Tentatively I begin...

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem. In the name of Allah, Lord of the Worlds, Most Gracious, Most Intensely Merciful...

I have started this blog as a means by which to record some of my thoughts, to practise my writing, collect some of my favourite photographs, recipes, links...

I also thought I might use this blog as a means by which to begin to record my most meaningful journeys. Among these would be my journey to Islam. Then there would be my journey to the birth of my first child by cesarean and then to the homebirths of my two youngest children. It is my hope that through living and sharing my birthing and breastfeeding stories in particular, I may be in some small way contributing to the struggle against the abuse of birthing women by medical institutions.

The reason I begin tentatively is I am completely new to this. And I'm nervous. I know that many people will be able to read my work, to judge. I am not sure what sort of comments I might get, what safeguards exist for the prevention of any abuse...

I suppose I feel a bit like a felt when I first stepped out onto the street in my hijab. While I might have blended into a colourful crowd on the streets of, say, Indonesia, or even other, more cosmopolitan areas of Australia. Here, I stuck out like the proverbial injured digit.

Now I don't even think about it. Most people are very positive.

And I suppose the latter is somewhat of the attitude I shall have to adopt as I step into the world of the blogger, presenting myself, but only selectively and with restraint where I feel it prudent, as I might do out in the street...

Hoping in Allah's pleasure...

Hafsa