Maioush

Life is a strange, beautiful thing. It starts with so many possibilities, as if every newborn carries within them countless versions of themselves. An artist, a scientist, a dreamer, a leader—the potential is endless. And yet, by the time we take our final breath, we’ve become just one person, a single version of all those […]

لم أكن يومًا ممن يرفعون راية الحبّ كأنها دينٌ سماوي، ولم أؤمن بأنّ الصداقة وطنٌ أُقاتل لأجل بقائه. هذه الأشياء ليست أكثر من موجات عابرة، تأخذنا حين نريد أن نغرق، وتقذفنا إلى الشاطئ حين نصير عبئًا عليها. الحبّ؟ الصداقة؟ لطالما كانت مجرّد وهمٍ جميل، زينةٌ عاطفية نجمّل بها حياتنا، لكنني لم أخدع نفسي يومًا بفكرة […]

We like to think of ourselves as rational beings, governed by thought and reason, walking the earth with a sense of purpose. We pride ourselves on being humane, conscientious, civilized. We have opposable thumbs, walk upright, speak in layers of meaning, and dream in colors and vast landscapes. But when life unravels, even slightly, a […]

امرأة مثلي لا تضيع… لا تلتفت خلفها لتعدّ الخسارات، ولا تسأل الريح عن وجهتها. هي التي علّمت قلبها أن يكون وطنًا لنفسه، لا يبحث عن مأوى في أحد، ولا ينتظر يدًا تمتدّ لتنتشله من عتمة الحيرة. دائمًا ما كانت تملك خريطة سرية للنجاة، ممهورةً بأختام التجارب، مرسومةً على وجع لم يفهمه أحد، لكنها تحفظها عن […]

ما من أحد ينجو من الحياة دون أن يتورط في أذى. سنؤذي، وسنتأذى. سنفتح أبواب قلوبنا لمن يعبث بها، سنمنح الثقة لمن يحطمها، وسنبني جسورًا لآخرين قد يحرقونها دون تردد. لا أحد بريء من الخذلان، تمامًا كما لا أحد محصن من التعثر في دهاليز المشاعر التي لا ترحم. فالحياة ليست عادلة، ولا تمنحنا الوقت الكافي […]

It’s a strange thing, realizing you may never fully know someone. People reveal only fragments of themselves—the best, the brightest, the parts that are easiest to love. The kindness that draws you in, the warmth that makes you stay. But love isn’t just about the beautiful moments. It’s about what you find when you look […]

Life has a way of pulling us under, drowning us in to-do lists, obligations, and responsibilities that stretch into infinity. We wake up, go through the motions, survive the day, and collapse into bed—only to do it all over again. Somewhere along the way, the color fades. The music stops. The world turns gray. But […]

So I travel to LA a lot, about every 3 months or so, I always brace for the impact of encountering airline passengers; when people are treated like cattle, they can hardly be blamed for reacting like baboons.  Here, rules of engagement for the most ruthless form of travel. Pre-flight Awkward Situation: Despite the airline calling […]

3 months ago, if you had asked what my favorite foods were, I would have replied, bread, rice, bread, chocolate, bread … and did I mention bread and chocolate? I pitied my gluten-intolerant friends and rolled my eyes at the trendiness of “everything-free” diets. So of course it happened: I found myself struggling with health problems, […]

In the spirit of social situations (how’s that for alliteration?), let’s address those awkward encounters that we find all too frequently — and what we can do about them. And by “we” I mean that these are true stories of my own, or friends who shall remain nameless.   Over Email Awkward Situation: You receive an […]