Eid!

Welcome EID!

Eid is when you forget the negative and focus on positive. Sharing is caring!

Eid al-Fitr is also known as the Feast of Fast-Breaking or the Lesser Feast. It marks the end of Ramadan and the start of a feast that lasts up to three days in most of the countries it is one of Islam’s two major festivals, with Eid al-Adha being the other major festival. Eid al-Fitr celebrates the end of the fasting that occurs during Ramadan.  

Crisp new notes of money are given to others especially young children!

Muslims around the world wait eagerly for this day, it bring s them closer to their family and friends and to those living around them! Well, what I really wait for is the money (Eidi) basically, on Eid people who are older than you are supposed to give you a gift, 99% of the time it's money. Sometimes when they don't give me Eidi, I become really sad as the Eidi is the top highlight on the Eid! I mean, I'm still a teenager and people in my family who are younger than me don’t ask Eidi from me. I am just two or three years older than them!

Most of the time, whenever someone comes to our house on Eid, he/she gives us money probably ranging from £5-£15... It’s not much but I appreciate what I get :D My father last year gave me £50! I know, for some it might be nothing, but to me it was fantastic! My mum only gave me £10 as she doesn't have a job. I gave my brother £5; he's just three years younger than me that's why! I think this Eid, I'm might not get a lot of money...

Women do Henna on their hands on this joyful event! With different designs and patterns to bring out the bright colour of henna.

One of the best things on Eid (for females) is that we get to do henna! Now, some might call it Mehndi as well. Its type of a tradition in many countries, on Eid, many younger girls and female of any age draw different designs and patterns! When I was younger, I didn't know how to do Henna. Although one of my cousins knew, but she would always do her sisters' hands first, I would always get so annoyed because I knew she didn't even want to do Henna on my hands! Most of the time, she would always make excuses about how she can't be bothered to do henna and blah blah blah.

Many can't do the henna themselves, so they go to the market and women do it for them for different amount of money.

Many females sit in different Markets (bazaars) and they open a stall. Many females visit those stalls so that those women could do Henna on their hands. Since its Eid, many of those workers charge extra because they know that people will surely pay! Even if they charge more, it is all worth it because at the end when they finish the design, one could see the exotic patterns! Many people have Books which include Henna designs, from those books people can chose whatever type of design they want. Most of the time, many women do Henna up to their elbows!

The delicious food to share with others!

When it comes to the food, there are always stalls everywhere in markets! It mostly includes Chaat, Samosa, Dahi Baday, Qeema and many other traditional food of that country. They put up those stalls because before the Eid day, at night many people go to shopping malls to shop. That night is called "Chand Raat" if translated in English it means "Moon Night" On that night, many women buy the remaining things that they might want for Eid such as jewellery or shoes etc. 

The sizzling of those traditional foods and recipes!

The sizzling of the food makes the environment even more exciting! When I was back in my country, I went to the shopping malls only once. I was with my mum, though it was a great experience, but I never want to go there. I think it's because there were too many people! All of them are rushing and there is too much noise! I'm the kind of person who hates being squashed between people and I really hate loud places!

Buying different colour of  jewellery to match it with their Clothes!

When it comes to the shopping for Eid, women have to have matching jewellery with their clothes! Many of them chose large earrings and those ones that stand out! There are different varieties of earrings; younger girls tend to go for those little ones which don’t weigh much; though the older women go for the more expensive looking ones and those which can attract more attention! Personally, I really love wearing larger earrings because even if your clothes don’t have much detail but you earrings can win the show!

Mainly young girls buy bangles made out of glass to match it with their chosen outfits!

If you have ever gone shopping for Eid and if you're a female, you would know that your Eid outfit without those glass bangles are incomplete! I mean, the sound of those bangles and the designs on them always makes you buy them no matter what! I always preferred bangles which are made out of glass than the bangles made out of other materials. It's just the sound of it, when you wear them and when you shake your arms, Eid becomes more real. 

Buying clothes and choosing them is really hard as there are a lot to chose from!

Many people now chose ready made clothes, which mean that it is already made and they don't have to bother to give it to the tailor to get it sewed. Personally, I like it when I have given my clothes to the tailor because then I am eagerly waiting for it to arrive and it makes me even more pumped up and freaking excited! This year, I went shopping with my mum and dad and bought myself clothes, though I still have to buy other things and Eid is tomorrow :'( I hate when I'm late at buying things because while I'm here getting stressed others are outside going out with their family and friends!

Anyhow, if you're a Muslim, then Eid Mubarak! And if you're not, then don't worry because your Muslim friends will surely give you treats (well that's what I do anyway) 

Take Care! Peace x

Trying to Appreciate more...

“Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough” 
― Oprah Winfrey

We start our day by waking up from the sound of our alarms (well most of us) we wake up, in grumpy moods, trying our hardest not to fall asleep as we struggle. We do our morning routine, eat breakfast or just rush out of our house! 

