A positive mindset attracts the right people.
🌈 1396 – Saturday, 7 February 2026 | 23:52
London
It’s been raining all day today.
Still pretty mild though. It stopped for the past couple of hours, but it’s been rain, rain, rain over the last few days. I got wet on my way to work on Tuesday and wet again on my way home on Thursday. It doesn’t bother me in the slightest. Most of the time, the rain actually brings me joy.
The desert area – the dry land where I grew up – it rained once a year. We would wait for days, hoping it would rain soon. It kept you waiting and waiting, cooking and cooking in your head and the weather. The mist, the muggy days. Then one day, the clouds would become so dark that there was no sky to be seen. Strong gusts of wind would follow, then a breeze, and we would know the rain was coming soon. Still, it wouldn’t rain all day – only late in the afternoon.
That’s when Mother used to tell us it was time to bring in the clothes that had been hung out to dry before the rain came. Usually, my dear sister and I would go to collect the clothes. My brother would be ordered to move my dear dad’s police motorbike inside the gate and put our bikes somewhere safe. Then we would wait for the final arrival of the rain, along with that beautiful smell of wet mud for the first time.
We would then hear our lovely cat finally returning home – the one I had been waiting for. I could see it trying to scream, ordering me to open the door. I would run to the door, the cat would rush in, and then the rain would start – no gap between sky and land. Thick, heavy rain.
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful rain.
We would wait for five or ten minutes until the streams started to flow. Then our dear sister would dare us to go outside. Our dear brother, a little reluctant at first, would join us. All three of us – sister, brother, and I – would run upstairs to the rooftop terrace, big smiles on our faces, getting soaked in the rain without our mother noticing. It was the first monsoon rain. The joy it brought was priceless. The memory it left is immense.
Far down on the left, the neighbouring kids were already on their terrace. My sister would wave to her friend. Soon we’d notice other kids from nearby houses coming up onto their terraces. Within minutes, every kid in the neighbourhood would be on the rooftops, getting wet, playing in the rain – until we got cold, tired, and eventually told off by screaming mothers who slowly realised their kids were missing from their rooms.
“Come down, kids – you’ll catch a cold!”
That was rain. Beautiful rain, full of joy. No matter how bad the rain feels now as an adult, it always carries that memory in my head. Rain remains a joy of the season – a hope for life.
I wonder why I just went back down memory lane tonight.
07:45 Woke up early today without an alarm. Grey, wet, and cold outside. Read a rukuu of Surah Kahf in bed. Did affirmations, meditated for 40 Surah Alham, and did 11 push-ups with my legs still on the bed and hands on the floor.
09:30 Left home for the gym. It was still raining, but I had a raincoat and a hoodie on. It wasn’t heavy rain – still walkable without a brolly. Had a good workout.
Did arms: started with 4 sets of 11 pull-ups hanging from the bar, then 3 sets of 11 tricep presses, stretch skull crushers, close-grip barbell curls, and EZ-bar curls. Then went downstairs to swim. It’s been almost three weeks now that I haven’t missed a single workout – gym every day, followed by at least 20 rows of swimming.
Felt really, really, really grateful and good when I left the pool.
12:35 Straight home. Made lunch – it was already lunchtime by then. Spaghetti with tuna, ate while watching TV.
13:30 Went for Asr at the Mayfair Mosque, but the salah timing had changed to 14:30. I offered two rak’ahs and returned home. On my way back, I rang Mother. We had a decent catch-up – the usual weekly chat.
Sat at my desk until 15:30. A mate of mine was in the area, meeting up with some other friends. He often talks about this girl and wanted me to meet her. I said okay. I had done most things for the day – lunch, family call, workout – so why not catch up with friends?
I wanted to wear my long, loose trendy trousers with a matching long-sleeve T-shirt and a necklace. From Mayfair to Oxford Street isn’t a long walk – about 15 to 20 minutes. I went to see them. They were in a pub on Baker Street. Got a drink. They were all from Slovakia, and it was nice to meet some new faces.
We stayed there until around 17:30, then walked back towards Green Park. On the way, we picked up some dinner. Walked up to my flat on Clarges Street, sat and ate, and I said farewell to my friends around 18:30.
A wise way to spend Saturdays is getting errands done, catching up with family and friends, and preparing for the week ahead. This is life in your 30s.
In your teens, there was always worry about what would happen after studies. Most weekends were spent playing cricket or football, or meeting uni friends. In your 20s, most weekends were spent working odd jobs or studying for exams. In your 30s, there’s a different routine. I wonder what the 40s will bring. Whatever it is, I look forward to it. No matter what life throws at us, it’s the anticipation and hope that keep us going.
Three things I felt grateful for today:
Grateful I had the weekend morning to myself and could wake up without an alarm.
Grateful that even though it rained most of the day, it didn’t rain when I went to see my pals – and surprisingly stayed dry on the walk back.
Grateful I set up a bed in my study, just for a change, to see how it felt. I slept well last night.
What would it take for me – and for you – to wake up ten times bigger, stronger, leaner, muscular, more energetic, confident, happy, and grateful? To wake up early, have a good workout, have everything okay with family and friends, everyone around, and still enjoy a relaxing, relaxing, relaxing yet productive day tomorrow?
Sign up to the monthly letter below.
Good night, good luck.
Ash Khaleem
