Human Stories

There are days when I genuinely believe things can’t get worse, and it did. Humanity appears to be a lost cause. People are selfish, filled with hatred, bigotry, disillusioned, and feigned superiority when, in fact, we’re all the same, woven from the same cloth by blood. Many people are more interested in personal ambition than the welfare of their fellow citizens. You’re probably wondering where I’m going with this, but you should have guessed by now.

If I were an alien (a real one from space), I’d probably wonder why humans are so stupid, thick-headed and delusional. Time is so short, yet humans believe they will live forever. We (I’m human, after all, surprise!) decimate everything we touch. We kill, plunder, and are consumed by our wanton desires to have more, not minding the many souls we trample upon in the process.

Daniel Anjorin – May his soul rest in peace.

The merciless killings in our cities and the ongoing wars in Ukraine, Haiti, Gaza/Israel, Congo and countless other countries are never-ending. On Wednesday, I woke up to the distressing news of Daniel Anjorin, a 14-year-old boy murdered by a 36-year-old man, Marcus Aurelio Arduini Monzo, with a Samurai sword. The boy was going to school; he was not in a war zone, yet his life was brutally cut short, which is a testament to our very diseased society. I have a 14-year-old who comes home alone, and I can emphathise with Daniel’s parents. Marcus wounded two officers who bravely intervened, and four other people were harmed in the frenzied attack.

However, our political leaders are keen to score cheap political points that will accelerate their careers rather than find a lasting solution to the violence in our cities and world. They whip up people’s emotions, creating a culture of fear and hallucination and ruthlessly feeding off the vulnerability of the crowd at political rallies. I believe the hottest part of hell is reserved for politicians.

I am a pacifist, I don’t believe violence can solve the world’s problems, but when we have ‘big babies’ as world leaders who jostle and boast about the nation with the best ‘nukes’, it just drives home the point that the innocent always suffer at the decisions of these little men in power.

Human history/story is filled with wars, and I despair at our world. But I am also a positive person, so I’ll keep praying and hoping that one day, we’ll have sane leaders who truly care for their countries.

Until then, stay safe everyone!

Much love, always. 🙂

Peace in a Cruel World

Oct6

We live in a world often marred by conflict, disease, and negativity, finding peace can seem like an elusive dream. So, how do we find peace in such a cacophony of negative events? How do we keep ourselves grounded? I’ve decided to do five things:

Limit News Consumption: While staying informed is essential, constant exposure to negative news can be overwhelming. I have decided two set boundaries on my news consumption to prevent information overload.

Positive Meditation: I am a Christian, and I realise the more I read God’s Word, the calmer and peaceful I am. This world is full of negative things but the more we read, and pray and focus on positive things, the more we’ll have power over negative thoughts and influences. One of my favourite scripture quote is below:

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
Philippians 4:8

If I want to make myself sad, I’ll just dwell on the things that I think are not working in my life, or think of a past traumatic event. But when I realise I don’t have control over certain things, but I have control on my reactions. So, I do what I do best: pray and trust God to do what only He can do.

Be Kind: Kindness doesn’t take anything from us, rather, it makes us better people. I treat people the way I want to be treated, with kindness and empathy, and by doing that, I realise I am peaceful and can navigate through this cruel, complex world. I love the quote below:

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Help Others: Volunteering or helping those in need can be immensely fulfilling. Acts of kindness not only benefit others but also bring a sense of purpose and inner peace. When I help people, I forget about my problems and in a strange way, God always resolves them when I least expected.

Focus on Self-Care: I prioritise self-care activities such as regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep. Taking care of my physical and mental health is crucial for maintaining peace. Taking care of ourselves is crucial, a sick person can’t take care of others. So practise self-love.

There are several ways we can find peace in this chaotic, tumultuous world of ours, but practising the above has helped me, even when faced with circumstances beyond my control.

I wrote this article on Friday, and woke up on Saturday to news of Hamas attacking Israel. I pray for peace in our world.

Take care of yourselves wherever you are in the world.

