Action: Abuse

We live in a society that consists of more than a hundred nationality. It is only normal that every part of our society introduces a new concept to us every once in a while. It is also typical from our people to use that certain thing as a trend; although it's not considered use as much as it's an action of abusing a thing. 

An example on how people in our society abuse things that are introduced to us under any category may it fall. 
When it comes to food, it all started with Macaroons, to Cupcakes, and now truffles. It seems like they go through a phase where the whole society stops and concentrates on this certain thing. This is the place where people lack creativity and they start copying each other in the same exact way. 

The sad part is that people tend to abuse the usage of a certain thing not knowing that it's affecting them negatively. Let us look back at Flickr (an online community that hosts images and videos) for instance; our society abused it so bad until it got banned from the entire country by the providers. People started posting pictures that are not theirs, stealing ideas without giving credit, and the worst part is uploading pictures that completely clash with our culture and religion. Not mentioning the idea the teenagers in our society had of that website, thinking it was an online dating service. The same thing goes to Facebook nowadays, blackberries, and so much more. 

It's usually teenagers that tend to abuse the usage of certain things, and I'm using the word abuse over and over again to clarify how serious this issue is. New things will be introduced to our society everyday if not every hour. We should learn what it is to start with, and then teach our kids how to use it. Being a member in Flickr is not a crime, as long as you're using it in the right way. Neither is having a Facebook as long as you know that you have the control to not cross the limit. 

Parents should be up to date with what's happening nowadays in their children generation. Life doesn't come with an owner's manual, but we have to learn to be one for our kids. 

RELIGION-culture.

As I grew older, I started realizing things that people do but never admit. As a child I've been traveling around the world learning about new cultures which I still do. I couldn't help but realize how different us Arabs act in different places of the world and in front of people from other parts of this world. 

To begin with, there are a lot of Muslim women who are veiled when they're in their country, but once they travel they decide that staying veiled is not as important as it is in their own hometown; what's is even sadder is that their families would agree with them. Why? because it's a shame to be unveiled in front of people they know, because they raised their girls to ladies telling them "You have to be veiled because our culture is not ready to accept unveiled women, what would people think of you or us?" and so it goes on..

Muslims are known for one characteristic that never really ends within the generations; which is jealousy. whether it's  towards their country, their home, or most of all their families. They would do anything to keep the harm away from them, keep them safe, and happy. Except that this single characteristic totally disappears when it comes to dealing with people who aren't Arabs. For instance, parents are rarely fine with their daughters to go chill with guy friends, meet new people in their own country (unless it's work or study related). Unlike when they're outside the country, or whether it's with someone who's not arab; that's when they're fine with it. 

It's very shameful to say so, but most of the people in the Arab world, do what they do or don't do certain things not because our religion doesn't allow us to do so for of course reasonable reasons; but because of our culture and because our society is not ready for such things to happen. Let us pause for a while and forward to the far future, when our society is actually open-minded enough to digest all those things that's happening around the world. I can guarantee that 85% if not more of the Arab world would follow the trend or whatever it's called and forget all about our religion. 

 If you don't want your kid, daughter, or son to do a certain thing; sit them down and explain the religion part first and follow that by the cultural reasons. For example, "No sweetie, I still think you should wear your Hijab when you travel because your hair is a part of you, it's something that makes you prettier, it's like a tiara; and if you let everyone see that you would attract them and that's why you should stay veiled." (part 2 and sadly the part where they actually respond to), "You come from a very well known family, from a crystal family background, and we're known for being conservative.. what would people think?".

Religion comes before culture, and culture comes right after tradition. It's not the other way around. So even if you're in the UAE, Germany, America, United Kingdom, or any other spot on this earth. Allah can still see what you're doing. So how can we not be frightened by his judgement, and be frightened by our society's? 

Dress "Code" ?

Lately, I've been realizing how Emirati ladies have been perfectly adapting to the western life. 
Whether it was by the way they dressed, talked, ate, or act. 
Every time I talk about this issue, the first thing that comes to mind is "brainwash". They have been brainwashed without a doubt, that they have sadly reached a point where they would taint their traditions, culture, and what's worse their religion; for the sake of fitting in with the westerns. 

There are a lot of ladies out there who are well-known in our community, have reached a place with their hard work and concern to tell the world who we really are and to show them what reflects us. Except that they're making up new traditions, culture, and trashing (very sorry to use this phrase) religion. Abayas (a full-length, sleeve outer garment worn by Muslims) for instant, were once upon a time known as a coverup for Arab woman. Nowadays, Abayas have a different meaning. It's a show off tool, the way Arab woman are treating Abayas nowadays is a shame. Its either too tight that shows every single detail of a woman's body, or a see through. Technically, it should be worn as a dress since nowadays they're also adapting to the colorful Abayas. 

