. Not so the first time I went because I took an employee’s advice and took Uber. Against my better judgment, thinking perhaps in this country it might be different. Well. It was different but it was horrendous none the less. I have done extensive research on Uber in the past, writing about it on my blog. It has been a disaster in each and every city and country where it was introduced . Corrupt politicians allow its presence because they receive funding from that multinational company. I spelled it out in my February 29, 2019 blog when the headline was: I Was Right About the Evils of Uber;April 19, 2019 Killings on Uber; May 16, 2019 Disgruntled with Uber.; May 19, 2019 Perhaps Uber on Their Way Out December 19. 2019 New study reveals the Evil of Uber July 13, 2022 Uber Revealed to be Absolutely Evil for Everyone but the Greedy. Etc etc etc.
This is what happened to me I downloaded the App. Got help calling from this hotel and from Ithra. However I was charged 60 SAR at both ends for cancelled trips as well as the two I made. I did NOT cancel either trip, I drove with the two men that showed up. And there was no means at all of redress. Nothing. Therefore my totally absolutely reliable English speaking driver, summoned and paid by the hotel was actually less expensive. Needless to say I dumped the App but they do have my credit card information. OOPs. I guess I could challenge the charge through my credit card but that takes a lot of time.
It was a learning experience. Saudi Arabia Is not as squeaky clean as I thought, it appears. More evidence from Instagram announcing yesterday that some high official was arrested for embezzlement and conflict of interest.
Back to positivity. A series of photographs taken at Ithra yesterday. The umbrellas are not from the Prophet’s Mosque but rather a courtyard called the Cultural Oasis. A sign announcing that Winter is Here. I said to the man minding the concession.
Me: I have to take a photo of this. I am from Canada. Believe me, this is not winter.
Then two books from the Canada section. Does that not say it all, the two book titles? Canada History for Dummies and The Unknown Country. Canada is one of the countries, along with Australia and the UK and the US etc etc. that is cutting off $$$ for humanitarian aid because of the lies of Israel. Canada, the Unknown Land for Dummies. I am out of there! I am a refugee, here in Saudi Arabia. I borrowed three books and received a free book bag which is pictured.
The book bag says: Books are Dreams made Manifest. Mine just might be a nightmare. Hahaha
