This blog is becoming rather crowded with WhatsApp conversations with other Muslims. We WhatsApp back and forth, texting. Occasionally I tire of slow typing and use the microphone. One man calls occasionally but mostly it is text chat…
Me: The hotel is moving me.
He: Hopefully to another room.
Me: Thankfully yes.
The move was seamless, thoughtfully executed for the best of reasons, which were explained. The exact opposite of my experience at the Oberio. Here and now, I was moved up, not down after being given an opportunity to view the new room, then given a choice. The reason for the move was because each floor was being deep cleaned: I was moved to a floor that had been deep cleaned.
My move was reported to Noor via WhatsApp.
Me: I have moved. Now on top floor. Two floors closer to Jannah. Hahaha
She: Don’t say that.
Me: Better than two floors closer to Hellfire.
She: Oh yaaaaaa
Packing to move was excruciating, however, because of fasting effects – no energy. It filled me with even greater sympathy for those working when fasting. Moving finally finished, leaving me with the feeling of starting anew. Everything in better order, the storage organization and capabilities are also much better here than in the expensive Oberio.
I spoke to the the General Manager, comparing my over-all experiences here versus the Oberio.
Me: Theirs is a 5 star hotel, this now a four. I am giving you a six.
He: There are no six star hotels in Saudi Arabia. It will be the first – Six by Alexis.
Me: Perfect. You will be a step ahead of everyone else.
‘A step ahead’ and ‘moving up in the world’ have similar meanings.
The idiom ‘to move up in the world is to progress or improve, to get a better job or higher position in society. To be more wealthy, successful etc. Synonyms are achieve, get ahead, make a name, get on. Used in a sentence: Alexis moved up in the world, to the top floor of the hotel.
Being a step ahead means being “Innovator” (or “innovative”), “pioneering”, “scout”, “trailblazer”, “vanguard”, or “visionary”. Used in a sentence: Alexis’ world famous blog shows that she is a visionary and innovator. Hahaha
“Hey,Innovator, how is it going with your Ramadan?. “you might just be asking. Here is your answer.
Me: Good and bad. Okay and not okay.
You: Well what is good?
Me: I have accomplished eight days without severe hunger pangs. I am loosing energy – packing and unpacking took all of my strength. On the plus side, there is a certain euphoria, a feeling of freedom. However, I frustrate easily. Not pretty when that happens.
You: What is not okay?
Me: I am accustomed to solitary Ramadans. For that reason spending it with other Muslims, adjusting to strange schedules can be difficult. My hotel routine has totally changed because the restaurants open/close at the most unusual hours. I am being brave! I have abandoned my Intentions book, temporarily anyway, too busy adapting.
Some of my most rewarding Ramadan experiences have taken place online, as you soon shall see.
An Instagram Saudi acquaintance DMed, describing his Ramadan experience. .
He: It’s amazing. I feel spiritually disconnected from the world and connected with Allah. Praying Taraweeh and reading Qur’an and have Iftar gatherings at someone’s house some days and go walking for better health before Iftar.
Me: I agree that it is a time like no other. I just posted on Instagram about a tradition in Kohbar. Go see it please. I will write of your experiences and your message of hope on my blog. The world needs to see such images and hear of the Saudi people and their traditions. Alhamduilliah.
The Instagram video filming occurred totally by chance. POAG and I were on the roof (not as bad as it sounds, there is a pool, lounge chairs and tables). It was almost sunset.
She: Can you see in the distance? Look down on the roads to see what is happening. See those people with vests standing by the side of the road, with a supply SUV nearby?
Me: Yup I can see with the proper glasses affixed to my face. See people by the side of the road. What are they doing?
She: The people in the yellow vests are volunteers, Just before sunset they come with food vans giving Muslim motorists free dates and food. Those who are unable to break their fasts at home or in restaurants.
Me: That is so inspiring. Lets take a video and I will post it on Instagram.
She: Okay, Let’s do it.
Me: We are a TEAM!
The Instagram reel was sent to AF1
He: This practice is throughout KSA. Generosity is a national trait. Greed is highly despised.
Me: That is good, even fantastic. But somehow I want it to be special to Kohbar. Boo Hoo
He did not seem to understand this, not laughing at the emoji and then began lecturing me about almsgiving.
Some time after posting the reel on Instagram, also sent it to my WhatsAppers. Noor responded.
She: Superb.
Me: Thank you!!! I am writing about how it happened on the blog just now. We are each having our own Ramadan experiences and it is important that we share them. Just as you shared your photo of worship with me. Alhamduilliah. Earlier Noor had sent a photograph.
She: This photo taken during a taraweeh prayer yesterday in a mosque.
Me: Thank you for sharing your worship with me.
This was a learning experience. I had not heard of Taraweeh prayer. Now I know, and you shall soon, Taraweeh is a night prayer performed during the month of Ramadan, prayed after Ishtar Prayer. It can be prayed either in a mosque or at home.
