being qaali

“We live in a society where the “nothing” (shopping, watching TV) has become a “something” and the “something” (relaxing, meditating, sharing) has become a void in need of being filled.” – Frank Barat, On Palestine

I struggle a lot with not editing myself. Allowing my words to flow with no political correctness. We not only live in a time where people are just offended 24/7 but also a time where we applaud & celebrate mediocrity, we consume shallow and static information, we talk for the sake of talking. I observe a lot and I try to be informed in how I relay information, so when it comes to this writing thing it can be a struggle sometimes.

I remember a time where opening up a lifestyle magazine would mean reading stories behind cuisines, craftmanship, people’s stories and now posting a photo on Instagram and tagging brands is lifestyle blogging? Please in the comments sections let me know where I am going wrong because as much as the internet is an incredible place of connection, learning, information etc, it’s also a place of misinformation, quick satisfaction and procrastination. There’s a lot of noise to get through.

We have this slice of time on this planet that is ours to live and do. I totally get the appeal of shopping and watching your favourite shows, but I gotta admit it saddens me when I see young people who live vicariously through these ‘influencers’ and ‘personalities’ because the information that they are sharing, the wave that they are on is not productive or in betterment of you, the consumer, it’s for the betterment of themselves.

We don’t stop and listen to ourselves anymore. We don’t pray, meditate, relax anymore. Even when we do, it’s like ‘self-care’ is a fad, and even then we need to talk about doing it. The external is what we rush to decorate, and we ignore our interior. Don’t judge a book by its cover has become, a books cover is all you need to see. We don’t prioritise sharing our time and energy with others. Historically we are of a people of community, connectedness and spirituality but colonialism, capitalism and fast consumption brought about a lot of societal ills that we face today, we’re in a state of toxicity. It’s wild because the number of people that tell me ‘oh you’re deep’ or ‘you’re so wise for your age’ is mind-boggling to say the least. I’m not special, I just people watch, read and think a lot. I refuse to believe that my ‘fake-deepness’ as I like to call it, is anything special, because then that means we as a generation are lacking.

I think it’s incredibly important for us to slow down in life. I don’t believe that our minds and bodies were made for quick changes, that’s why evolution takes centuries not months. We need time to absorb, learn, grow, adapt to become a better version of ourselves. Of yourself. You get this finite time to live a fulfilled life, stop fearing the failures, set-backs and just do in a mindful manner. Be in tune with your heart, mind and gut. Align yourself to your own spirit.

Inward then outward.

The Homecoming Series