'There's a place, quite enchanting, Nageen," said Nana Azlan.
Nageen stared up at him. His eyes twinkled as they did when he was about to say something amazing. She knew it because of he always said amazing things. Her grandfather's leathery hand held a dark, steaming mug in hand while she felt his other hand caress her hair. "Where is it?" She whispered.
He smiled gently. "Out there." He pointed towards the far-fetched trees. The foliage stood dark in the background against the misty sky, but there she knew, was an adventure calling her. "Ooh," she skipped towards the window. She leaned forward, pressing her nose to the cool glass. "There? Out in the woods? But would Mama ever allow me?"
Lips twisting, Nana Azlan shrugged. "Oh, I don't know, Nageen. But I allow you. Make sure to come home with a poem or two!"
"Sure will!" She answered back, grabbing her woven basket as she planned on bringing a lot more than just poems to her grandpa. She realized the adventure was not so far, and that perhaps the enchanting place her grandpa told her was just one of his jokes to pull her out of her boredom.
Little did she think that the stone platforms she would stumble upon were indeed the parts where her heart would connect to something most enchanting ever.
You Are, yet You Are Not.
The flinching feeling of holding out your hand
Because you believe you are
And the tug of your sleeve to have it all pulled back
Because then... you are not
That irresistible heart to plunge and break through the door
Then that unsettled buzz to creep back inside and succumb to the floor
Because you are
Then you are not
Because you are confident,
Yet not always
You are brave,
Yet not always
You are Love
Yet not always
You are shining
Yet not always
And then... if thought right, can you ever
Ever define yourself as one?
Can you ever be good and just good?
Or couldn't you have made a few mistakes here and there?
Can you ever be a showstopper and just that?
Or could you have drowned in a well and stayed there?
Can you ever be stable and just that?
Or could you have lost yourself in regret and sorrow and decided to just stand there?
You are and yet you are not
You've arrived and yet you have not arrived
You've still a lot to learn
But what if...
Good always outweighs evil?
No, not what if-
It is.
Your shining, bright days will always shine brighter than the times your days fogged.
Your love-filled heart will always weigh heavier than the times tiredness wreaked your arms
Your happiness will always be remembered much greater, even on the days you cry
Because we all hate goodbyes but we all appreciate the hi's.
You Are Brave, Confident, Loved, Sincere, Strong and Yet You Are Not Always
And that is fine.
And the real strength is not to arrive at that point...
Real strength is the urge to seek it. The urge to never giving up even in your lows.
Allah never gave up on you, so why should you?
Because You Are His, and guess what?
You will always be His.
Just takes your heart to accept it.
- e . a
_____
May not be in the type of style you're all used to but Nageen gets what her Nana (grandfather) wants and that's all that matters ✨
May Allah bless you all and keep you all strong, sincere, consistent in your goals and better Muslims than ever before. It's time we bring change but also realize that mistakes happen and that's what makes you human. What makes you further human is to accept that, repent and get back up and get going again 💪 we've heard it, read it many times but that's how true it is and that's how many times we need to hear it.
Asalamualaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu
YOU ARE READING
Written in Stone | ✔︎
PoetryWhen times come in the rough, the elders leave behind a carved manuscript, with words of wisdom, to help cope, with the darkness that curdles around the innocent souls When hope seems to be dying, the stone is found yet again With carved poetry...