The best books I've read this year (2015)

It is already the end of the year, and I just finished reading another book. It was a busy year for me, so I couldn’t read more than 15 books (for the whole list, visit this link). I chose the best 5 books among them that you may like to start your new year with ... Enjoy! 

WHY SCIENCE IS WRONG...: About Almost Everything By Alex Tsakiris

The title of this book was intriguing enough for me to check it immediately and buy it from Amazon, right after reading the short review Bill Gates wrote about it. Since the first pages, you will realize the book isn’t about all kind of science, it rather focuses on life and consciousness. In explaining his title, Tsakiris says: “Science is wrong because it assumes your consciousness (i.e. your mind… your awareness… the voice inside your head) is an illusion— and it’s not!”.  

Continue reading my article on Idea Magazine 

                                                                   Merry

A Day Without Electricity

It has been so long since the last time I looked at my sister’s painting on the wall of the living room. Pink roses surrounding a blue woody door. It didn’t change, except the fact that it is so dusty now. It has been so long since I have seen the chickens in the garden.  There are fewer chickens now but the garden didn’t change at all.

It has been so long I did not stay alone at home and notice these small details that remind me of old time, when I was still young and full of hope. It has been so long I did not contemplate my fears, my failures, my life …. Myself … Nothing changed, yet everything seems different … Nothing changed but me.

Continue reading my article on Idea Magazine 

Time can heal wounds, but never the scars

  As usual, I spent few unexpected nice days, to face an expected sad event. I hate this life's game. Whenever you say "finally I had some nice time", life comes back and hits you hard to wake you up from your nice dream. 

  At least I am becoming more patient. The more I get hurt and disappointed, the more I become patient. I avoid overreactions, sometimes I don't even react. Doesn't matter anymore. 

In some cases, it is much better to give up on people and dreams than to fight for them. 

  I miss my innocence, my hope for a better tomorrow, my trust in people .... I remember how all used to feel like. 

  I listen (while typing) to some songs (in Arabic) that I used to enjoy before. I found them on my sister's old laptop.  Amazing how different I am now. I almost don't recognize the old me.  

  "All the poems" (كل القصايد in arabic) was one of my favorite songs. I was so broken by that time, and it described my pain perfectly. I used to sing it with my cousin, and cry about loosing my love. I forgot the song's lyrics now, I don't talk to my cousin anymore, and I don't even remember that lover's face. But once I heard the song, I felt the same pain again. Seems like time can heal wounds, but never the scars.

What a complicated creature we are!




                                                                                                                      Merry

A Thousand Farewells

by Nahlah Ayed 

A national bestseller with a new epilogue

  Even though this book was and will always be special for me, I took a very long time to finish reading it (you can see it on Goodreads).  That was for two main reasons. 

  First of all, the book was a gift from a Canadian friend with whom I spent my four months visit there in Canada. So, whenever I pick up this book, I remember her, her little house, our walks, and her long talks about the Middle East situation. She never judges us (Arabs and Muslims). she respects me and my traditions and culture so much. I really liked her. Especially when she starts analyzing my personality and suggesting some solutions and habits to move out of my dark spot I was in by that time. She keeps saying I am exactly like her young daughter (she is as old as me).