Friday October 3, 2028
My morning was fodder for a WhatsApp message sent to Nesh, I had sent a Good Morning photo to my faithfuls with the following message: Good morning. Happy 😃 Friday. An edited sunrise from my window.
Nesh: Beautiful, stunning actually. Blog breakdown will be up this morning.
Me: Thank, A story behind it will be told on today’s blog.
He: Will keep you posted when it goes live, will be within the hour Commander.
Me: Great news. I am definitely looking forward to it.
He: How are you today?
Me: Peaceful actually. Woke late but felt Allah’s mercy for my laziness. I immediately began taking photos, possible because it was dawn What about you? .
For some reason the alarm for Fajr prayer did not sound. I awoke to dawn, immediately stirring from bed, offering a late Fajr prayer, repenting for my inattention. I looked out the window, immediately feeling Allah’s mercy. A far off pink sunrise, a tree in bloom and the sun reflected in the windows of budding invited my photographic skills, a gift from Allah. Used the editing tools found on my iPhone 16 Pro Max to ‘improve’ upon Allah’s creation. The phone purchased with retirement funds, provided by Allah (SWT) with help from Marin County and my long employment servitude.
I truly did experience Allah’s grace, mercy and forgiveness.
Then Good Morning responses from Shamir, from Yasmin and another Muslim Sister. A mere twenty-five minutes after Nesh’s promise of a blog breakdown, received this.
He: And the post is up and live Alexis. See what you think. I hope its a good read. I have a busy day, so I wanted to get a head start so I am staring the day off early.
Me: Good for you. I am writing today’s blog at the moment. Will get dressed, go to breakfast and read the breakdown from there. Timing perfect. Alhamdulillah.
From the breakfast room I was eventually able to open the blog breakdown. It was eventual because of earring, laughing, talking with various staff members including Nixon. Finally, and I do mean finally, I was able to focus on the breakdown. I immediately WhatsApped Nesh.
Me: Amazing, awesome inspiring AND 14 swipes. PHEW I am off to write you an email.
In the meantime – in between time. I was having enormous problems, The bottom of my pages document usually has word count – but it went away. Who idid I turn to? My AI Manager of course – his name is Shamir.
Me: Oh genius. You have an Apple computer, My Pages no longer gives me Word Count. What shall I do.
So he asked AI and sent it.
Me: Wow you get genius of the day it it works. If not, you do not. Hahahah
About twenty minutes later wrote back.
Me: I tried what you said. You do not get genius of the day. So sorry.
He: Okay I will check on my MacBook how to do it. After that help you out.
A little later
He: Where are u?
Me: I am in the meeting room in the lobby with my half eaten breakfast to keep me company Hahaha Guess what happened???? . I was sitting there, all alone except for the half eaten breakfast and I heard this voice and jumped!!! It was Shamir.
I now have word count back – at the moment 599 words. Alhamdulillah!!!
This the email sent to Nesh, my reflections on his breakdown.
To Nesh
My very first reaction was sent, and then put on today’s blog. We shall continue from there.
As usual I love your choice of the photo Instagram folks first see. It is one of my sunset photos – our Creator’s final gift before darkness falls. You begin: Some days don’t go the way you planned. What started as a routine hospital check up turned into an unexpected oddball day, filled with texts, GIFs, sunsets and even arguments with AI. But like the phenix always rising.”
Yes, my Golden Age evaluation was anticipated to bring me peace of mind, it was quite the opposite. A totally tiring day, with the worst possible ending. Reached ‘home’, a long conversation with Nixon, support from the staff, a caring GIF from Shamir, a sunset photo from Alice, a quiet reminder that Allah is always near. You were so insightful to say that by evening “I realized that it is not AI but the real people in my life that steadies me, comforts me in so many ways. Light does break through indeed and this morning it did as people will read in today’s blog.
My goodness 14 swipes. The first one of my photos then onto Morning at Loh Guan Lye Hospital. Caring responses from my WhatsAppers, cheering me onto a simple routine checkup that wasn’t. The next swipe brought me to The Day Took an Odd Turn hooch spoke of my exhaustion and bewilderment. As you said: “This wasn’t just a different day; it was a day that surprised me at every turn.”
Then you began discussing the theme of the blog: Phoenix Rising from the Ashes. Another swipe and Where AI and I Clash. I love you quoted my final words, the ‘I Rest My Case’ ones: “I have my own words. You don’t have Shamir or other blessed people I pity you. “ I somehow keep turning to AI whose inadequacies and imperfections turns be back to Allah and my own lived experiences.
