Morning light

It's such a beautiful day outside

I'm tempted to take you for a ride
Down a highway inside my mind

It's a bumpy road in my head

All the colours seem to be red

And all the pretty people have fled

Into the beauty of the morning light

Clarity

I've been away. I went to see heaven on Earth. South Sinai. (will post pictures soon)

I have learned to appreciate this country more.

I have learned to think straight, and know

I now know

Who I am

What I want

Where I want my life to go.

And I will do everything with a smile.

I will accept the outcomes.

I will never ask myself "What if?"

And I will keep smiling.

The Air of Cairo

It's exceptional
How the wind blows through your hair
That I could only pause and stare

It may be Sceptical
How the wind always blows in the right place
Showing hidden brightness on your face

It's like it carries around your heavenly scent everywhere i go
It's like it passes through imaginary meadows into icy snow
It's like it guides the stream of the river telling it where to flow
It's like it teases all the flowers making them stand in woe
It's the breeze that flows through you into the air of Cairo

We walk, or perhaps we run
Into a life, one that makes us one
A journey with an everglowing sun

Raise your head, smell, or rather taste the breeze
Lay down next to me and let time freeze
Let the wind blow mellow music into our ears

 

 

Here's your song for today:

Aqualung - Strange and Beautiful

Quote of the day!

"Loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable; that one false step involves her in endless ruin; that her reputation is no less brittle than it is beautiful; and that she cannot be too much guarded in her behaviour towards the undeserving of the other sex." - Jane Austen (1775 - 1817), Pride and Prejudice, 1811

I have been in love with this quote for a few days now, I had to post it as a reminder for all women not to let go of their virtue for any reason whatsoever.

Yes, you lose your virtue, you lose yourself.

It goes for us men too in my opinion.

Here's your song for the day:

Dave Matthews Band - JTR

I've just noticed.... I'm 24 and 2 months old today!

Have a pleasant day, and don't forget to smile :)

Found something so precious to me

I was going through my old notes on facebook and i found a post that was written by my girlfriend Sara and I, before we even got together. It's amazes me now that me and her could come up with something so intense!

And yes! we bonded on an intellectual level and sometimes we still do! Here it is:

PS. This was written on Monday, July 23rd 2007 at 2:00 a.m. Cairo Local Time.

Every letter of every word keeps ticking in my head, you know when words are scrambled in your head and all of them just sum up to the same meaning? but who will do the unscrambling? i don't think i even have the will to do that at the moment....

This is not an attempt to set straight all of the words in my head, it's just an attempt to set things straight within me, start writing again, not poetically, but intellectually, yes, connect intellectually with my inner self.

Countless attempts are made and nothing would, could satisfy you...countless maneouvers...countless techniques and you still don't like what you read;
over and over...cross that out, edit this and add that and it's not good enough just yet.

People say i'm blessed with good vocabulary, i think i'm not. I'm just a person whose only refugee is a couple of words written while uttering a couple of sighs in the process, yes, because unfortunately most of my words come out of sadness and shear unhappiness.
In times of doubt and questioning and in those in search of that far off hiding place in my head- in fact when i'm happy, pen and paper are abandoned, mostly. No coincidence would it be, a tear drop on paper...and the ink would bleed.

It's not that i'm an unhappy or depressed person, if you know me quite well, you'd never relate my writings to me, because when i'm outside with the world, you'd constantly hear my laughter and see my shining yellow teeth from miles away, but then, the difference between happy and unhappy is actually a thin line, just like the difference between genius and insane; or that between loving someone enough to hate them; the rage that builds within you for not being able to meet the need...and it leaves you weak. You hate being weak.

Speaking about weakness, have you ever felt so weak around someone that you could swear that this weakness could instantaneously be turned into strength only if your need from being around that person is matched?
So weak that you believe that in their presence you find your strength, in their embrace...your long yearning for home. In that moment home is turned into that relative concept, something more than just a place.
Oh well, forget about it, too complicated, or maybe i'm just overreacting to the thought. I think no one is weak until proven otherwise.

And what's that talk about "the best things in life are for free"?? I must say this is the most gibberish i have ever heard, things that come for free go away in a glimpse, things that are earned are those that matter, the more you fight to get something, the more valuable it is to you and the less likely it is to be lost.
If someone is there for you whenever, no matter what happens between you, if you know it that no matter how you treat them ,or whatever you do to them they're always going to be there for you, it's only natural that you take them forgranted. It's not a matter of ungratefulness, it's the fact that they unconditionally spoil you...... because they were always there "For Free"!
 

Tag!!

