Most of the time on social media, we follow people and their journey’s through a series of updates and pictures that gives us a peek into their minds and their lives. Half of them we’ve left behind in school. Some, we have stumbled pass in the hallways and cafeterias of college. Others we have met while forging our careers. While some we have bonded with through our journey towards motherhood.
Each friendship forged in times and phases that are different…where WE are different. When we needed different things from the companions by our side…Adventure, finding ourselves, heartbreak, rebellions, getting back on track, gentle coaxing in the right direction, betrayal. Until eventually our souls become calm and silent. And our interactions with people is not merely a means to help discover things about ourselves, and we look upon the world with a different set of eyes, and we are able to see beyond form and faces and find the beauty in people’s souls…
Fazila and I have been social media friends for quite a few years. You could say we met on the status of a mutual friend, though I can’t be sure who made the first move 😉 To me, Fazila has always come across as driven…a go getter! Self-confident and self assured. Something I found lacking in myself. But as social media would have it, updates and pictures only shows a portion of our journey’s, and it wasn’t until Fazila joined the blogging world that I managed discover a little more about what lies beneath the digital persona I had come to know.
Behind her infectious smile and enthusiasm for fitness, I found someone who was burdened with her own history. I discovered an individual who lost her mother at a young age, and in that, felt like she lost out on life too. Who took it upon herself to look after her siblings when Life seemed to have handed them a raw deal. Who stared in the face of adversity…and overcame it. Who didn’t become a slave to her circumstances, but rather used it to propel herself to succeed. I discovered a woman with guts and courage and a helluva good sense of humour!
So…what makes Fazila beautiful to me? Fazila possesses an energy that is both inviting and contagious. Her beauty lies in her vibrant personality and her quirky sense of humour. It’s lies in the fact that she hasn’t allowed her circumstances to define her, but rather redefined her circumstances. It’s her strength and determination and as she so aptly puts it, her “ability to fly kick problems into the air”. She isn’t afraid to deviate from the status quo and in her own unique way, she is making her mark, finding her way, and chasing her dreams!
So, Fazila, what makes You beautiful?
I struggled to write about this because there’s not a single character trait that I possess which makes me feel beautiful. A lot of what I feel about myself and how it affects my appearance is negative. My husband says I’m my own worst critic. But, if I was pushed to it, my strength, willpower & determination to accomplish goals and achieve success when faced with challenges: these are attributes closest to making me feel beautiful. What makes another woman beautiful in my eyes are these same things. Just add to that confidence and self assuredness. I’ll get there one day. Insha Allah. I suppose I have to maintain a positive outlook. And stop beating myself up about things that are beyond my control.
You are beautiful Fazila…inside and out!
Peace,
NAMU 🙂