I use the Sun as my great remedy for being present. I find somewhere it’s shining and through, maybe a window, maybe a tree, maybe a gap in the fence. I put my hand into it and I remind myself THIS IS WHAT EARTH GAVE ME to be here at all. It does something remarkable. It makes me feel good enough just for breathing. I no longer have to prove my worth. I do my work and I hold the Suns hand. Simple but powerful for me.
There’s something deeply grounding about letting the sunlight remind us that our worth was never something we had to earn, it was given to us the moment we arrived here. I love the image of holding the Sun’s hand while doing your work; it feels like a quiet act of trust, gratitude, and presence all at once.
Beautifully put. This is incredibly relatable. I had always thought that gratefulness and presence run concurrently and you can’t have one without the other. But now I see it that this isn’t strictly the case. I practice gratitude everyday in so many small ways but still feel very unsettled in my day and where I am in my life. So I guess it is presence that I need to work on. Thanks so much for your beautiful work.
I love how you recognized that gratitude and presence are connected but not always the same sometimes we can appreciate what we have while still learning how to truly inhabit the moment. Wishing you patience and gentleness as you practice presence; even noticing the need for it is already a meaningful step forward.
I love how you captured the balance between growth and presence becoming more doesn’t have to mean abandoning the person we are today. The journey becomes much richer when we allow ourselves to dream of the future while still honoring the life unfolding in front of us.
Exactly, Nidizeye. “Dream of the future while still honoring the life unfolding in front of us” - I really love how you put that. Perhaps that’s one of the deeper expressions of alignment: moving toward who we are becoming without missing the life we’re living along the way. Thank you for such a thoughtful reflection
I truly love how you described alignment it’s not only about reaching the person we hope to become, but also about being present enough to appreciate who we are and where we are right now. The journey becomes meaningful when we allow growth and gratitude to walk together.
The distinction between being grateful and being present is the part I'll be sitting with. I can name everything I'm thankful for and still finish dinner without tasting it. At my age the postponed days have started to add up.
That reframes it for me. I always treated gratitude as something to feel afterward, like a receipt. You're describing it as something that happens during. Thank you for that.
I couldn't agree more with your idea. Yet I think it's worth adding that stagnation doesn't always come from within; sometimes it's imposed from the outside.
There are moments when all you want is to enjoy life, but life has already become a battlefield—sometimes literally.
In those moments, it's no longer about choosing joy. It's about surviving another battle that cannot be postponed.
This is such a beautiful reflection! My walking practice is my space to focus attention and the more I’m present the more I find myself in disbelief at the beauty I’ve been missing by being busy. My mantra for the past two years has been “I don’t want to be busy, I want to be in flow” has been exponentially more fruitful I have more time more calm more beauty more creativity and ultimately more substantive productivity than ever before
I love that mantra, choosing flow over busyness creates space to actually notice life, and it’s beautiful how that presence can lead to more calm, creativity, and meaningful productivity.
"The world measures milestones. The heart remembers moments." I need to read that again. And probably tape it to my laptop. Thank you for writing this.
Exactly. Remembering afterward is safe, you're already out of the moment. Practicing it while you're still inside it? That takes courage. Still learning.
This is such a beautiful reflection! We're in a constant chase for better grades, better jobs, more money, and the next milestone that we forget the greatest gift we've ever been given: today, a moment that comes only once.
I really resonated with this piece, especially because I've been working on being more present this year instead of constantly chasing the future. Thank you for the gentle reminder to slow down, appreciate the little moments in life, and simply be present. 🥰
Thank you so much for sharing this. It means a lot to know these words resonated with you, and I love that you've chosen presence as your focus this year. The future will always be there, but the quiet beauty of today is a gift we can only experience once, I'm so glad you're allowing yourself to truly live it. 🥰
This is not the ordinary comment people make from getting the hit of a deep writing, but this just changed my whole life. Thank you and May Allah bless you. This is myself in text written with no stones left unturned.
When you do get answers, I hope you do share, so as the rest of the journey from this point.
Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words. Knowing these reflections reached you in such a personal way is more meaningful than I can express. May Allah continue to guide your path with wisdom, peace, and clarity, and I truly hope we can keep walking this journey of growth together one honest step at a time. 🤍
I use the Sun as my great remedy for being present. I find somewhere it’s shining and through, maybe a window, maybe a tree, maybe a gap in the fence. I put my hand into it and I remind myself THIS IS WHAT EARTH GAVE ME to be here at all. It does something remarkable. It makes me feel good enough just for breathing. I no longer have to prove my worth. I do my work and I hold the Suns hand. Simple but powerful for me.
There’s something deeply grounding about letting the sunlight remind us that our worth was never something we had to earn, it was given to us the moment we arrived here. I love the image of holding the Sun’s hand while doing your work; it feels like a quiet act of trust, gratitude, and presence all at once.
The best kind of relationship for me.
A lot of this hit too close to home. Thank you for sharing and giving me food for thought.
