Nemo and the Sharks, The Parable of Nemo II

Nemo entered the school with excitement. At last, this is a place that he is comfortable in. After all, he had spent all his life in school. How could this school in the ocean be any different from the aquariums’? He is confident that he will find his way around the school.
Nemo is dead wrong. Little did he know that he is in the SSSS meaning Shrewd Smiling Sharks’ School. Sharkies have strong personalities. They say what they think and get what they want. They are aggressive and clever. Early on in these young sharkies mind, they were taught by adult sharks to fend for themselves; to attack first or else they will be attacked. This ‘attack mode’ which is supposedly to protect self became a powerful shield to blind the self as well. If one is not careful, he will point at the fault of others without seeing his own. In the end, personal introspection is denied and blaming someone else will be the norm. To be tough is popular while to be gentle is unheard of . This is an insight to the S.S.S.S. Note that these sharkies are friendly, smart and smiling sharks. It just happened that they have been trained in a certain way to survive the life in the ocean. Nonetheless, little sharkies seemed to loom too big for Nemo.
You see, Nemo doesn’t know how to assert himself. He is usually timid and soft spoken. Amidst the sharkies, Nemo felt so small and insecure. He is so cautious and scared of being attacked without reason. In order to cope in the SSSS, Nemo has to be stronger than usual: to assert for his rights, to speak up (and speak out loud) and to ‘jump for the kill or else he will be killed’ syndrome. In his first six weeks of school, Nemo felt drained and heavily laden in keeping up with the SSSS.

The Parable of Nemo

The Shell That Nemo Never Had

Nemo lives among strange creatures. He has just moved from his aquarium to the ocean. In his new neighbourhood, majority of the sea creatures are the turtles. They are strong swimmers, herbivorous and adorn themselves with black shells. Nemo feels naked around them since he doesn’t have the hard cover like theirs. He imagines himself with his own shell. In fact, he tried on several shells in the market in order to fit in. To have a shell would mean an affinity: a point of similarity in an otherwise strange environment in the ocean. He is obviously different from the turtles. They look at him and scrutinized him: openly staring or secretly curious about him. They do not mean to be mean or rude; yet Nemo can feel a growing dislike of being unique, you know, being a standout weirdo is not fun. Although he is used to creatures’ investigative eyes in the aquarium, he started to resent the feeling of caution as eyes followed him everywhere he go in the vast ocean.

Twenty Four Weeks

Twenty four weeks and four days
You count every hour, night and day
Even when people could not tell
You just know me all too well

You prepared a place where I will lay
You designed me in an intricate way
You breathe life one appointed day
You have heard the prayer that baba say

Soon they will call me baby Mei
As my parents found out today
Vital signs of a healthy girl am I
A miracle that money cannot buy

Heaven rejoice and earth welcome
Angels anticipate of who I will become
Ancient cultures both racing in my blood
In your path, O Ancient of Days, I shall trod

24 Weeks Pregnant

غايب طوشَه

كل فكري إنه كل المكتوب بالكتب "المقدسه" غير قابل للطعن، بس كنت غلطان...
ما بعرف عَمين الحق. هل هو عَلّي عَلَمونا وإلا عَلّي ربّونا؟ مين تلوم لما يكون حاميها حراميها؟ مين تلوم لَمَّا الجميع يعرفوا ويحرفوا؟ مين تلوم لَمَّا الكُل يتعاموا عن الحق؟ مستعدين يكذبوا ويفتروا بس المُهم إنهم يكسبوا المعركه ويثبتوا إنه "الجميع غلط وإحنا الصَّح".
حال ميؤس منه، بس ربك ما حط عقده إلا إلها حلَّال.
قالونا إنه جماعة موسى وجماعة عيسى طَغوا وغَيَّروا كلام الله. جماعة موسى قالوا إنه عازر إبن الله. جماعة عيسى قالوا أكثر من هيك عالله. قالوا إنه عيسى إبن الله وكمان مريم هي تكون مَرَته الله. بهذه الكلمات البسيطة حكونا شو هُمَّ جماعة موسى وعيسى.
ظلّوا يزِنُّوا عروسنا ويحاولوا يسكتوا كل سؤال ممكن نسأله.
وشلك من طول السالفه، كِبِرنا وبدينا نفكِر بكل هالدروس السابقة والحُجَج غير المنطقية. رُحنا سإلنا جماعة عيسى، والِّي هُمّا جيرانا وحبايبنا وما بينَّا وبينهم غير كُل خير. يا جماعة عيسى شو رَدكوا علكام ألّي ينقال عنكوا*؟ ليش زَوَّرتوا الكتاب؟ وكيف تحكوا إنه الله إلُه إبن؟ وليش ما توحدوا الله يا جماعه؟ حَيَّرتونا كثير يا جماعه... شو قصتكوا إنتوا؟

أيش؟ أيش؟ مين حكالك هالحكي؟ صدق كل هالكلام كذب بكذب. مَعاذ الله إحنا نحكي هالحكي عالله. يا أخي، من خِلقت الدنيا وإحنا نوحد الله ونؤمن إنه وحده عنده القدره إنه ينقذنا من هالعالم ومن أنفسنا "لأن النفس أمَّارةٌ بالسوء..." شِكل الِّي حكالك هالحكي عنا "غايب طوشَه" أو أساء الفهم.

أنا آسِف إني سألتك هالسؤال أنا عارف إنهم هُم جماعه ينَزّلوا من قَدر الآخرين حتى إنهم بالمُقابل يرتفعوا. كَذَبوا كِذبه وصدَّقوها.

ولا يهمك، هَذول جماعه مساكين وصدِّق إنَّا إنحبهم وندعيلهم إنه الله يفتِّح عيونهم حتى يشوفوا الحق. الله يصلحهم!

Counting Our Blessings

One by one, we count our blessings
Big and small, wonders they bring
We remember the songs that we sing
in cold winter and awesome spring

For peace that grants sweet sleep
For work where we sow and reap
For security that we inwardly keep
Even for days when we secretly weep

For inspiration that spur and stir
For prayers that He always hear
For daily bread that blissfully fill
Even for clothes in this freezing chill

For caring friends who enrich our lives
For good health that sustains and energize
For vision that makes us kicking and alive
Even for the rocky road and bumpy ride

For a baby that is breathing and growing
For families that give a sense of belonging
For still waters and times of refreshing
Even for fiery purging, waiting and trembling

For a glimmer of hope of what is to come
For faithfulness and compelling love from the Son
Today we count our blessings, one by one
Big and small, the wonders of what God has done