Prophetic Silence

Prophetic Silence

It has been said by the sages of times gone past, that in silence there are 7,000 great benefits. The prophets of old sought communication with their Lord and detachment from the material realm. When they spoke their words reached their target, the soul. Words that emanate from the heart are certain to enter the heart of those whose antennas can receive their signal. The Signs of God are evident everywhere we look. But the reception isn't always clear due to cacophonous reverberations that we allow to enter the precious realm known as our lives. This realization was so evident when I was honored to spend time with Prophet Job. In a world looking for a voice I turned to Job. Removed from the dissonance of the destructive city life, I entered the province of prophetic presence felt patience as well as the 7,000 great boons of silence.

Extreme Games: Highway Cycling

Extreme Games: Highway Cycling

Riding into a stream of lights along the Sultan Qaboos Highway in Muscat, Oman to the music of cars zooming in and out of lanes and the smell of freedom in the form of sweet fragrant flowers. With my new bike in tow, I decided to take a spin on the highway. Jumping onto the highway trying to find my place in the emergency lane and walkway reminded me of the time when my brother, Steve and I received our new bikes. We rode 12 strong minutes from B & K Bicycle Shop to Georgetown. I used to ride touring bikes and dabbled with the idea of being a tri-athlete. A tri-athlete is someone who ride bikes, runs and swims several miles in a grueling competition that test a persons resolve. My cycling days as a teenager almost led me to go to Europe to pursue a career in professional cycling. We'll save the details of that story for another occasion. I prefer to speak of my time in Marrakesh, Morocco when I displayed my deft skills of jumping curbs, dodging in and out of traffic, making the bike come to a standstill without having to put my feet on the ground at traffic lights and pumping the pedals until the bike became my instrument. For some this might not seem like much, but if you've ever been to an Arabic speaking country, you know the drivers can be deadly. New York cabbies have nothing on regular Arab drivers in Arab Lands. My friends Rasheed and Fu'ad thought I was majnoon (crazy) the way I handled the bike and traffic. They couldn't believe my laid-black style had suddenly changed when I took the reins of a bicycle. I still smile when I reflect on their faces after showing them how to ride strong. If you ever see me riding my bike at your car, be certain that I'm willing to "Pop a Willy" on your hood and "Burn a Lil Rubber" on your trunk. That highway ride brought black so many precious memories, but don't try these tricks at home, on a car, in traffic or on the highway.

Desert Rose

Desert Rose

Beauty never escapes the eye of one who is seeking her,
Desert Rose.
How beautiful thou art,
Delicate in a desolate land.
Hold me close to you,
Comfort me.
I blossom as I become intertwined with you,
Feeling enraptured in your warmth,
Seeking only to share with you the joys and the sorrows.
You know me as only you could,
As I open my breast to you.
You cleanse my soul and behold, I am a new man.
Desert Rose,
I love you!
Whether, you're a rose or not.

Sunset

Secrets of Sunset

Sunset is one of the signs for humankind to reflect upon. Some look at the setting as the beginning of a brand new day. The setting moves one from light to darkness. In this absence of light one can find quietude, peace and illumination. The tranquility that is found in these moments are therapeutic and rejuvenating. The sunset is also symbolic of stillness, lassitude and finality yet it gives way to the day which is representational of change, vibrancy and life. The night is a veil and in it are many secrets for the seekers, who eagerly await her setting. They watch the horizons keeping in rhythm with the divine moments. In this obscurity they find the jewels, for they have understood and penetrated the depths of anonimity only to come into the light feeling refreshed, pleased and with full prominence.