أسماء أبوعلى

“For anyone who wonders what it's like to have a tragedy shatter your existence, this is what I would tell them: it's like going through the motions of everyday life in a zombified state. It's having outbursts of anger for what seems like no apparent reason, for even the smallest of offenses. It's forgetting how to be your once cheerful, perky self, and having to relearn basic social skills when mingling with new people (especially if those people are ignorant, or just plain terrible at showing sympathy). It takes a while to re-learn all those basic skills. Maybe...it's possible. Maybe you have to want your life back first, before it can start repairing itself But then you also have to accept that the mending process may take the rest of your life. I don't think there's a set time limit for it.”
― Sarahbeth Caplin, Someone You Already Know

“أنا ناسك بين الناس ــ والتنسّك بين الناس أين من هوله التنسّك بين الوحوش .. فأنت تستطيع أن تأمن جانب الوحش وأن تكسب ألفته بالّلين والمحبّة , وإن أخفقت وغضب الوحش عليك فهو لا يمزّق منك غير جسدك
أما الناس فيحسبون الّلين والمحبّة منك ضعفاً , ويتحاشون إلحاق أقلّ ضرر بجسدك الفاني خوفاً من قوانين سنّوها , في حين يستحلّون جعل روحك الأبديّ مشاعاً للشارد والوارد , ولا قانون يصدّهم ولا محكمة ـــ لذلك تركت جسدي مشاعاً لألسنتهم وسيّجتُ روحي بالسكوت
رأوا آثار الجدري في وجهي فلقّبوني بالأرقش , أمّا روحي الملتفّ بالسكوت , البعيد عن أبصارهم الكفيفة , فلم يجدوا له اسماً , لذاك يحسبونني مختلّ الشعور ـــ ولكني من وراء سكوتي أستطيع أن أبصر ما في قلوبهم وأقرأ ما في أفكارهم ـــ لأنّني أحكم على أفكارهم لا بما ينطقون , بل بما لا ينطقون
لذاك سكتّ والناس يتكلّمون”
― ميخائيل نعيمة, مذكرات الأرقش

“You deserve quality time, not just time.
You deserve effort, not just routines.
You deserve to be treated as if you are a priority, not the last thing on their checklist.
You are special and you deserve to be the only option.
If that is too much to ask, you are asking it from the wrong person.”
― Pierre Alex Jeanty, To the Women I Once Loved

“My belief is that when you're telling the truth, you're close to God. If you say to God, "I am exhausted and depressed beyond words, and I don't like You at all right now, and I recoil from most people who believe in You," that might be the most honest thing you've ever said. If you told me you had said to God, "It is all hopeless, and I don't have a clue if You exist, but I could use a hand," it would almost bring tears to my eyes, tears of pride in you, for the courage it takes to get real-really real. It would make me want to sit next to you at the dinner table.

So prayer is our sometimes real selves trying to communicate with the Real, with Truth, with the Light. It is us reaching out to be heard, hoping to be found by a light and warmth in the world, instead of darkness and cold. Even mushrooms respond to light - I suppose they blink their mushroomy eyes, like the rest of us.

Light reveals us to ourselves, which is not always so great if you find yourself in a big disgusting mess, possibly of your own creation. But like sunflowers we turn toward light. Light warms, and in most cases it draws us to itself. And in this light, we can see beyond our modest receptors, to what is way beyond us, and deep inside.”
― Anne Lamott, Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers