Midway

Chicago. One of my first memories is of me sitting in my Marium Thai’s kitchen after my Thaiya had passed. Cisero. Another memory is of Asad’s mom’s funeral. Man, she was so beautiful, mashaAllah. I am on a Southwest flight and the tears are flowing. It is early and everyone is sleeping and they are silent tears.

​Chicago. One of my first memories is of me sitting in my Marium Thai’s kitchen after my Thaiya had passed. Cisero. Another memory is of Asad’s mom’s funeral. Man, she was so beautiful, mashaAllah. I am on a Southwest flight and the tears are flowing. It is early and everyone is sleeping and they are silent tears. Shahinda Baji, I will see that Dunkin on my way out of Midway and think of you. This trip was planned to help a friend with wedding planning. I didn’t realize it was Eid ul Adha weekend. It’s the Day of Arafat, Jummah and I am traveling. Ya Allah, make my dua game strong.

I am pretty sure Hadi and Zakaria’s first flight was to Chicago. Also the first time I realized Zakaria and I share the joys of motion sickness. Zakaria is with his dad this Eid and yes, it still sucks to not have him with me but it’s a tad bit less sucky than it was the first time around.

Initial descent…do I head straight to my brother’s and wake him up. Nah, I shall explore Chicago for a bit. Oh, University of Chicago, one brother went to you for undergrad and another is now a professor there, you rejected me and while your campus is beautiful…Rock Chalk.

La halwa wala quwatta, illa billa.

There is no power or might except with Allah.