The reason why I'm discussing this topic, is because of the way some Arab women are presenting or unleashing our culture and traditions to the world is making them believe that this is what our culture and religion is all about. They're painting the wrong picture, and framing it just by telling assuring the world that "yes, this is who we are.. and this is who we've always been". 

News flash to those women out there who are trying to "color" their traditions with bleach: By doing such things, and taking such actions. You're doing nothing except proving to the world how Arabs could get dragged into anything. How Arabs have no respect to their religion, and to cut a long story short you're giving them a reason to stick the stereotypes they have of us in their heads. 

Parental Tricknique

Being a parent is without a doubt the most difficult task given to a person, or should I say a person is "blessed" with. Sadly, not everyone can keep up with their job and perfect it. A parent would be lucky if he/she went half the way to be honest. 

As generations pass by, we look back and realize how kids lived their lives; as actual kids. Nowadays, kids who are 5 are living a life of a 10 year old; and kids who are 13 are living a life of a 18 year old, and it goes on. It's sad how kids are trying so hard to be what they aren't while they're missing out the best years of their lives. I look back at my childhood and say "those were the days..", and it makes me sad knowing that those kids who are now grownups will never have the opportunity to use that phrase. 

As generations change, parents change, therefore kids change. Through my discussions with parents nowadays, I found out that they decide to give their kids everything they "want" even if it doesn't apply to their age; just because they don't want the child to find another way to get it. e.g(behind their backs). 
The fact that parents are taking the easy way to solve this issue, giving the kid what he wants just to not cause themselves headaches takes away all the beauty behind being a parent. 
Kids might want a lot of things in life, someday they might even come back home from school having the stupidest ideas wanting to take the craziest action. 

Growing up, my parents never gave me a reason to do something that they don't know of, neither did they give me the world in my hand as a child. For instance, when I was 10 all my friends had mobile phones, were allowed to go out alone, and much more. I didn't do any of the following, not because they couldn't afford a mobile phone, or they didn't want me to have fun. No, they summarized it all in one single sentence, " We trust you, we just don't trust the people around you". As shocking as it may seem, eventually I came around the technique they chose to raise me by, as a matter of fact friends would walk up to me and tell me "is it because they don't trust you?" and I would just smile back at them and know in my head that they trust me enough to talk to me about it face to face instead of just letting me do whatever I wanted to do so they wouldn't deal with my "wants and needs".
I had fun, I went out, and I lived my childhood. I just did it in a much different way from how everyone else did it; and honestly? If I ever had to go back to those days, I would do that blindly. 

Everyone can be parents, but not everyone succeeds in being a "mother" or a "father". 

TheWorldDoesnt HaveToKnow

What's funny about human beings is that seldom do they do something and keep it to themselves. whether it was a good deed, a bad one, something embarrassing, or something that they know by mentioning it.. would hurt someone. We humans always choose to share thoughts, not thinking of the consequences of course. If you did a good deed, just let it be and let it go you didn't do it so the world would look at it and applaud. If you did a bad deed try hard to fix it and replace it with a good one, why go on and give people a reason to judge you. You hear something about someone and you know that if this thing went out and everyone knew it would hurt them, just try for once to keep it to yourself.

For once, we should challenge ourselves and try to keep things to ourselves. "Sharing is loving" some might say, but is it really loving when deep inside your intentions aren't good? Is it loving when you're killing the meaning of sharing? We should sometimes try to walk in other people's shoes, what if the thing being said was about YOU, would YOU want everyone to know? would you want to be the topic they discuss?
Rarely do people care about others, so even if it was something about you; something bad that you did.. mentioning it to people would just cross out the nice picture they have of you and replace it with the bad one that YOU gave them the reason to draw in the first place.

Come to think of it, it's not funny as much as it's sad, we get easily played, seduced, and deceived. It takes just ONE conversation, to know everything about a person if you know how to be sneaky and smart; and sadly, in most of the cases some of us fall for it. We give people the opportunity to read us like a book, we seem dumb and not complicated at all. Everything that happened to you, throughout your years.. all the magical feelings, sad, furious, the moments that you lived, the moments that made you who YOU are today.. it all gets revealed in second, leaving you with no secrets of your own.

Before sharing anything, before speaking up, before a word comes out of your mouth; just think, pause a little and think..

The Whole World Doesn't Have To Know.