Dear members

​

Yesterday 11 August, was the anniversary of my father’s passing.

This article is in honour of him.

I'm breaking the 'rules' social media 'experts' say about article length! 😁

I wasn’t able to say to him the answers to my questions when he was in human form.

I did so yesterday at his grave.

​

I invite you if you are reading this, to answer one of the four questions (if not all of them).

​

Don’t wait – make the time.

You are busying yourself more than you realise.

You are.

​

Courage comes in different ways.

Courage with love is really simple.

We have this moment now and then it’s gone, forever.

Do. Not. Wait.

​

1. Who do you really admire? Tell them.

2. Who do you really appreciate? Tell them.

3. Who you really love? Tell them.

4. If this was the last 12 months, to serve humanity, community and your self. What you really want to do? Who do you really want to be?

​

​

Dad, I was born when you were 50, and you died just before your 73rd birthday.

I was 23.

I saw myself as the victim.

I thought you died when I was too young.

I was angry and frustrated at times for the conversations we have not been able to have 'in person'.

​

And now, just yesterday, when I spoke to you at the cemetery.

I realised something.

I realised you died too young for me to understand our relationship.

But…

You gifted me the ability to witness your older wisdom.

Something I would not have witnessed if you were younger.

You gifted me everything I see now.

You gifted me an amazing role model.

​

Dad, I admire your passion for learning and education, you put it above religion which is unheard of in Muslim families.

I admire that you started your own business when you were 70! 70!

I am sorry I never celebrated this with you until now.

You make me laugh that you still, at 73, typed with your two index fingers.

You remind me all the time, to look at every part of life is a gift and treat life with gratitude.

I admire your ability to balance your own growth with supporting the family and community.

​

Your spirit is strong.

You have an unbelievably strong heart.

You never made yourself to be a victim nor saviour.

I would call you a guide to many.

​

I appreciate the support you gave me, unwavering even in the face of the misplaced rebellion I created!

​

I appreciate how you model supporting family and community – you never turned anyone away, nor will I.

I appreciate our silliness and I’ll carry that playfulness. I forget sometimes.

I love you for the one:one time we had together.

I’ll never forget the day trip to London when I was 10, nor watching to snooker on BBC2 (I hate snooker but you were loving it!).

You always make time to throw a cricket ball at me in the garden, even it was five minutes.

​

I love your consistency to prayer twice a day, not because I feel you are 'religious', you pause to open and close the day, something I carry.

I find it interesting you don't care for praying five times a day, you make your own path with spirit.

​

I wish we can spend more time together, watching cricket, meeting my son and his mum.

I wish we can more time one:one.

Wishing about the past doesn’t help, is what you say to me.

Being grateful, being present and creating your path, is what you steer me towards.

​

You are often the only person cheering on, my mad plans to move to South America, or to post-conflict Liberia.

I see now how much you were trying to push me away from people who weren’t serving me. That is rare.

​

This next year, Dad I'm am going:

Continue to serve with courage, play and love - not be afraid of the mad plans as you never doubted me.

Keep up with my spiritual, emotional and physical health.

Turn more attention to supporting community and family.

Continue to learn (you will LOVE my new coach, his dad is like you!).

Model your limitless love.

Serve from spirit not ego.

Continue to break invisible walls, just as you did.

Be f***king grateful to be ALIVE and rich is so so many ways.

Make some hard decisions of who do I want to spend my time with - which is where my extra energy will come from.

And have some incredible days with my son, including today, we're go surfing shortly.

​

I realise we'll always be talking!

You are not really gone.

Love you dad.

​

-

​

Use your energy for action

Right now the world really needs some extra love, as one participant on Friday’s session said - we all need healing.

Answering the questions will lead to your own healing and someone else’s.

The things you admire in others are already inside you.

​

Call me to tell me your answer- If this was your final year, you have 12 months to make THE biggest difference to humanity, community, your self... What will you do? Who will you be?

Imagine we're sitting in a South Asian front room with my dad.

​

​https://calendly.com/mo-belonging-people/connect​

​

Don’t wait – we have this moment now and then it’s gone.

Step into your power this week, with courage and love.

​

4'33'' John Cage PREVIEW   ​

​

​

​