Much love, always! 🙂

The Paradox of the Human Heart

Jul7

Today marks the 18th anniversary of the London transport bombings, which caused the death of 52 people and numerous injuries. Here in Europe, we’re still watching the carnage unleashed on Ukrainians when Russia invaded their country, killing thousands of innocent people and inflicting untold suffering on both sides. I’ve lost count of the mass shootings in the US this year. Here in the UK, we’re grappling with knife crimes, young lives snuffed out at regular intervals. Then today, I read about an Ohia man, Chad Doerman, who executed his three young sons, allowing the mother to witness the heinous crime. He would probably claim insanity, which brings me to the complexity inherent in the human heart.

The human heart, both anatomically and metaphorically, has long captivated our imaginations. The heart is a fascinating organ that sustains life and influences emotions and actions. While the heart is often associated with kindness, love, and compassion, it can also exhibit darker aspects of human nature. Today I want to explore the duality of the human heart, highlighting its potential for both wickedness and kindness.

The Wickedness of the Human Heart:

Human history is replete with tales of cruelty, violence, and malevolence that originate from the depths of the human heart. Suffering and pain can be caused by actions stemming from evil thoughts in the heart. The seeds of wickedness can grow within and sprout as greed, envy, hatred, or revenge. The book of Jeremiah from the Bible echoes this message.

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the LORD, search all and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
Jeremiah 17: 9-10

Selfishness and wrong beliefs have caused terrible acts throughout history. Some of the darkest moments in history have been centred around the human heart, including wars, genocides, violence, and oppression. It’s a reminder of the capacity for evil that lives within us.

The Kindness of the Human Heart:

However, amidst the wickedness, the human heart is also capable of immense kindness and compassion. It’s the source of love, empathy, and altruism that can lead to acts of selflessness and generosity. The heart encourages kindness and support towards others.

Comforting friends, helping strangers, and donating to charity are simple acts of kindness. It’s also evident in the tireless work of individuals and organisations that strive to address social injustices, fight for equality, and improve the well-being of others. The human heart, when guided by empathy and compassion, has the potential to create positive change and heal wounds.

The Balance of the Human Heart:

Human hearts contain a mix of both wickedness and kindness. Everyone has the potential for both good and evil, and their choices shape their path. Our hearts is not a static entity. It can evolve and transform over time, influenced by experiences, education, and personal growth. Acknowledging both wickedness and kindness within ourselves helps us understand our humanity and strive to cultivate a kind heart while rejecting wickedness.

The human heart is a complex entity that harbours both wickedness and kindness. It holds the capacity for great evil and the power to generate immense love and compassion. Reflecting on our actions helps us understand this paradox. By doing so, we can work towards creating a world that celebrates the inherent goodness within us and endeavours to minimise the wickedness that can sometimes arise.

The paradox of the human heart reminds us that our emotional experiences are complex, nuanced, and multifaceted. It encapsulates the simultaneous capacity for immense strength and vulnerability, guiding us to navigate the depths of our emotions with self-awareness and compassion. By embracing this paradox, we can achieve a more profound understanding of ourselves and others, resulting in a richer, more fulfilling human experience.

In our corners of the world, let’s make our world a better place!

Synthetic Humans

Jun16

British and American scientists led by Prof Magdalena Zernica-Goertz from the University of Cambridge and the California Institute of Technology have created model embryos from mouse stem cells. This ‘breakthrough’ can potentially create synthetic human embryos using stem cells, bypassing sperm and eggs in embryonic formation. They’ve successfully engineered the stem cells to create structures similar to early human embryos, and these synthetic embryos mimic the natural developmental process, which reached the point where the entire brain began to develop, providing insights into early human life.

Similarly, in October 2019, researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands were creating artificial womb for premature babies and received a grant of of £2.6m for a prototype model. They believed an artificial womb would be a ‘game changer.’ EctoLife, the brain-child of a molecular biologist, Hashem Al-Gahili, has gone further by alleging in December 2022 that the world’s first artificial womb facility, an archetypal of what could be if there were ethical freedom, was a result of over 50 years of ‘groundbreaking scientific research’ and will be able to ‘grow 30,000 babies a year’. You can watch it here:

The implications of these ‘breakthroughs’ are both promising and concerning. On one hand, many people believe that medical research can greatly benefit from synthetic embryos. They provide a controlled environment for studying embryogenesis, understanding genetic abnormalities, and developing targeted treatments. Additionally, they hold potential for addressing fertility challenges by offering alternatives to traditional gametes and potentially mitigating hereditary disorders. However, it’s crucial to approach these advancements cautiously and address the ethical considerations surrounding the status and rights of these artificial structures.

