The 6th of October

Holding hands with my grandfather... 

I watched him fight... We all fought with and for him...

But we all came to accept the Decree of Allah

Indeed Allah is the best of Planners, 

from Him we come and to Him we return!

As Salaamu Alaikum,

Today has come again two years later... There is so much I replay of that day and those months!  Allah has blessed me to not allow the struggle of illness to wash away the beauty that we captured through the years! I am still learning and healing!  I am grateful to Allah for blessing my family with Maurice Mitchell, my grandfather!  He always said, "If you have a problem, fix it!"

Love,

Najla

(there is so much storming within my soul, but for now I leave you here)

sometimes the backyard becomes a forest because

someone didn’t mow the lawn

we try our hardest not to replace people so we don’t

we leave life as it is so that we can remember how it was

and I still see you

aged hands

caped bald head

frail physique

but muscled

until the day of meeting white walls for an extended visit

you worked…

you built…

you nurtured…

you taught…

you impacted our lives

so we question our movements

daring to leave the art of this house with your essence

hesitate to fix and remodel

because the initial repairs carry your voice

and I want my soul to capture those echoes

upon entering this house

transition is the beautiful struggle

as we caterpillar towards change

new days without you just don’t fit my agenda

I always see you

driving with tunnel vision

rebuilding the steps

or refusing help to carry the groceries

you didn’t have to convince us that you were a man

we knew it… but we wanted to assist you just out of love

I always see you

in that backyard

it looks different now

but your name is branded on every square foot

you paid your mortgage in full

and I thank you for leaving a mark

not only in my heart

but in the whispers of the wind

in the rhythm of the sunset

in the history of this land that my bare feet are addicted to dancing on…

I miss you like tomorrow is capable of being yesterday again