I was tagged by BaTaBeeT to do this:

The Rules of the Tag:

• The point is to say a heartfelt ‘Thank God’. So, you’ll have to choose power blessings, ones that really really are endowments, that you couldn’t possibly feel deeper gratitude towards God for. Ones that you feel grateful for, everyday.
• After each blessing, you’ll have to choose one word to describe your state. Examples: “Happy”, “Excited”, “Thankful”, “Humble”. Or, you have to choose any word that comes to your mind after it anyway – one that’ll summarize it all.
• The ones you’d choose are preferred to be special to you, for instance, we all know that ‘Eye Sight’ is an immense blessing, and of course we can list it, but preferably if it has a special meaning to us.
• The number of your blessings should be between 5 and 10.
• After finishing your list, you should write the word: “El7amodellah” in bold, and say it out loud.
• You should tag as many friends as you can – even the ones who don’t blog, inform them that they must comment.
• After that, well, all you do is to be happy and to have ‘Reda’ :)

Here's The List of Things i'm Truly Thankful for:

- I'm thankful for Being a complete human being, in good shape and health. Raised within a complete family. This makes me feel grateful.

- I'm thankful for the special people surrounding me. who have faith in me and who support me all the way.

- I'm thankful for being an artist, even though i'm infamous, it still makes me feel special because artists are different people. and i'm different.

- I'm thankful for the ability to love unconditionally. which frustrates me at most times, but for that i'm a special person.

- I'm thankful for being able to inspire and be inspired. I'm inspired by everything i see.

- I'm thankful for Music. Music is the food for my brain, and my brain is always hungry.

- I'm thankful for you.

- I'm thankful for Laughter. Smiles. and Happiness.

- I'm thankful for education.

- I'm thankful for all the times i failed and stood up again, for i could have never been able to learn better.

- I'm thankful for Tea. I can't live without tea.

so i say THANK GOD for everything الحمد لله على كل شيء

I Tag Sara, Anna, Sarah and Aya 

I've also decided that from now on, with every post i will add a link to a music video that i feel is special to me while i'm typing the post.

So here's your song for today. Enjoy!

John Mayer - Free Fallin'

Gratitude

"Silent Gratitude isn't much use to anyone" - Gladys Bronwyn Stern

 

  

Be thankful. For you are blessed.

You have been blessed with a life and a choice as to how to live it. You have been given options despite the choices you had to make unwillingly. But in the end, it's your life and however it turns out, you are the one who shapes it however is convenient to you and everything around you. Others have no life and no choices.

Be thankful. For you have been blessed with health. 

You have been blessed with a body and a soul. Cherish them. Don't missuse them. For they are your most powerful tools. Till the day you say goodbye.

Be thankful. For you have been blessed with Love.

You have been blessed with love, love is everywhere, love and be loved, love is the nutrition for your soul. Let your soul nourish and embrace the love around you.

Be thankful. For you have been blessed with family and friends.

You have been blessed with people who accept you for who you are. Your goods and bads. And love you all the same.People who miss you when you're away. People who leave a mark on your life forever. People who inspire you. People who make you smile. People who make you cry. And maybe a special person within these people who would do anything possible to make you happy. Know these people. Keep them. Love them as much as they love you. And always make sure they know you are thankful for their presence. Because you never know who will stay. You never know.

Be thankful. For you have been blessed.

Count your blessings. They are surely endless. Keep the good memories. Kill the bad ones. Be grateful. And never forget to show your gratitude. It's healthy for you, and for everyone and everything surrounding you. Because Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.

Be Good. Be happy. Be Thankful

Sometimes....

 

Sometimes life just surprises u with roads you've never thought of taking

People you would have never thought of knowing

Sometimes life scares you

by giving you too many options

by taking away things you've wanted to have forever

but if you come to think of it

these roads

and those people

might just be the things that you need

because eventually the end of that road could be your happy ending

and eventually you would find yourself within those people

So Sometimes.....

it's ok to accept what life offers you

Things she told me (3)

"I love you. And I love how you laugh"

"I only wanted to kiss you on the forehead"

"I believe you're infinitely strong. This too shall pass. It was home seeing you laugh today, i miss your smile..."

"I just miss you"

"I'm in such a good mood, i wish you were here"

"You're my life's greatest blessing. I love you, eternally."

"Maybe i just miss you and you're my only reason to be optimistic"

"I'm happy i have you to call the love of my life, as corny as that sounds."

"simply seeing you makes me feel better."

"I'm insanely in love with you"

"I need you."

"I'm getting too attached to you"

"I would never be able to put definition to how i love you... You redefine that for me in subliminal ways and in the smallest of gestures."

"You could've cried in my arms"

"I want to kiss you"

"I made a boy read!!"

"Sorry for being so childish and clingy"

"Do you want me to cook for you?"

"I'm sorry i overlooked the fact that you're tired"

"I have a screaming urge to love you and stroke your hair to sleep.."

"Mohammed i feel clingy and i hate missing you"

"I think I know the reason behind my good mood. Thank you for being my family and my life"

"I even love our silences"

"Why can't you be here to run your fingers through my hair till i fall asleep?"

"No one is capable of loving you as much as i do!"

"You'll be here before I miss you to death right?"

"Get some rest and dream of me? Daydreaming would do if you have no time to sleep!"

"Did i cross your mind?"

"I could feel it yesterday how much you love me. It was in the air, floating along the Nile, and it was encircling me. Thank you.."

"What if it makes me miss you and cry like a baby?"

