Safa means tranquil, serene, calm…I try

My son’s school called my home the other day. I was at work and they didn’t leave a message. I called back on the off-chance that someone would still be at the school. The office assistant told me that earlier that day, my son came into the office boo-hoo crying about how he misses his grandmother. At this point I’m thinking, “wow, I never knew he loved my mother in-law like that…he just saw her a few weeks ago.

He tells them that his grandmother died. Of course, because he is inconsolable, they think she just died recently. He tells them, “no, she died before I was bored…a long time ago”.

I asked if the class had been talking about family or death but the teacher said no. He just all of a sudden started crying. I felt so bad. He was referring to my mother who died when I was 16 so he never knew her.

When he and my husband came home, I gave him a hug and asked why he felt so sad as this was the 1st time he’d expressed anything but wonder about my mom. He said, “I don’t know what happened….I was in class and my brain told me about it”.

Why does it always seem that I am so tired - to the point of physical illness- the day back to work after a long weekend? This really does not make any sense!

Ramadan is drawing to a close. Insha’Allah (Godwilling) Eid will be either Friday or Saturday. I am planning on going to a party (for muslim women). I am trying to decide how “dressed up” I should be. Eid is a holiday that calls for much merriment and fun. I am excited to be “going out”. Normally we just do a family activity that’s usually more geared for the children. My hubby will have to plan the kid festivities for once:)

Oh…I am too excited. I made Jamaican peas and rice for the masjid this evening for when we break our fast and eat. Families sign up to take turns cooking. I made that, salmon cakes and cabbage w/ smoked turkey. This was my first time with the peas and rice….I’ll let you know how they turned out.

I took the recipe off the internet but when I went to store, there was a West Indian guy in the produce section buying peppers and he overhead me asking my step-daughter about the peas and rice recipe on my cellphone. He told me to forget the recipe and told me the “real” recipe. I’m from Spanish Harlem so I can do spanish beans and rice but…we’ll see.