While procrastinating, I decided to Google myself (which is a valid thing to do, don't be rude). I found that an essay I wrote as part of a scholarship application two years ago had been posted by the scholarship organization. As it turns out, they had told us they would post our essays, but I … Continue reading Iqra: The Command to Read
Category: Social Issues
Going home to Janelle Monae
Let me just say as the vibe for this post, I meant to type "Wordpress" and typed "LiveJournal" into my browser instead. So that's where my mind is, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, towards the end of my first year as a graduate student, on the eve (not really, but it sounds prettier … Continue reading Going home to Janelle Monae
Reclaiming “Auntie”
You must be thinking, my God, two posts on Waxes Poetic in the same month! What a treat! What a Christmas miracle! Or, if you know me really well and/or have followed this blog for a long time, you may more accurately be thinking, two posts in the same month? Neiha must be in the … Continue reading Reclaiming “Auntie”
What I’ve learnt from being forced to talk to people on the phone
To preface: I used to absolutely hate talking to people on the phone. I would avoid it as much as possible, to the point where even talking to my own family on the phone felt like an insurmountable ordeal in my life. I know I'm not alone in this, and that heartens me. In a few short … Continue reading What I’ve learnt from being forced to talk to people on the phone
“I promise there’s a reason I’m flushing my hair!” and other superstitious concerns
"I can't help but feel that this is my fault." My best friends, my mother, and my therapist have all heard me say some variation of the above sentence. This tends to be in response to some kind of bad news, and no matter how much physical distance is between the epicenter of the bad … Continue reading “I promise there’s a reason I’m flushing my hair!” and other superstitious concerns
Somewhere between Pakistan and America, you’ll find my discomfit heart
A short note spurred by some mixed emotions over the 70th year of my country's independence and the tumult in Charlottesville this past weekend, as well as the rather political music of The Cranberries. I've often struggled with my not-quite diasporic identity and have written about it ad nauseum in the past 7 years of … Continue reading Somewhere between Pakistan and America, you’ll find my discomfit heart
The old Lie
I imagine the hardest part of living through a war is not being able to see the enemy as anything but just that; an enemy. I imagine the other hardest part of living through a war is realizing you had no stake in it until your way of living was turned into a small pile … Continue reading The old Lie
Long note: honest despair
I realize my last few blog posts have been a little more depressing than I usually put out. I try and imbue optimism in everything I write, because there's enough sadness going around without me adding to it. And yet, here I am. I forced myself to take a social media hiatus after some encouragement … Continue reading Long note: honest despair
The peculiar chivalry of Pakistani men
Before I begin: I don't want to seem as if I'm singling Pakistan out as a means to condescend the country that reared me. Pakistan as a "case study" is the terrain I'm most familiar with and, therefore, most comfortable with discussing. Anything else would be irresponsible. Moreover, this is a legitimate problem in Pakistan that is … Continue reading The peculiar chivalry of Pakistani men
Short note: Jihad
The world wants Muslims to distance themselves from jihad. To legitimize our claims of being a peaceful religion, to be more authentic in our self-moderation. Something like that, anyway. And yet, how can I distance myself from jihad when I declare jihad every single day? I declare jihad when I decide to smile at someone … Continue reading Short note: Jihad
Neiha Lasharie 