We don't even Thank God for what He has given us. I do know many don't believe in any kind of Religion...but at least we could be thankful for what we have. Setting your alarm at 7:00 Am so that you could wake up to go to your work. That's called hope. When we wake up, we don't even appreciate it that we are alive. We are so busy in life that we aren't even grateful for what we have, and we cry for little stupid materialistic things that we didn't even own on first place.

I try to be thankful, though it is really hard to appreciate a lot of things in life but I try my best. Why is it so hard to appreciate things in life? I have family, friends, food, shelter, education and many things that other people might not have. Why do I still seek for more? Human Nature it is. You see, us humans, we always want more! We don't even care about what we have. 

We don't even tell our parents how much we love them, but when they die, we give money to charity for their souls, we pray for them. What is the use of all that then? We sometimes shout at them, telling them that we are "grown up" now! That they should stop telling us what to do! But we never realise the privilege of having parents... we never realise that someone out there, cry and weep for the love of their parents, but they don't get the warmth of the hugs, they don't get the unconditional love from their parents. It is because either their parents are dead or they really don't care about them at all.

When we have so much, we always take it for granted. The luxury (and yes it is a luxury!) of "enough" is never enough... well until it's taken away from you. Deep down we all know how selfish we are! We never have enough. Why do we keep on asking for more when we can't even be thankful for what we have? Why can't we just sit in silence and look around us! Look around, we are living in a house; we have clean clothes to wear; we have hot meals to eat more than 3 times a day; we have comfy beds that we sleep on; we have a shelter that many people dream of!

Learn to appreciate what you have, before time makes you appreciate what you had!

Your nightmares are someone else's Dreams.

Here, I have linked a Youtube video.

Information: Ramadan is a Holy month in Islam; where one has to fast for about 30 days. It is the ninth month of the Muslim year, during which strict fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset. You're not allowed to eat or drink during this period of time.

Best of luck everyone! Remember to tell your family, friends or who ever you care for, that you love them. They won't always be by your side.

☺ Take care x Peace

My Childhood and How I Don't freaking want to GROW UP!

My Childhood...

I was always the shy kid. I was the one who wouldn't talk that much. Although I was shy, I remember having few friends and always having fun with them. In school, we would sit around and gossip even during the lessons! "Oh did you know she isn't friend with ______" "She is so weird!" We used to have a lot of fun. You know, whenever you're young, you just want to grow up! Grow up because you didn't want people to be the boss of you. Grow up because you thought having a full-time job would make you happy. It seems like time doesn't wait for you. Time. Time is so cruel, it takes away your childhood. 

Always sitting next to my best friend in my all of my classes. Not even paying attention. Looking around, fooling with other friends. I sure do miss those days. I always used to sit next to my cousin in all of my classes. Whenever a new year started, we would both sit next to each other. One time when we were talking a lot, the teacher separated us both. We cried! Due to our crying, the teacher had to put us both together again! 

Looking back, I sometimes think that I wish there was a time machine so I could re-live the moments that I miss the most. I wasn't actually a bright student! I was one of those who would fail mostly the entire test, but in the exams I would barely pass. Let's say the passing marks were 60 out of 100 and I would get 59! Though it all changed when I reached year 7! I don't know what happened but I started to pay more attention in my classes. 

I remember that whenever I failed my test, my teacher would beat me with stick! It used to hurt a lot. My hand would get bruises. Black; blue; purple. They would get so sore that whenever I touched it, it would sting like hell! But now, I would do anything to go back; say Hi to my friends and say how much I miss them... I have lost all contacts with them. It really sucks! 

I just don't want to grow up! I mean, I know growing up means you are more mature, you can take care of yourself.... but I don't want to. I’m always thinking about going to University, then finding a job. Frightening. I don't get it! Since I'm super duper shy, I think it would be much harder for me to find new friends, let alone finding a job. Life is like a cycle. You grow up, go to school; college, then university where the government pulls your whole body into debt! Then you spend your whole life giving that money back. You would be spending your nights and days earning money so that you won't end up on the streets dying. Such a cruel place the Earth is. I know, I know, I should be thankful to be having the privilege to get education, getting a job, having a place to live. I'm so thankful, but it's in our nature to always question why things can't be our way.

If things were in my hand, I would make sure that I spend more time with friends than in school because at the end of the day, ten years from now, when you look back, you won't laugh and smile because you got higher grades, you would laugh at the moments you spent with your friends, those lessons that you bunked with friends... the list goes on. 

All I want to say is that even though you're growing up, you should take a day off. You don't have to spend it with your friends or family (but if you do that would be GREAT!) and go out somewhere. Give yourself a treat; don't be too hard on yourself. Go on a picnic, spend time with nature. And spend less time criticising yourself like I do! Love yourself. Take risks because at the end, we always regret the things that we haven't done.

Peace and Take Care x