It’s the last day of the fourth month of 2025, and this is my first blog post for the year. Definitely an anomaly. Definitely not according to “algorithms” of my life. Yes, I write in my professional capacity, and personally, I write through every mood, the mayhem, and the mishaps too.
However, health issues forced me into a writing hiatus. Between the blood tests, hospital stays, doctor’s checkups, sick leave. and bed rest, I wrote many lines – on my cellphone, in my notebook, and in my head. I just never completed them. I even thought of this title months ago. If you’ve been following my blogs, you’d know that Sabr and Shukr were mentioned in my final blog post for 2024. I believe that intuitively, that post was meant for me, more than anyone else.
How so? You know the cliché of the writing is on the wall? Well in my case, the writing was in my writing.
Sabr means patience and perseverance amid the uncertainties and challenges of life. Yes, it’s about trusting the process. Shukr means gratitude and acknowledgment of life’s blessings. This time, it’s about appreciating the process. Together, Sabr and Shukr are considered to be a philosophy for contentment in life.
I have had to exercise Sabr and focus on Shukr – being extremely patient and mentally strong over the past few months, and being thankful while on the road to recovery. Autoimmune conditions are difficult because your body reacts to stress and inflammation in different ways, and that’s exactly what happened to me. I know I haven’t been writing much about my health issues recently. Sadly, I gave in to the naysayers, who view it as an attempt to get attention or gain sympathy. Of course that’s not the case. Writing is my cathartic release, my coping mechanism, and my way of making sense of what’s happening around me.
I’m extremely grateful for my tribe who know this, and have been reminding me to write. They’ve also rallied around me in the most beautiful ways during these past few challenging months.
I’m still healing, still trusting the process and still hopping on (cue the picture) to chase my dreams. Let’s get things started…
Sending U much love & care