Welcome to my second ever “Internet Spotlight!” It hasn’t been long since the first one, but the internet is an ever-changing landscape; when I see good content I need to share it before it becomes old! This time, I thought I’d do things a little differently. While Internet Spotlight no. 1 showcased a series of articles, this one is going to be centered around social media content. So without further ado, let’s jump in!
“Some Good News With John Krasinski Ep. 1″
Upload Date: March 29, 2020
Description: “John Krasinski highlights some good news from around the world, including an interview with Steve Carell to mark the 15th anniversary of THE OFFICE, as well as John’s newest hero Coco. #somegoodnews #theoffice #SteveCarell“
Thoughts: John Krasinski is probably my favorite actor. He majored in English, starred in The Office, was the genius behind A Quiet Place, and has a phenomenal beard… so, it only makes sense that I admire the man. With Some Good News, he’s done it again! In a time when our social media feeds and news channels are full of bleak reminders, Krasinski brings our attention to good news and nothing but that. This inaugural episode pays homage to our essential workers, features an interview with Steve Carell, and celebrates a young girl who just finished her cancer treatment. Throughout its fifteen-minute runtime, I couldn’t stop grinning.
“When this is over…” by Laura Kelly Fanucci
Upload Date: March 16, 2020
Caption: “Also may we give up the hoarding 🧻”
Thoughts: If there’s one thing that these days have taught me, it’s that there’s beauty in the parts of life we deem ordinary. There were so many little things that I took for granted; all of a sudden I yearn for simple luxuries like eating at my favorite restaurants, going grocery shopping with my roommates, and listening to music with a group of friends. At the same time, I feel blessed that I’m with my family and can communicate with friends using technology. So, all in all, this time is teaching me a lot of gratitude. Fanucci’s poem perfectly captures these emotions. It’s a poignant and relatable piece in these tough times. It ends on an especially important note, encouraging us to use this time for personal growth. I can’t wait to see my friends (I’m overcome with emotion at the very thought), but with that, I look forward to seeing how we’ve all progressed individually. At the very least, I’m certain that we’ll all value our casual hangouts much more than we once did–that alone is something very special.
“In a masjid in #Pakistan…” by Dr. Yasir Qadhi
Upload Date: March 29, 2020
Caption: “Such a sad photo…I feel it will become one of the iconic photos for this era that we are living through now.
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In a masjid in #Pakistan, a policeman is pleading with an elderly man, in the name of God (‘khuda ki wasta’), to not come to the masjid because of the coronavirus scare.
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This picture makes me want to cry. You can tell the sadness and confusion in the elderly man’s face, and you can tell how difficult this is for the policeman – a fellow Muslim who must somehow convince this elder to not come to the house of Allah.
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Truly this time is a time of contemplation and reflection for us – and a time to appreciate all of those opportunities we had to go to the masjid but didn’t take advantage of that.”
Thoughts: As a Pakistani-American Muslim, this one hit me really hard. For Muslims, the masjid (mosque) has typically been a constant in our lives. We pray five times a day–many of us go to the masjid for these prayers. Every Friday, we attend Jumuah–our weekly congregational sermon. In my life, I have never once seen Jumuah get canceled or the masjid closed during prayer time. For nearly twenty-two years, the masjid has provided me with a source of tranquility. All of a sudden it’s gone, and I have to admit that this fact is one that helps me realize the gravity of this situation. At the onset of this crisis, many religious leaders had the difficult decision to make of whether or not to close down the religious houses of worship. As mosques, churches, and synagogues halted operation, many were confused and disgruntled. This picture shared by Yasir Qadhi perfectly exemplifies this phenomenon and his caption reminds me how much of a blessing the masjid is in my life. I yearn to go back and can’t wait for that day to finally arrive.
“together” by Rupi Kaur
Upload Date: March 29, 2020
Caption: “😂😭♥️”
Thoughts: Admittedly, I’m not the biggest fan of Rupi Kaur’s poetry. Every so often, however, I stumble upon a piece that I love and have to admit that Kaur is incredibly talented. “together” is a poem included in her 2017 collection The Sun and Her Flowers. Kaur recently posted the piece on her Instagram and it really made me stop and think. I had never realized how ironic it is that loneliness is a universal emotion–something that has the potential to connect people–and yet, it only creeps up in the absence of human presence. When you’re feeling lonely, chances are that you have a friend feeling the exact same way during that moment… The poem is more relevant now than ever, as this feeling thrives in the air of our once lively, but now abandoned, roads, shopping malls, and coffee shops. As a friend mentioned to me a few days ago, at least we’re ALL sitting at home; it’d be different if only some of us were quarantined and thus forced to experience one agonizing case of FOMO after another. Regardless, I can’t wait for this to be over so that I can feel a bit more like myself and less like the man with his head down in Kaur’s illustration.
“Let’s commit to being like grandparents…” by Suhaib Webb
Upload Date: March 28, 2020
Caption: “Today is the first day in a week that I ventured out. Despite all the unconditional love from my wife and her family, and a frantic work schedule that kept me “bunkered” I needed the therapy of the air, the birds, the trees and the clouds. But, most importantly, I needed to see humans in their natural setting. So, I went for a run, or, being honest, a sludge[.]
As I returned home and began to climb the last hill of the day surrounded by neglected cherry blossoms and damp pavement, I heard familiar voices that centered me and rested me: ”Can you show us your puppets?” “Show me your fingers!” “Are you washing your hands?”
Grandparents!
Grandparents, no matter the language, seem always to share an interest in the smallest things. Their ears are consistently bidding on their grandchildren’s attempts to be heard. Perhaps, that’s why we love them. They are always reassuring[.]
Anyways, as I kept strolling, their voices became louder, and as I looked, I realized they were visiting their grandchildren. But this was no typical visit. They were visiting them through the window, but with the same energy and love that only grandparents can give. God bless them[.]
These days, as we sit at home. Let’s commit to being like grandparents: making sure we listen to those we love, attempting to amplify our sense of hearing, our rigorously dedicated, yearning to give, and, most importantly, learning that if the #coronavirus has taught us something, it is to love and listen, like grandparents.”
Note: the above caption has been slightly reformatted for readability on this blog
Thoughts: As I sit at home these days, my mind constantly races back to my grandparents. I’m blessed to have a close relationship with both my paternal and maternal grandparents. Prior to all of this, I’d go to my paternal grandparents and uncle’s home every Friday night. It’s been like that for as long as I can remember and has been one of the main reasons why I’ve made the hour-and-a-half-long commute home every weekend while studying in Athens. My mom’s side of the family, on the other hand, lives in Pakistan, but I have to say that my nano (maternal grandmother) has always been glued to my side and I always look forward to speaking on the phone with and visiting both of my mom’s parents (and the rest of the family). It’s tough nowadays with my grandparents being older and not getting to see one set, while the other is so far away. Suhaib Webb’s post (both the caption and the amazing picture accompanying it) really got me to reflect on all the love that my grandparents have showered me with throughout the years. I was really touched by his focus on the lessons that we can take away from the love that grandparents have for their grandchildren. The story was truly heartwarming and this post is one that I don’t see myself forgetting anytime soon. Just as our grandparents have done so much for us, let’s pay close attention to our elderly during this time. Check-in with your older family members and help them stay safe. Think about your elderly family members (and other people’s) and stay inside for their sakes. They certainly deserve that.
If you liked any of the content above, I recommend you drop a comment or like on the original post! I hope some of it was thought-provoking. Until next time…
Take care of yourselves,
Muhammad
These blog posts just keep getting better and better. Proud of you 🙂
Absolutely love this one! Keep up the good work!