Margaret Atwood:Part I

“The past has become discontinuous, like stones skipped across water, like postcards: I catch an image of myself, a dark blank, an image, a blank.”  -Margaret Atwood, Cat’s Eye (322)

“Knowing too much about other people puts you in their power, they have a claim on you, you are forced to understand their reasons for doing things and then you are weakened.”-Margaret Atwood, Cat’s Eye (233)

“But who can remember pain, once it’s over? All that remains of it is a shadow, not in the mind even, in the flesh. Pain marks you, but too deep to see. Out of sight, out of mind.”-Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale

Provisions by Margaret Atwood

What should we have taken with us?

We never could decide on that; or what to wear,

or at what time of year we should make the journey
So here we are in thin raincoats and rubber boots
On the disastrous ice, the wind rising
Nothing in our pockets
But a pencil stub, two oranges

Four Toronto streetcar tickets
and an elastic band

holding a bundle of small white filing cards

printed with important facts.

Poetry by Javed Akhtar: Ik baat honton tak hai

By: Javed Akhtar

Ik baat honton tak hai jo aayi nahin

Bas ankhon say hai jhaankti

Tumse kabhi, mujhse kabhi

Kuch lafz hain woh maangti

Jinko pehanke honton tak aa jaaye woh …

Aawaaz ki baahon mein baahein daalke ithlaye woh

Lekin jo yeh ik baat hai

Ahsas hi ahsas hai

Khushboo si hai jaise hawa mein tairti

Khushboo jo be-aawaaz hai

Jiska pata tumko bhi hai

Jiski khabar mujhko bhi hai

Duniya se bhi chupta nahin

Yeh jaane kaisa raaz hai

In English

There is a matter that has almost come to my lips

This is evident in my eyes

Sometimes from you, sometimes from me

They ask for words

To take their shape and come to my lips

And to be embraced by my voice

But this matter Is a feeling…only a feeling

Floating in air like fragrance

Fragrance becomes its voice

That you know of

That I know of

It’s not hidden from the world

Don’t know what kind of secret is this

Highest attainment

By: Ellen G. White

The Lord regarded with approval the firmness and self-denial of these Hebrew youth, and His blessing attended them. He “gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.” – {Te 154.2}

 

In order to reach the highest standard of moral and intellectual attainments, it is necessary to seek wisdom and strength from God, and to observe strict temperance in all the habits of life…It shows us that through religious principle young men may triumph over the lusts of the flesh, and remain true to God’s requirements, even though it cost them a great sacrifice. – {Te 154.3}

Daniel: An example

By: Ellen G. White

On Daniel:

A Faultless Character—Daniel was subjected to the severest temptations that can assail the youth of today; yet he was true to the religious instruction received in early life. He was surrounded with influences calculated to subvert those who would vacillate between principle and inclination; yet the word of God presents him as a faultless character. Daniel dared not trust to his own moral power. Prayer was to him a necessity. He made God his strength, and the fear of God was continually before him in all the transactions of his life. – {Te 152.3}
Daniel possessed the grace of genuine meekness. He was true, firm, and noble. He sought to live in peace with all, while he was unbending as the lofty cedar wherever principle was involved. In everything that did not come in collision with his allegiance to God, he was respectful and obedient to those who had authority over him; but he had so high a sense of the claims of God that the requirements of earthly rulers were held subordinate. He would not be induced by any selfish consideration to swerve from his duty. – {Te 153.1}

New York: A rainy Friday, after a sick week

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Hi everyone. Here is a personal post. I thought today merited one. My friends who follow, tell me they really like my personal posts, and I don’t post often on things just pertaining to me. But here goes:

Today, was awesome. It was a strangely relaxing day. It was absolutely pouring, and it is 64 degrees right now (Farenheit for my awesome followers in other countries. 17.77 C–I think.), which is warm compared to last weekend’s 38 degrees. (I wore to church last saturday tights, a long and covering outfit, a coat, scarf and hat–get the picture?)

I went to this fabulous store called Trader Joe’s and bought veggies and tomatoes. DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN SINCE I BOUGHT TOMATOES?? Everywhere I went, they were so expensive. So now, I found a place where I can buy them. And APPLES!!!

I found these awesome Tofu-pea-carrot nuggets which I made today, and I ate them with a huge yummy salad. (I have decided this week, that though I am a vegetarian-practically vegan, I am going to make an even bigger effort to be vegan.

I also went to whole foods and found an air neutralizer and something to disinfect my living space since I have been sick as a dog this week. It is called “Air Scense,” and I got it in orange. I love it.

This Monday, I was sitting in Civ Pro with the sniffles and a tissue in hand. Everyone around me, I am sure was getting nervous and praying because no one wants to get sick. As the day progressed I got sicker. In my only break, I ate lunch and ran to a pharmacy because I realized that even though I have taken Echinacea all month (good to strengthen the immune system), it was not going to hold me up. I bought Tylenol Cold and Flu Severe. I suffered through Legal Writing (from 4:30-7:30). I was cold and fighting a fever. I was shaky even– not fun. I went home, and I just wanted to cry. Makeup didn’t even help me that day. With concealed and a bright eyeliner, I still looked like death.

Tuesday to Thursday I was on meds. I am not used to pills and stuff so, all the swallowing made me nauseated. I was trying to keep my eyes open, even though it is nondrowsy. Crazy week–but today was really relaxing. I didn’t read. I got my sleep, cleaned, went food shopping, which I really like now.

This week I even took cold-hot showers (which are good for immune system/circulation). I didn’t even have to try. The dorm showers are so fickle. I would try to make it hotter and it would go colder. I guess this is my training for an internship in a place with no hot water–good to be prepared for anything.

I am hoping a friend will come to visit today, and I am waaay better. My voice is still weird. whenever I get sick or sleep deprived, my voice changes. It gets deeper than it already is and raspy. We call it my sexy voice. My math teacher in high school said it was my Marilyn Monroe “Happy Birthday Mr. President” voice.

But I am feeling way way better!

Anyway, I love Trader Joe’s, and the rainy weather was not so bad. I looked hilarious in my green poncho with my green grocery cart.

Thank you God for this relaxing and good day. I saw the sunshine today even though the sun wasn’t even out.

A good day to be alive, I tell you.

Rain, I won’t even ask you to go away. Because it is warm, you have permission to stay.

 

 

Shaadi!

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Congratualtions to Kareena Kapoor (now: Kapoor Khan) and Saif Ali Khan! They were married today in Mumbai. What a pair! To see some photos from the wedding, you can click here. Below is my favorite song of the two.

Other than that, there is nothing else to say except may God give them happiness for the rest of their lives, and may they always say ‘Shukran Allah,’ for the love He has given to them.

If they have kids, they will be gorgeous.

All right, I am out to read some civ pro before night falls.

Namaste!

Improvement

 

By: Ellen G. White

God desires all who believe in Him to feel the necessity of improvement. Every intrusted faculty is to be improved. Not one is to be neglected. As God’s husbandry and building, man is under His supervision in every sense of the word; and the better he becomes acquainted with his Maker, the more sacred will his life become in his estimation…. – {Te 143.1}

The world should be no criterion for us. It is fashionable to indulge the appetite in luxurious food and unnatural stimulants, thus strengthening the animal propensities and crippling the growth and development of the moral faculties. There is no encouragement given to any of the sons or daughters of Adam that they may become victorious overcomers in the Christian warfare unless they decide to practice temperance in all things. If they do this, they will not fight as one that beateth the air. – {Te 145.2}