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Crying at Airports (twice this month)
Published 18 days agoย โขย 4 min read
Issue #34
Hello & Salaam!
All of August I told myself I'll send the email newsletter soon and then it was 31st August and I still wasn't done drafting it. So August newsletter is being sent on 2 Sept. Apologies!
August was lovely mashaAllah. My parents at the last minute decided to come to Melbourne (where I'm living now) for my birthday. They stayed at a hotel 1.5 hours away from me (long story haha) but it was so lovely to spend time with them in person. Shortly after they left, my besties also arrived in Melbourne, and one of them brought her mum!
When I sent my parents and my besties off at the airport, both times I was not expecting to cry (because I know I have a flight back to Singapore soon!) but I still cried. And not just little tears either, like tears streaming down my face and having to wipe them off a few times kind of tears! Haha.
I mean I know I'm a crybaby but most times I can kind of feel the tears coming or I'm anticipating it, but this time, BOTH times, I was not expecting to cry and I did!
And because I also enjoy analysing everything haha, I was really curious about why I cried.
I realised that knowing I'll be seeing them again soon didn't stop me from crying because I wasn't crying out of missing them, but out of sheer gratitude that they chose to spend the money and the time and the energy to fly 8 hours to come spend time with me in Melbourne. And I was so grateful to be loved like that. They could have gone anywhere, or done anything with the money they spent on the flights and accommodation, but they chose to spend it on/with lil 'ol me. ๐ฅน๐ฅน
One of my fav comics that live rent-free in my head
Please reply and tell me all the ways that you have been loved. I'm in the mood to cry for others!
Amee's Digest
A beautiful/arresting phrase or sentence I read this past month:
"If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one." โ Dolly Parton
What's going on writing/work-wise:
I'm translating a book by a scholar in Malaysia right now, and will be starting a ghostwriting project mid-Sept inshaAllah. โ I turned down an invitation to be on a panel at this year's Singapore Writers' Festival because of a miscommunication about covering my flights. I was quite bummed about it and was wallowing a little about how it could have furthered my career and established myself in the Singapore literary scene etc etc and then stopped myself.
Those may be true, or it may not. It could have lead to other opportunities, or it may not. And I have to trust that saying no can also lead to other opportunities inshaAllah. (Also, how established is established? Is it not enough that I'm a bestselling author and my book was on the Straits Times list? What other accolades or outside validation will finally make me "established"? Pfft, sparkles of the dunya.)
Writing for my Open Hearts Snail Mail Club gives me life honestly. I'm really so glad I started this. I've loved writing it and reading the replies and the whole process alhamdulillah.
I also offered poetry commissions for my birthday fundraiser for the Ashour family so I'm going through some of that right now!
A screenshot from the past month:
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An advice I received/gave this past month:
"Use your hands! Do pottery. Paint. Find cute Lego sets or embroidery or cross stitch. Or if those things aren't your things, maybe rock climbing, or flower pounding, or cooking. Something that brings you back into your body and into the moment and preferably doesn't involve a screen."
Something I watched/listened to this past month:
I've sent this to many young people over the years, because it helped me when I was a much younger person once too. And because I had shared it this past month during a conversation with a young woman, I got to watch it again and be reminded of why I loved it so much.
Final quarter of 2026. If you wanted a digital guide with reflection prompts to look back on your year and plan the next few months, my guide is available! (It says Welcoming Muharram but the guide, prompts and planner were designed to be done for any 6-month period.)
I always set aside some time each month for these 1-on-1 calls. If you ever wanted my input on your Writing, Marketing, Publishing etc, you can book a slot at the link above. Last month someone booked a slot to ask my thoughts on how to lead a halaqah/reflection group so I might make that into a digital guide (when I have a writing deadline and need to procrastinate :P)
Welcome ๐ท Expect heartfelt letters blending Islamic spirituality, social justice advocacy, and the writing life. Join a community of seekers craving honest essays, poetry, and early access to my upcoming spiritual retreats.
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