Ramadan is serving to connect me more strongly to Saudi Arabia. Learning of the strength of my Saudi readers a few days ago I think enabled a necessary transition. My initial reaction:was sheer joy! Opened the email while at the Dhuhrman Mall, rushed to spread the word to Zero and his colleagues, conveniently working nearby. Afterwards, alone again, being ‘in touch with my feelings’ likened my state of mind to the feeling when one gets the final divorce decree. The marriage has been difficult and stressful, inevitably followed by rancorous divorce proceedings. That feeling of absolute relief – the marriage has become a thing of the past, not the present, nor the future. The West, encompassing United States and Canada has become my past.. The news of my ‘Saudi success’ enabled the final severance of the ‘tie that binds’. The timing could not have been better – severance of the ties that bound me to the past immediately followed by Ramadan.
The ties that bind are blood ties, romantic relationships, and close friendships that are the primary binding forces of the human experience. Acquaintances, coworkers, and associates are the bonds that give our lives richer schemas. Without others, our lives would be empty and devoid of meaning. The origin of this dates back to a 1782 Christian hymn titled “Blessed Be the Tie that Binds” by John Fawcett.
Letting go of the ties that bind me to the past has brought enormous benefit as well. I have always been popular – but NEVER this popular, so well loved. Popular is defined as being liked, admired, or enjoyed by many people or by a particular person or group. A person is well liked, in favor, well received, admired, sought-after, in demand, desired, wanted, marketable, all the rage, hot.
My former life was characterized by a degree of popularity but I worked at it. Worked is a mild term, I slaved, was consumed, worked day and night to achieve, what I thought, success. . Nowadays it is effortless, just be myself (whatever that might be) reaping the rewards. Being myself is laughing, feeling and showing gratitude, praying, fasting, relaxing contentedly in my found peace of mind, basically behaving.
Ponder the differences between the old me versus the new me. The new me is less angry, less stressed, works at being gracious. Just spoke of reaping the rewards, here are tangible examples. The people in my recent life are most generous – generous beyond belief, I wear and carry gifts every day Gifts of today include: 1) a handcrafted purse gifted by an older Medina woman, selling her works made using the age old Saudi traditions 2) An Oman hat, gifted by a man from Oman met at the Premier Inn in Abu Dhabi. 3) Carrying a leather book currently being used to write Arabic words in phonetics. Kind hearted people are taken on the herculean task of teaching me Arabic. This book was a gift from the Paths to Glory exhibit during its Medina Art Museum days. 4) My left wrist bracelet was an 80th birthday gift given by Rita, born in Indonesia. She works for Ali, born in Egypt. He has owned an Edmonton dry cleaning business for eons. As I compile the list realize that all of the gift givers are Muslims.
It suddenly occurred to me that Allah (SWT) took the basics, the raw materials and refined me. When something or somebody is refined it is perfected, honed, fine-tune, elaborate, touch up, , put the final/finishing touches to, crown, consummate. An informal: tweaked.
The new tweaked me apparently has a big heart. In another WhatsApp conversation, Noor pictured the groceries she was giving to less fortunate others.
She: I am not rich and I am not poor. Hope I rich at heart
Me: You are rich at hearts. Oops only one heart. Hahaha.
She: Heehee. U too Alhamduilliah.Then she sent a voice message, reminding me of a ‘gift’ I gave to her.
She: That’s a huge heart. Sending a very huge heart sticker .
Me: Wow, the biggest heart I have ever seen. Hahaha. ;
Sent the sticker to friends saying: My Malaysian friend Noor said I have a huge heart like this. WOW Mashallah.
He: True. You have with your laughters and joyous character you definitely do. God bless you. Another He: Wow.
Received another message from the Instagram Saudi Acquaintance mentioned at the beginning of this blog. (Note to self; Give him a nickname.) My Instagram profile begins a reel – I am in Edmonton, with a broken hand, speaking of the number of views and viewers on my blog. MSIA (My Saudi Instagram Acquaintance) responded:
MSIA: How lovely. It shows how much we love you Alexis .
Me: Thank you my dear. But sometimes I say, it is not so easy being loved.
MSIA: Hahaha, well. We have a saying here. “Your fingers aren’t aligned”. By that I mean you don’t choose the people who love you, some are gonna like even they they don’t know you. But you just got inside of your heart and sometimes the other way. Some people won’t like even they they don’t know ya. Its just an internal feeling or some sort of energy they feel towards and you ?. You’ve got right in our hearts living rent free.
Me: My goodness this message came at exactly the right time and it is going on the blog. I can’t believe it. It is SO timely.
Photos will include the huge heart sticker and the handcrafted Saudi purse. The Instagram reel of Ramadan giving.and the reel of the Edmonton me speaking of my statistics.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CpTbYCypkO8/?igsh=MTlkNHJ5ZTB2cHhuYw==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4qK9U-sNh3/?igsh=N2lic3IzMmd4NTNx
