As a man, be private, accept the loneliness, and fix your life!

🌈 1337 – Tuesday, 15 April 2025 23:46

London

Al-Baasit, Al-Khaafid have stayed on my tongue the whole day. I felt lighter, more at ease, like I was carried gently through the day. Repeating those names helped my mind stay focused, anchored, rather than bouncing from thought to thought. They gave me something to come back to.

I woke up early, right at the first alarm at 5:20 AM. Stayed in bed for a bit, read a rukuh of Surah Kahf, then saw Dad’s usual good morning message and prayer. Still in bed, I read my affirmations. I checked the camera in my parents’ living room—Dad was already at the dining table with the newspaper. The bedroom light was on, so Mum was probably up too.

Eventually, I got out of bed and sat on the chair to meditate. I recited Surah Al-Fatiha (Alhamdu) 50 times. After that, I got ready and headed to the gym.

The weather was cloudy but bright. My ride from Mayfair to Piccadilly Circus was smooth. The city was already alive—people heading to work, rushing toward their 8 or 9 AM starts. I found myself wondering… when did we all start moving in sync like this? Maybe it goes all the way back to when we were hunter-gatherers—waking, moving, and hunting together.

I reached the gym at 6:50 AM and had a really solid workout. Upper body day—4 sets of pull-ups, dumbbell incline presses, shoulder presses, lateral raises, front raises, hammer curls, fly machine for upper chest, and a round of abs to wrap up. I felt really, really good afterward.

After a shower, I headed home—it was around 8:00 AM. Lucky for me, I’d ironed my white shirt and laid out my blue trousers the night before. I left the house at 8:30, just as it started to rain. Not heavy, just steady. My jacket got a bit wet, but I didn’t mind—I actually like the rain.

Work was smooth. Spent most of the day working on invoices. Took a lunch break and called Mum. My brother answered—he was driving them to Mum’s first radiation session after finishing her eighth round of chemo last week. I couldn’t be there, but I sent them my love and prayers. I was with them in heart.

I had lunch at ITSU on Victoria Street. The ginger was nice. Then back to the desk until 5:00 PM, and straight home. My bike seat was wet from the rain. Once home, I called Mum again to check on her. Thankfully, everything went well.

At 6:15 PM, I had a spin class booked. Got there right on time. Another great workout. Got home, had dinner—chawal and gosh ka achaar. While I was eating, my sister called from her side of the world, just before her bedtime. We had a quick catch-up, then said goodnight.

Looking back, I’m grateful. So many little conversations with family. So much warmth. In the end, not much lasts forever—but family, family stays.

Three things I felt Grateful for today:

• Grateful Mum’s radiation treatment going well.

• Grateful for wearing the right jacket in the rain this morning—without even checking the weather.

• Glad for a calm and productive day at work.

Around the world Today –

• Russia-Ukraine war – Russia has intensified its spring offensive, particularly in the Sumy region, deploying over 67,000 troops and increasing daily attacks. Ukrainian forces are actively defending and conducting counterattacks, including drone strikes on Russian supply lines.

• Israel and Hamas war – Efforts to broker a ceasefire have stalled. Israel’s latest proposal, relayed by Egypt, demands that Hamas discuss disarming. Hamas has rejected this condition, insisting on a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a lasting ceasefire before agreeing to release any hostages. Currently, 58 hostages are believed to be held in Gaza, with Israel estimating that 24 are alive. (The Reuters)

What would it take—for me, and for you—to wake up tomorrow feeling 10x more alive? Bigger, stronger, happier, more energetic? To hit the gym, have a great start, be present with family, and still find peace and joy through the day?

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Goodnight. Good luck.

Ash Khaleem