"I smell like you"

"I can't sleep, I need to cuddle"

"I'm literally seksek deprived!!"

"I want you to tell me the shade of yellow i wore in your dream"

"You better save up for the engagement rings!"

"I want us back.."

"You called me baby! I love you!"

Dear You,

Where have you gone? It's been so long! and I miss you, I really do.

There's this person where you used to be. I don't like this person. Please come back.

I've been so lonely, and reading your old messages makes me miss you even more.

I know I sound weak saying this. I put up your old messages on my blog in hopes of you reading them and knowing how much I need you. I'm all alone. I need you more than ever. You were my everything and suddenly you left. 

If you're happy where you are and you won't come back please tell me. So that I can go on with my life and put our good memories in my backpack. Just know that I will always love you. And I mean it.

With all the power I've been given to love

Yours Sincerely

Mohammed

Back home, starting over, love?

So I came back home on Saturday and what a wonderful trip that was, Istanbul is definitely on the top of my favourite cities in the world so far (the ones I've been to). It's such an eclectic place with an amazing weather and so much art everywhere. I just loved it. And I would love to go back there someday for a longer trip, maybe with Sara, she's going to love Istanbul I know it. Here are some pictures:

I don't know the name of this mosque

Istiqlal Street

There's pretty much a starbucks everywhere in the world

I haven't been doing much since i got back, spent 2 days in Cairo mostly with Sara and her family, I feel at home with them. And I have also been catching up with my band. We have a few important gigs coming up and we're getting ready to produce our first album to be released by mid 2010. That's Exciting!

Now Sara, as corny as this may sound, is the love of my life by all means. She is a very complex/beautiful/pure person who is the only person in the world who can make me feel extremely happy and feel extremely sad/mad/upset. But I do know for a fact that no one has ever or ever will love me as much as she did. She redefined love for me and for that, and so many other things, I do love her unconditionally.
She got accepted today at the American University in Cairo to do her masters, I am happy, proud and happy, and I am very proud of her, no words can explain really :)

We are getting engaged soon....
I know we are....Life will smile at us again, at me.
And keep smiling....because I have had enough, really, enough!
And I want to be happy...and I want her to be happy, happier than she has ever been, and stay that way. Me and her, like it used to be, like it should be.

Dear Life,

Please smile back at me.

Thank You

Yours Sincerely,
Mohammed J.

Istanbul

My flight is around 3 hours from now, I'm sitting at a coffee place in heliopolis waiting for the girl to come spend some time with me and then drop me at the airport before she goes to work.

This morning I feel so fresh, my mood is bubbly, not only because i'm going to Turkey for the weekend but because I think I've become more aware of what I want (as in what i want to do with my life) . I still haven't figured it all out yet but I think I'm getting there, which made me wake up this morning with a smile on my face. And i feel psyched.

It's my second time to visit Istanbul, only the first time it was a 18-hour transit so i didn't really get to "visit" the City. This time i'm staying for 2 days. I'm singing in a Sami Yusuf concert (I'm a member of his Choir).
Being in Sami's band is a great experience for me, not only do I get to tour around with him, but I also get to educate myself very much musically, which really shows when i apply what i learn in the music i make with my own band Salalem, and in my other side projects in music. It's fascinating really.

Now Istanbul is a very beautiful city in my opinion, European but Oriental, Capital of a Muslim Country with a western taste. I've always been a fan of eclectic things, and Turkey IS an eclectic Country.

The only problem is that most Turkish people i've met when I was there the last time don't really speak English, and I am not familiar with the Turkish language. So it gets a bit difficult to communicate. Still, i do love this country and it's one of those places that you would always want to pay a visit to.

This picture is breathtaking:

Then again, wherever I go, I always miss Egypt. Because Egypt is a disease that you can neither live with nor without. Once you've caught the disease, it's there forever, Egypt pulls you back and I'm not just saying this, EVERYONE who has truly lived here for a period not less than a year know exactly what I'm talking about here.

Sara should be here any moment now and I need to get ready to leave. Turkey, Here I come!

P.S. I'm going to miss you, I know it and i hate knowing it.

I Think..

I think I may be thinking too much
I think of everything all at once
I think of why I'm always the crutch
I think of when we lost that touch

I think of days of carelessness
I think I want that back again
I think of times of happniess
How thinking was so effortless

I think you took me for granted
When you thought I'd tolerate this
I think the world got wrongfully enchanted
I think that love is usually implanted


I think of going on a stage
I think of any stage as a home
I think of singing till I'm 40 in age
I think I possess a dangerous rage

I think you should stop thinking about that
I think that things happen for a reason
I think you should appreciate where you're at
I think thinking should be wide, not flat



I think, sometimes, of buying her coffee
I find pleasure in small gestures
I think surprizes make me happy
I think no one takes care of me

I think of holding my first child
For what a great father I'll be
I think of how much I'll be beguiled
I think of a smile, I'll smile, she'll smile

I think a smile goes a long way
I think that you should smile too
I think if you smile, it will go away
Smile my friend, and everything will smile back at you

:)