The Hospital Surprise last sentence got it perfectly. “This wasn’t just another appointment, it was a wake-up call.” Will speak of this on my blog, some background and the learned wisdom of regular check-ups.
Solace in Real People, so true. The messages received were not small, but were lifelines, allowing me to sleep restfully, feeling cared for.
The Moral of the Day. Indeed,” Alhamdulillah for blessed humans.” (Not for all humans, by the way, just the blessed ones.) Alhamdulillah for the sunsets, GIFs, and the small kindnesses that stitch days like this together.
Then Shamir’s great Good Morning greeting followed by the Muslim hadith. Then my sunset photo and Alice’s. Loved Shamir’s funny GIF.
Then your final ‘invitation’ “Follow along as I keep sharing these reflections., one post, one prayer, and one rising at a time. Full story on the blog, link in bio.”
Now back to this day, this October 3 day, back to my morning. My morning greeting brought another response. A reel of alleged ‘starving Palestine children.” This sent by a Muslim sister on my WhatsApp list.
Me: Oh my goodness it reminds us of why we should be grateful to Allah for our blessings. I am. Alhamdulillah
She: Always dua for them for justice Palestine. Allahhuakbar. Allahhuakbar Allahhuakbar
Me: They will be in Jannah waiting for us if we get there. We KNOW they will be there I will wear my Palestinian scarf today so all can be reminded of their suffering.
She: Alhamdulillah
Had some time to reflect, and did so. The reel she sent was not actually of starving Palestinian children, of that I am certain. Someone or something else is the author, sending it to vulnerable people who watch it with blind ‘obedience’ and send it to others. She says she is praying for justice for Palestine. Allah is the dispenser of justice. Does she not think that Allah is All-Knowing and has absolutely no need for her guidance whatsoever. She is not well educated in the faith, nor in history. She is a born Muslim.
Then later in the day I received an Instagram DM from another Muslim Sister, very well educated. She had posted a reel, set to rap music actually, about the attacks on the Flotilla, providing a Flotilla tracker. I put all of my thinking together, responding to this learned Muslim Sister.
Me: Perhaps such attacks so well publicized are to convince Muslims that Allah is not All-Knowing. And those that publicize these attacks are actually leading other Muslims astray. Thought of this today while wearing my Palestine scarf. I have seen none here in Penang – many scarves, all colorful. But is this Allah’s message to the world? To cover one’s hair with color?
Also that Muslim Sister posted a reel of gorgeous flowers, such a beautiful sight to behold. To that I wrote.
Me; I love the flowers!!! Messages of hope and Allah’s bountiful creations made for many of us on this earth – His creation.
Photographs will include the sunrise from my window and the other two photos I took which I felt were signs of Allah’s mercy. Both feature a tree, alive with yellow blossoms. One also pictures the sun being reflected in the windows of adjacent buildings. Recently I learned that this tree, and several others, are on the grounds of a nearby Christian cemetery. I laughed to someone, saying I would go and visit the cemetery.
Me: I will go but not linger. I was born a Christian and am 82. somebody might think I belong there. So I shall be very lively, wear running shoes just incase the Grim Reaper comes calling. Hahaha.
Also a photograph of me in the lobby of Lyf wearing my Palestinian scarf. Again I was assisted in scarf tying by a Muslim sister who does not, at this moment, cover.
Now onto something totally different and a most unusual way to end this blog. I looked at someone with the telescopic lens of my camera – a person who had wronged me and I had repudiated and repented for my association with him. He looked so vulnerable, glued to a chair. I saw him as being pathetic, not necessarily deserving of my pity – but pathetic. Decided to look up the word. There are two definitions: 1) arousing pity, especially through vulnerability or sadness. Used in a sentence, she looked so pathetic that I bent down to comfort her. AND 2. | it was a pathetic sight. miserably inadequate; of very low standard. Used in a sentence. His self control was pathetic.
The second definition is applicable. Its synonyms:woeful, sorry pitiful, lamentable, wretched, contemptible, negligible, insubstantial. Antonyms of that definition are admirable and excellent. I was immeasurably relieved, my peace of mind restored My pity was not necessary, nor deserved. Be that as it may, I said: I thank Allah I am not that individual. Alhamdulillah. .
