Okay so I went to the post office and did the usual, you know, smiled at the person working, hows it going, made a few jokes, laughed.. just being nice, nothing extraordinary. And then the woman working there goes: you are different! Lots of people walk in here and they wear... That... Whats it called? (Pointing to my scarf). I was like- oh, scarf! She goes: yeah, that! They walk in and dont really look up, dont talk to me, they look upset and sad. But you...You actually are making ME smile! I tried to tell her that maybe they were having a bad day or maybe they werent feeling well, maybe they feel judged so it makes them uncomfortable, and that people feed of each others energies and that she herself just had such a great presence... But at the end of the day, she brushed that aside with Youre different, even though you dress the same. And contrary to making this portray me as a nice person, the only reason Im putting this up is: we perpetuate our own stereotypes :( Yes it isnt fun to have to carry the weight of being the poster person for Islam and I understand thats one of the reasons many of us struggle with the way we present ourselves. Some of us are introverts, some of us just shy. Some of us just have bad days sometimes and Ive had my share of those moments when people blame over a billion other Muslims for me being in a rut. But whether or not we like it, small actions make a difference in the way people not only see us, but see our ummah and the causes we stand for. And that even goes for other Muslims who are in our own communities and feeling isolated, judged and unwelcome. Whenever we have the emotional strength and the ability, lets always remember: let your presence, even if short and simple, be a means of lighting up someone elses life. If you know its difficult to speak with someone you dont know, its not necessary to break out into intimate convo with them. But just small actions, like smiling whenever possible, can make a difference. I know all of you are already doing such a wonderful job being your awesome selves when out there in the world. This is just another one of those reminders... Show others your internal awesomeness in your own unique way and in turn, theyll likely always fondly remember that person who made their sometimes difficult life a little more beautiful.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 23:48:23 +0000
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