To my baby elephant;

((even though you're certainly not reading this right now))

You know Fariha, it feels like just yesterday we were in the hospital; you wrapped up in a pink blanket, warm in my arms. But here you are, finally one year old, healthy and round with such chubby cheeks. It's funny you know, how you're a late bloomer like me and Fareeda, how we're all born in the month of snow.

Fariha, even though I always become mean to you when we're in front of strangers, and tease you or scold you or yell at you or pinch your cheeks or find any other possible way to make you cry, you should know that I love you, with all my heart.

Yepp that's pretty much it. I probably owe you tons of apologies for being super mean but then again you owe me big time for feeding you and showering you and changing your diapers and all that stuff, so yeah we're pretty much even. Ha ha ha.

Happy birthday chubbs. May Allah bless you always. I'll always love you. ((unless you eat my food sis that's just crossing the line))

So uhm.. I started this year's December a little different from the rest, with less excitement for my birthday, more drama, more grief.

To be specific, with news of the death of a very dear friend of mine. The last time I saw him, —my dear friend— was seven years ago, back in America. I haven't heard much from him over these past few years, not from his twin; Hajar, either. Just that he and his family moved to Dubai. And suddenly there it was, a post on Facebook, stating that Allah took him from this world. Stating that Allah loves him more.

It's odd how things like these happen. One minute you're on top of the world, celebrating, laughing, having the time of your life; and before you know it you find yourself falling the next. If I've learned anything from Mitch Albom's For One More Day, it's that we waste too much time, because we always think we have so much of it. So much that we might drown in the amount of time we're given. We fail to realize that not all of us are given the chance to live another day. Heck, not all of us are given the chance to live another second. So here, all of us, with hearts still beating, are considered the lucky ones. It's never too late to repent.

Al-fatihah for my friend. I'll miss him dearly.

Peace be upon all of you lucky ones.