Future Prospects and Ethical Considerations:

As we stand at the crossroads of these scientific advancements, the future of reproduction hangs in the balance. While synthetic embryos and artificial womb facilities may promise immense medical advancements, personalised treatments, and opportunities for those struggling with fertility, we must approach this ‘breakthroughs’ responsibly. Ethical concerns surrounding the moral status and rights of synthetic embryos and the societal implications of gestation outside the human body cannot be ignored.

The world is already bulking under overpopulation, and allowing this research to continue is unethical, and that’s my own opinion, or am I wrong?

Welcome to the world of synthetic humans!

Our Scorned, Scorched Planet!

Aug7

(Photo Credit: Flickr)

Scientists have now issued a warning that in a couple of decades, some parts of our planet may become uninhabitable. I beg to differ, some parts of our world are already uninhabitable. Our patched, long-suffering planet has endured human’s degradations for millennia; we don’t care about our world; we hate each other and are so quick to point out our differences, perhaps I am doing the same thing, but this article is meant to be constructive.

I don’t mean for this article to pander to any group of people but everyone. Recently, I watched a film titled, ‘Knowing’ and it’s about our world being destroyed by a massive solar flare which inevitably made the earth uninhabitable and in a creepy twist of fate, scientists are echoing the same thoughts. They are not predicting a solar flare will obliterate our world as we know it, they are warning us about climate change, but what they aren’t telling us to change is our attitude to everything on this planet.

(Photo credit: Google)

Humanity has descended so low that everything is about race and religion, and this is so sad. I wanted to write an article about love, bravery, and selflessness but I am finding it increasingly difficult to do so. A young boy lost his life in a house fire today in South East London, and yet on Yahoo, people were commenting on the colour of his skin and his parents’ race? It’s unbelievably sad.

There’s an increase in knife crime among black youths in London, and when a young life is lost, people hardly care, and that same attitude is unequivocally linked to our lack of empathy. We have grouped ourselves into white/black Muslim/Christian Catholic/Protestants etcetera. And it’s the same around the world, we have created this sick, twisted ideology we’re better than the next person if we belong to a particular race or religion.

There’s divisive politics, people hate with their eyes but smile with their teeth. We are so petty and care only for ourselves. We satisfy our cravings for depravities in the most deplorable fashion possible it’s laughable.

I am keen to see a time when we would truly love one another with no inhibitions. Sadly, it’s a human condition, we are suspicious and find it difficult to relate to people who don’t look or think like us. However, there is that basic instinct that connects us all, our DNA. It differentiates us from animals, the ability to think, feel and vocalise our emotions through words. Maybe animals love and feel (I’m not an expert on that) but not on our level, and I suppose the ability to express our feelings should make us a better entity. We should be able to take care of our environment and the people around us.

I am an optimist, but just as our earth is groaning under the burden of our selfishness and nonchalant attitude toward climate change, maybe, we will finally be able to do something together and eschew our petty differences.

Climate change is real!

Somehow… We’re All Connected

Oct1

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(Photo credit: Flickr)

My office is in a prestigious and historic building in Whitehall, and every day on my way to the office, I love saying hello to the cleaners making the place a beautiful sight.

They are as important as the Prime Minister, Theresa May.

Maybe some people might not agree with me, but we’re all important. From the bus driver struggling through the morning traffic to the chef in the restaurant trying to bring sanity to the chaos in the kitchen to the cashier at the grocery store who might endure muffled abuse from disgruntled customers to the care assistant who takes care of our older relatives or the nursery assistant who has to endure the incessant screams of restless babies and yet, has to smile and reassure parents that all has been well when it hasn’t.

I reckon, we’re all the same.

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The feeling of ”I’m always right and I know everything all” has the hallmark of a ‘jerk syndrome.’ I respect all the men and women holding two to three jobs, trying to make ends meet while also bringing up their children at the same time. They are superheroes.

