This is a line in one of my favourite chapters of The Quran, surah Inshirah.

SURAH 94: AL SHARH or AL INSHIRAH (The Expansion of the Breast).

 In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

 ¹ Have we not expanded your breast?

² And removed from you your burden

³ Which galled your back?

⁴ And raised high the esteem in which you are held?

⁵ So, verily, with every hardship, there is ease:

⁶ Verily, with every hardship there is ease.

⁷ Therefore, when you are free, still labour hard,

⁸ And to your Lord turn your attention.

God repeats the line twice, verily after every difficulty/hardship there comes ease.

This line always reminds me of that old song “Those were the Days”, where it goes “those were the days my friend, we thought they’d never end, we’d sing and laugh forever …da da da (can’t remember this part)… We’d live the life we choose, we fought and never lose, those were the days, oh yes, they were the days.”

It’s funny how it’s a lament of good times past.

I think people mostly think like that. If things are going too well, many people feel nervous, wondering when something is going to come along to muck it up.

And yet the verse of the Quran shows it from a different perspective, in the form of a promise from God. After every hardship there is ease, verily after every hardship there is ease!

The last two months have been quite the hardship, between the traveling, the busy-ness and worrying about my mom’s knee replacement surgery and helping her out–I’ve felt stretched to the limit.

Now, with the last presentation for the month completed last week (a day camp) and my calendar for the rest of this week virtually empty, the pressure is off and I can heave a sigh of relief.

Oh, the pressure is not completely off. I mailed off the tweaked version of that novel I’ve been working on now for sixteen months, yesterday.

But I’ve decided I’m not going to think about it! I just won’t. I’ll put it right out of my mind.

And I’m busy writing the sequel for Wanting Mor. And yikes! The sequel is funny.

I’m sure many people who loved the book and are expecting another grim and heart-wrenching story, will be thoroughly disappointed with the tack I’ve taken with the sequel.

Darn it, I wanted to give Jameela a *real* happy ending. She’s still distraught at the end of Wanting Mor. I want to make her whole.

And I’m enjoying writing the sequel.

If it never sees the light of day, that’s actually okay with me, because I want to find out what happens.

Did my bit this morning, and have been pottering around for half the day still in my pyjamas, since. I really should get back to work. Gotta clean the upstairs–it certainly won’t vacuum and dust itself!

And later, I’ll make supper–baked chicken and sweet potato fries! Mmmm.

Ah, no pressures! No place I have to go, just housework to do.

Nice!