Thank You so much
Beautifully put. This is incredibly relatable. I had always thought that gratefulness and presence run concurrently and you can’t have one without the other. But now I see it that this isn’t strictly the case. I practice gratitude everyday in so many small ways but still feel very unsettled in my day and where I am in my life. So I guess it is presence that I need to work on. Thanks so much for your beautiful work.
I love how you recognized that gratitude and presence are connected but not always the same sometimes we can appreciate what we have while still learning how to truly inhabit the moment. Wishing you patience and gentleness as you practice presence; even noticing the need for it is already a meaningful step forward.
Beautiful reflection, Nidiziye. What really stayed with me is the idea that ambition can quietly become postponement.
Perhaps the goal isn’t to want less from the future, but to stop sacrificing the present in order to reach it.
We can keep becoming while still fully inhabiting who we are and the life we’ve been given today.
I love how you captured the balance between growth and presence becoming more doesn’t have to mean abandoning the person we are today. The journey becomes much richer when we allow ourselves to dream of the future while still honoring the life unfolding in front of us.
Exactly, Nidizeye. “Dream of the future while still honoring the life unfolding in front of us” - I really love how you put that. Perhaps that’s one of the deeper expressions of alignment: moving toward who we are becoming without missing the life we’re living along the way. Thank you for such a thoughtful reflection
I truly love how you described alignment it’s not only about reaching the person we hope to become, but also about being present enough to appreciate who we are and where we are right now. The journey becomes meaningful when we allow growth and gratitude to walk together.
The distinction between being grateful and being present is the part I'll be sitting with. I can name everything I'm thankful for and still finish dinner without tasting it. At my age the postponed days have started to add up.
perhaps the deepest form of gratitude is allowing yourself to fully live the moment you're already in.
That reframes it for me. I always treated gratitude as something to feel afterward, like a receipt. You're describing it as something that happens during. Thank you for that.
gratitude becomes even more powerful when we practice it in the moment, not just as a reflection afterward.
Agreed — in the moment, not in the review. That's the part I'll be working on. Thanks for the exchange.
The line about attention more than perfection really stayed with me. Great piece.
often the most meaningful moments come not from getting everything perfect, but from simply being present enough to notice what already matters.
Thank you for this amazing reminder! "Because I kept putting the key in tomorrow’s pocket."
I’m grateful it resonated with you, and I hope we all remember that the key to a meaningful life has always been in today, not tomorrow.
I needed these words today, thank you 🙏
Thank You so Much
This was so great! 🩶
Thank You so Much
This message was a great blessing today. 🙏🏼💖✨
Deep bow 🙇🏼♀️
Thank You so much ❤️
I couldn't agree more with your idea. Yet I think it's worth adding that stagnation doesn't always come from within; sometimes it's imposed from the outside.
There are moments when all you want is to enjoy life, but life has already become a battlefield—sometimes literally.
In those moments, it's no longer about choosing joy. It's about surviving another battle that cannot be postponed.
even in life's hardest battles, the quiet courage to keep moving forward is itself a powerful act of hope.
Well said
This is such a beautiful reflection! My walking practice is my space to focus attention and the more I’m present the more I find myself in disbelief at the beauty I’ve been missing by being busy. My mantra for the past two years has been “I don’t want to be busy, I want to be in flow” has been exponentially more fruitful I have more time more calm more beauty more creativity and ultimately more substantive productivity than ever before
I love that mantra, choosing flow over busyness creates space to actually notice life, and it’s beautiful how that presence can lead to more calm, creativity, and meaningful productivity.
"The world measures milestones. The heart remembers moments." I need to read that again. And probably tape it to my laptop. Thank you for writing this.
gratitude becomes so much more meaningful when it’s something we practice while living the moment, not just something we remember afterward.
Exactly. Remembering afterward is safe, you're already out of the moment. Practicing it while you're still inside it? That takes courage. Still learning.
Thank you
Sadly, the goal post just gets pushed further everytime we score that goal. So, let's take every win and enjoy it to its fullest.
celebrating each win reminds us that fulfillment isn't only found at the next milestone, but in fully appreciating how far we've already come.
This is such a beautiful reflection! We're in a constant chase for better grades, better jobs, more money, and the next milestone that we forget the greatest gift we've ever been given: today, a moment that comes only once.
I really resonated with this piece, especially because I've been working on being more present this year instead of constantly chasing the future. Thank you for the gentle reminder to slow down, appreciate the little moments in life, and simply be present. 🥰
Thank you so much for sharing this. It means a lot to know these words resonated with you, and I love that you've chosen presence as your focus this year. The future will always be there, but the quiet beauty of today is a gift we can only experience once, I'm so glad you're allowing yourself to truly live it. 🥰
Yasss! 💯 And you’re most welcome! 🫶🏽
❤️
This is not the ordinary comment people make from getting the hit of a deep writing, but this just changed my whole life. Thank you and May Allah bless you. This is myself in text written with no stones left unturned.
When you do get answers, I hope you do share, so as the rest of the journey from this point.
God bless you.
Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words. Knowing these reflections reached you in such a personal way is more meaningful than I can express. May Allah continue to guide your path with wisdom, peace, and clarity, and I truly hope we can keep walking this journey of growth together one honest step at a time. 🤍