Now don’t get me wrong, life isn’t a straight line, but it would augur well to appreciate people who appear to be doing menial jobs. I once got into an argument with a former boss who refused to allow his driver in the same lift with him, I didn’t mince my words when I told him in no uncertain terms that he was wrong. You can imagine what happened after that, I got fired? Hell no (forgive my language), he apologised to his driver and increased his pay. Although I later realised that the truth is a bitter pill to swallow.

We’re all connected.

Imagine the scenario where we’re all rich, every single soul on this planet is wealthy. Where would you find the shopkeepers, drivers, butchers, child-minders, just to mention a few? So, why not give that sweaty waitress a sincere smile and the cleaner at your HQ an appreciative grin? Maybe I’m wrong, let me know what you think.

Have a wonderful weekend friends, and may the coming week bring you peace!

Much love, always. 🙂

The Ugly Side…

Aug13

”The most beautiful as well as the most ugly inclinations of man are not part of a fixed biologically given human nature, but result from the social process which creates man.” Erich Fromm

Recent events in the world are enough to sum up the fact that humanity’s ugly side appears to be dominant. We are very quick to tear apart than build, we hate anything that remotely differs from our way of thinking. We want to love but find that so difficult, rather it’s easy to be suspicious, have zero empathy and yes, we find a safe haven in hatred.

James Carroll got it right when he wrote, ”we cloak ourselves in cold indifference to the unnecessary suffering of others, even when we caused it.”

Hatred brings out our ugly side when we hide behind our knowledge of what’s right and wrong. We believe our lives are somehow a priority compared to others and when we’re not having things going our way, we’re quick to complain, bemoaning our fallen state.

We’re also beautiful creatures, that is when we want to be. Imagine doctors risking lives and limbs to save Ebola-stricken victims in a remote village in Africa or people pooling resources together to save Syrian refugees from the freezing sea. That, is the beauty of human nature just to mention a few.

However, we all have ugly sides, if not, why do we have laws trying to curtail our nastiness from spiralling out of control?

I penned this article shortly after the Nice truck massacre, somehow I couldn’t publish it but it’s still relevant today. Most of the time, it’s very difficult to comprehend when such tragedies occur, like the killings of African-Americans by rogue white police officers or the killings of thousands by the so called Isis’s mad soldiers or the time when Lord Gen Jeffery Amherst, British Commander-in-Chief of America wrote to Col. H. Bouquet to use Biological weapons (small pox laden blankets) in July 1763 against Native American Indians. He wrote, “You will do well to try to inoculate the Indians by means of blankets, as well as to try every other method that can serve to extirpate this execrable race.” Hitler wanted to wipe out the Jews and subject the world to his madness. In the end, I think our lives shouldn’t be mapped out based on such events no matter how sad.

Humanity is renowned for fortitude in the face of extreme violence. Hitler was keen to turn the world into a huge wasteland, but he failed, even though, in the process, millions lost their lives. The incredible thing I’ve realised is this, our ugliness and monstrosity would not prevail over the beauty and love inherent in us (this is where free-will comes in). That’s contradictory but it’s the truth. As Daniel Goleman wrote, ”societies can be sunk by the weight of ugliness.”

There’s real hatred in the world, just check social media where some segment of humanity compares others as inferior to them. It’s heartbreaking but over the millennia, it’s been part of the history of mankind, the pervading hatred, the palpable feeling of helplessness experienced by slaves which brought the brutal book, ‘The Heart Of Darkness ,’ written by Joseph Conrad to mind. More than ten million people had died in the Congo in the 19th and early 20th century under the rule of the notorious Belgian King, Leopold II. The Congo had been plundered and its inhabitants killed with ruthless efficiency. It’s one of the greatest acts of mass murder in human history. That’s humanity’s ugliness at its height. According to a review on Amazon, ”Conrad makes it painfully clear that the heart of darkness can reside within us all,” how sad!

Unfortunately, the killings in Congo is still ongoing, according to an article written by Owen Jones in the Guardian Newspaper on 6 March 2015, he lamented, ” African lives did not matter enough: a death toll of up to 6 million would surely not have been tolerated elsewhere. For the West, it is a country of little strategic importance.”

Overall, I still believe that our ugly sides can be tamed, maybe I’m wrong?

This article is open to debate, let me know what you think.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend wherever you are in the world!

