The Sunshine Blogger Awards!

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful 

Asaalamalaikum(Peace be on you), 

It’s alright if you are a little surprised to see me so soon after previously whining about being so busy. 

But, I am here with reason. 

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to Khadija for nominating me for the ‘Sunshine Blogger Award’. She is a very sweet, supportive blogger who writes beautifully from her heart, if you haven’t already, you must visit her blog.  

It feels great to be nominated for doing something which I so passionately love. 

I feel like I am part of the community and connected to this world that I joined not so long ago.

The Rules:

 • Thank the person/persons who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.

 • Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.

 • Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.

 • List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post and/or on your blog.

1)Who are you? If you have to introduce yourself without the expectations and confines of people, (egs. careers, positions, jobs) what would you want a person to know you as?

I would be a nomad of sorts, if the confinements and restrictions did not exist, I would try my best to explore the world(not just travelling)and all that it contains. Be at a constant search for the infinite stories and emotions that perpetually emerge all around us. 

2.  Describe a couple of small instances in life that make you genuinely happy

It genuinely is the little things in life that make me the happiest. To start off with, writing for this blog is one of the most blissful pleasure, the smell of wet earth right before it rains, the roaring sound of the waves as they crash the shore, eating anything that has chocolate or cheese, waking up for Fajr(Dawn prayer) without an alarm,  to come back home on a tiring day to warm favorites cooked by my dear mother and to feel immense gratitude towards the Almighty for all the blessings we have but rarely acknowledge, and when we do that moment of happiness. 

3.  What would you attempt if you knew you couldn’t fail? Would it be the same without the challenge?

Since I am extremely passionate about food but not so much about cooking it, I would attempt to set up a restaurant if I couldn’t fail, where people can walk in, their shoulders heavy with stress and their stomachs empty but leave with lighter shoulders and heavier stomachs and a more content heart.

4.  What makes the people you look up to special?

Every person on this planet does not only look different but is unique in their personality. And to anybody that I meet, I always find something different that I do not possess and can learn and takeaway from them. 

5. If you had the opportunity to address the entire world for 1 minute what would you  say?

One minute to address the world would be a huge responsibility, but more importantly will the world listen, even for a minute? And that is a global problem. Overlooking things.  

6. What is some integral part of your daily routine that without it, feels incomplete?

Sounds very pretentious, but truly it has to be Praying. For five times in a day, I feel at complete ease and peace, and if I am for some reason delayed, a sense of restlessness settles in my heart.

7.  What is a special memory you have of your childhood?

The most special memory of my childhood has to be the weekend trips to parks or beach my parents would take us to. Being brought up in Saudi Arabia, where a majority people live in flats and residential complexes, being in the outdoor gardens would be moments of joy.

8.  What is something you love to do?

Eating, Writing, Reading or listening to stories. 

9.  What is the best thing you’ve read in the past month?

I have been very busy and occupied to have read anything past my course books but this one line that is stuck in my head is, “We can be mended, we mend each other.” 

10. If you could meet anyone from the past, who would it be and why?

It would be a pretty long list. 

11. Where would you like to travel to and why?

I would love to visit Maldives, or just any island. Always the sea-girl(pun intended). 

I feel like the size of my answers have decreased as we progressed,  excuse me but I have a time crunch, also it was a lot of fun answering these, it was a good intellectual exercise.( I hope I answered in the right context though) 

Moving on, I do not know many bloggers yet so within my limited knowledge, my nominees are: 

• @anammshaikhh – Love Read Dream
• @sammyandsufi –  The Cozy Home Chronicles
• @cocktailofemotions – Cocktail of Emotions
• @zarawritesz – Zara Writes

Alright, none of the nominees are under any compulsion to take this forward given every individuals constraints and restrains. 

My questions are:

1. If you had only 24 hours to live, what would you do?
2. What is the one materialistic thing extremely important to you? Say, in case of a fire you would make sure to take it with you.
3. If you could travel in time(future or history), where would you go?
4. What is your favorite part of the day? 
5. One super power you wish you had. 
6. Your dream prize to win would be unlimited supply of your favorite food item or a hefty cash prize. 
7. What do you want to look back by the end of this year and be proud to have accomplished? 
8. What would be an ideal weekend for you? 
9. What first prompted or motivated you to write? 
10. A quality or trait that you cannot stand in people. 
11. Any quotes or words of wisdom that have had a great impact on you.

Hopefully, I will be back soon with the weekly post.

Till then, take good care of yourselves and have a great week ahead! 

Until Next Time! 

Salaamalaikum!