“True strength lies not in conquering others, but in choosing peace over conflict – let us build a world where war is no longer an option!”

 🌈 1307 – Wednesday, 29 January 2025 23:51

Hyderabad

It’s late at night. I hear a dog barking in the distance, the sound of someone parking their bike downstairs, and now the gate opening—someone must be coming home. The fridge hums with a low “drrrrr” sound, and there’s a faint ticking noise from somewhere. No idea what it is.

I just had a long, relaxing shower. Now, I’m going to check on Mom and will be back in a few minutes. Stay right there.

You’re always there for me.

It reminds me of that old song by Faith Hill—“There You’ll Be”.

“When I think back on these times

And the dreams we left behind

‘ll be glad’Cause I was blessed to get

To have you in my life

When I look back on these days

I’ll look and see your face

You were right there for me

When I think back on these times

And the dreams we left behind

I’ll be glad’Cause I was blessed to get

To have you in my life

When I look back on these days

I’ll look and see your face

You were right there for me..

In my dreams I’ll always see you soar above the sky

In my heart there’ll always be a place for you for all my life

I’ll keep a part of you with me

And everywhere I am there you’ll be

‘Cause I always saw in you my light, my strength

And I wanna thank you now for all the ways

You were right there for me

You were right there for me

You were right there for me

For always

In my dreams I’ll always see you soar above the sky

In my heart there will always be a place for you for all my life

I’ll keep a part of you with me

And everywhere I am there you’ll be

And everywhere I am there you’ll be

There you’ll be”

It’s past 12:30 AM now. I just came back to my room after checking on Mom. When I opened the door, Dad was there.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, just came to check if Mom was asleep,” I replied.

He must have just woken up to go to the bathroom. “She’s waiting for you,” he said.

Apparently, before I got there, he had asked her, “You’re still awake?”

She said, “Ash will come check on me in a few minutes. I’ll sleep then.”

And there I was. It’s strange how sometimes you just feel like doing something, and it turns out you were meant to be there.

I lay down next to her for about 15 minutes, chatting, before saying goodnight.

Earlier today, one of my good friends texted to check in on me. I hadn’t spoken to him in a few days, and it was actually his birthday yesterday. I wanted to ask how it went, so I called him. It was about 12:50 AM for me, 7:20 PM for him in London.

At first, I wasn’t sure what to write today—nothing seemed particularly special. But as we talked, I realised so much had happened.

He told me about his birthday—how it rained in London, so he took shelter near Whitechapel Mosque. Across the street, he saw a charity shop, went in, and ended up spending £60. Later, he walked around the Tower of London and Town Hall, exploring. He liked what he saw, including volunteering opportunities and a council meeting chamber that reminded him of the House of Commons, just smaller. In the evening, he had dinner with close friends, and they covered the bill. He enjoyed himself.

Then, I shared my day with him.

For breakfast, Dad and I had Samya. Mom had some milk and bread—her throat is sore from the chemo, so she struggles to eat solid food.

Later, Dad and I went to the fruit market. We picked up apples, kiwis, watermelons (both green and yellow), gooseberries, strawberries, a papaya, small sweet bananas, and some mutton from the butcher.

Back home, I made Mom some juice—one big apple and half a pomegranate, squeezed and filtered. She liked it. For lunch, I cooked mutton curry for Dad and me, and with the leftover bones, I made a broth for Mom with tomatoes. She was asleep while we ate, so she had it later. For now, she’s only on liquids, but thankfully, the soups are helping.

We had no sweets today, just a couple of dates after lunch. They were delicious.

I took a short nap in the afternoon. Later, Dad and I went to pray Maghrib Salah while Mom rested.

In the evening, I made carrot and cucumber juice for Mom. She didn’t like it much but drank it anyway. We also had a sweet potato each.

Later, we prayed Isha together. Then, I made dinner for Dad—Upma—and warmed up more bone broth for Mom.

Now, as I look at the clock, it’s already almost 11 PM. Time flies when you’re looking after two parents and managing the house. They don’t like when the maid cooks for them—it’s just the two of them, and they prefer homemade meals. I’m waiting for my boss to confirm if I can stay with them for another couple of weeks until my brother arrives to take over.

That’s how my day went. What about yours? Do you remember what you were doing on this day last year? Or does it not matter because you’re too happy in the present? Whatever it is, I hope you do something meaningful.

Around the rest of the world today –

– The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists moved the Doomsday Clock to 89 seconds before midnight, the closest it has ever been, highlighting the urgency of addressing global threats to peace. ( The Doomsday Clock is a symbolic clock created by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists to represent how close humanity is to a global catastrophe, such as nuclear war, climate disasters, or other existential threats. Midnight on the clock represents the point of destruction.

On January 29, 2025, the scientists moved the clock to 89 seconds before midnight, meaning they believe the world is at its highest level of risk ever. This decision highlights the urgency of addressing global threats like geopolitical conflicts, nuclear tensions, and climate change to maintain peace and stability).

– Israel and Hamas war – the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continues to hold, allowing over 500,000 displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza. Many are finding their homes and neighbourhoods destroyed, with significant reconstruction efforts anticipated. (Al Jazeera).

– Reports indicate that North Korean troops supporting Russian forces have retreated from the Ukrainian frontline after suffering heavy casualties, including the loss of a top commander. (Reuters)

Three things I’m grateful for today:

• Grateful for my little car that stays at my parents’ house – unused most of the year but still in great condition.

• Grateful the mild, warm weather in Hyderabad – it’s comfortable enough to sleep with just a ceiling fan.

• Grateful and looking forward to seeing my brother in a couple of weeks.

What would it take for me and you to wake up tomorrow feeling 10 times stronger, leaner, more energetic, confident, and happy? To finish all our work by midday, everything to be okay with family, friends and everyone around us, then have a relaxing, relaxing, relaxing yet a productive day tomorrow?

Goodnight, good luck!

—Ash Khaleem