Much love, always. 🙂

The Irrefutable Light…

Mar25

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”We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call to attention their shinning – they just shine.” Dwight L. Moody

What Jesus did and is still doing for humanity is simple. He became our light, he simply allowed himself to align with our frailty, weakness, and mortality and when he did that, we became one with Him when we believe. Jesus is the irrefutable sacrifice, the ultimate hope of eternity. In Him, we have the hope that even though our time in this world is limited, our joy in heaven is limitless.

The international rock star and social activist, Bono’s song about Yahweh capture my mood in this beautiful season, his quote on Christ was spot on. Please watch if you’ve got the time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlKDG8TGJWM

”But with Christ, we have access in a one-to-one relationship, for, as in the Old Testament, it was more one of worship and awe, a vertical relationship. The New Testament, on the other hand, we look across at a Jesus who looks familiar, horizontal. The Combination is what makes the Cross.” Bono

I love this song below, it sent me down memory lane.

”Outside of the cross of Jesus Christ, there is no hope in this world. That cross and resurrection at the core of the Gospel is the only hope for humanity. Wherever you go, ask God for wisdom on how to get that Gospel in, even in the toughest situations of life.” Ravi Zacharias.

Jesus is our hope in this world of sin and imperfection. Let Him be your friend, He’s already mine!

I hope all my Christian friends would have a wonderful Easter, Jesus lives! And to my non-Christian friends, I love you still, have a fantastic holiday!

Much love, always! 🙂

On Humanity And Idiosyncrasies

Dec4

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(My ideal place to be now!)

“Man surprised me most about humanity. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money.
Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.” Dalai Lama

If we continually observe the world, it’s really filled with sad news, war, war, and war! Yet in the midst of the seemingly absurd, grotesque, insane, and obscene, we have to carry on living.

My husband and I were having one of our ‘philosophical chats’ when he quoted Dalai Lama, it hit me like a sledgehammer; am I working too hard?

However, after a brief soul-searching I came to this verdict: I love life, I really enjoy living even when I’m working hard and juggling multiple responsibilities with kids screaming for my attention, countless office deadlines and uncooperative plots ( my novels and several other manuscripts I’m working on).

I am absolutely certain that I enjoy my idiosyncratic attitude to living because life has no part two, there are no dress rehearsals or a delete button. We take what we have, use it wisely and hope for the best, and I think we ought to strive to find joy in life in any way we can.

December is a month of frenzy cum feverish spending, planning, office parties. Why not pause for a while, enjoy the snow-capped mountains, (if there’s one in your vicinity), the fake reindeer, and annoying Christmas jingles that normally grated on your nerves.

I intend to, I hope you’ll all enjoy everyday living.

Have a fantastic weekend friends!

Much love, always. 🙂

The Living Force!

Feb28

(Photo credit: joke Van someren)

Claps of thunder ripped through the clear sky,

I shuddered at your feet, Majesty,

I bowed my head in

Utmost reverence.

I searched your face for clues of acceptance,

My heart broke into a thousand songs,

Ancient melodies escaped from my upturned mouth.

I turned to look and saw flashes of light danced through the morning sky.

You stood close to me and I gazed deep into the pool of your beauty!

You took me by the hand and whispered,

”My name is love, if only your kind have me in abundance,

How safe would your world be… How enduring! How peaceful.”

And you were gone, my heart pressed after you and I realised

A beautiful truth, ‘I have love in me.’

Do you?

There is always one message in my novels, before I write, I usually have a clear potent message I want to pass across, and I think all writers are preachers, we don’t just write in abstract, without meaning or purpose. My message in ‘The Feet Of Darkness’ is all about love, forgiveness, faith and hope.

Clues of this ‘thought plan’ as I call them abound in the novel. Why not go over to Amazon and read the first or so chapters, if you like it, give it a like and if you want to read more, you can buy it. You don’t need to have a kindle, you can read on your laptops, tablets, phones and iPad! You can click on the image of the novel on my sidebar or click on this link;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Feet-Of-Darkness-ebook/dp/B00BJ6LJHC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1362059177&sr=1-1#reader_B00BJ6LJHC

The second edition of the paperback will be out on second week in March and then there’s going to be a big party!!!

I love and appreciate you all!

🙂