Interview with Selma
I’m mindful of people all the time. I’m sensitive to vibes people emit without knowing. I will never hurt another human intentionally. I’d say that I’m a people observer. All the time.
Selma is my favorite for many reasons. First of all, I love her way of saying “I am wishing you miracles”. Such a charming way of raising the spirit of others. Secondly, I love her tweets. She doesn’t only read but share her two cents with others. Third, she reads voraciously and she writes amazingly well. I have recently started reading her profound articles and all made me learn something new in life.
Until now, I have conducted various interviews and realized about each of you that you all have come from different parts of the world, yet sharing the same trials and tribulations that I am witnessing in this part of the world. Although it should have been miserable it has raised my spirit back to life. Sometimes, knowing what others are going through makes you strong enough to face your miseries upfront. Selma, your words are healing each of us and we are wishing you miracles too.
I am amazed at your answers and I hope others rejoice them too.
- Where do you belong to? Is there anything you would like to change about the place you belong to?
Belonging. If this question alludes to where I’m from, I’d be happy to tell you that I was born and raised in Belize.
A former British colony, the small country of Belize is in Central America.
Belize is bordered by Mexico on the north, Guatemala on the south and west and the Caribbean Sea on the east.
With a population of 408,487 within its area of 180 miles long and 68 miles wide, Belize has the lowest population density in Central America.
That is the country from where I originate.
But if you were to ask me if I still belong to Belize, I’d have to tell you that I don’t. My passport shows that I’m Belizean but I no longer feel that I belong to Belize.
To further reply to your inquiry, if there was something I could do to change something about Belize it would be to eradicate all form of violence that has held it unattractive to me for a long time now.
With that gone, Belize would remain the perfect place in the world where growing up was a delight. The childhood lessons I learned there are mine to keep and those I would never trade for anything. What a lovely place to have my footprints etched forever. Thank you, Belize.
“My hometown — where I don’t need a map to get around; where everyone knows my name.”
If this question is a more philosophical one, wanting to know where it is that I belong, I’d need to tell you that I belong to this Universe. I am a citizen of the world and I’m proud of it.
Likewise, if I could change something about this Universe, I’d insist that we showed more respect to the orderliness that our Universe exemplifies.
The Universe and its orderliness and complexities are beyond my comprehension. And while I know it has existed for a very long time, I know we need to do more to keep it existing for a long time to come.
I took up too much of your time on the first question already. Forgive. It will not happen again.
Next questions…
2. What sets your soul on fire?
Kindness fires me up.
3. Which one is your favorite family memory and why?
Birthday cakes. With six of us children to look after and all those birth-days to celebrate, we never failed to have a homemade cake. What joy to always wake up to such a beautifully icing-decorated cake that I could share with my siblings and friends. My mother, R.I.P., was the best baker in the world.
This answer is of when I was growing up. The times I was raising my two boys are overflowing with memories. I loved it all. Cannot choose one.
4. Is there anyone in your life you could give your life for? If yes, why?
I’d give my life in a new-york-minute for my husband and two sons. No doubt. No hesitation. Why? Because they bring joy to my life. And even if that meant that I’d lose mine, I’d die with the satisfaction that I could do that for them.
“If you haven’t found something you are willing to die for, you aren’t fit to live.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr
5. Do you pour love into self from time to time?
Always. How hollow we’d be if we didn’t intentionally pamper ourselves with love. We are receptacles that give. We need to replenish in order to have more or enough to give to those we choose to give to.
6. How often you observe the people near you?
I’m mindful of people all the time. I’m sensitive to vibes people emit without knowing. I will never hurt another human intentionally. I’d say that I’m a people observer. All the time.
7. Why do you hope for? Does it change something within you or around you?
I hope. I put my faith in hope. Hope is like a five-spoke wheel which is strong enough to support the weight of a car. Like that! Hope stems from the belief of love in a force higher and greater than myself. That spoke on that wheel, which translates to hope in my life, then behaves like a pivoting point that compounds perfect proclivity to distribute joy and kindness and generosity and sincerity in times when it might feel like I am lost. That hope supports me, you see? Does it change something? You bet it does! Hope changes everything. I put my faith in hope. I hope.
(intentionally chose my words to stand like bookends in this reply)
8. How does it feel like being a woman to you?
Being a woman feels authentic. I cannot imagine being anything but an authentic human woman.
9. What you would like us to remember you for?
Oh, I don’t know. In the end, you will remember me for whatever has touched you about me. I spread my love wide. It is my hope that something I do or say adds value to your life. How you remember me is not up to me. If you remember my name and associate it with kindness, that would fill me with enormous joy.
10. How would you describe your life?
Blessed. Abundant. Miraculous. Humble. Purposeful.
“When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life or the life of another.”~ Helen Keller
11. What keeps you on your toes and how do you like to spend your time?
Keeps me on my toes — waking up to a new day does that to me. I observe things as they happen. I don’t like the day to end without learning something new from the day.
I like spending my time reading inspirational literature, becoming engrossed in things happening in my vicinity. i.e. in my bedroom, in my kitchen, in my yard; in my grocery store, in my neighborhood, in my life. I love being alive, breathing, loving. I’d want the day to go on for longer, but the day knows that I need my rest. So when it’s time to go to sleep I drop like a log. Gone. Until I get up the next day and do it again — inhaling life, and color and sounds and flavors.
12. When life gives you a lemon what do you make out of it?
A lemon. I love lemons. I’d slice it and eat the meat. No fussing. Literally. Also, I’d sometimes squeeze it out and make a cup of lemonade with it. No sugar. No fussing.
If it’s a hardship life gives me then I deal with it as best as I possibly can. Sometimes I win, sometimes I learn, sometimes I lose. But as long as I try with all my might, I win.
13. What mystery of life you would like to have an answer for?
Mystery, you say? Everything in life is an incredible mystery. If I knew all the answers I’d be God. Nah! I prefer pondering on the questions and learning and changing my mind and laughing and being wrong.
Now a confession. I know the answer to many mysteries of life, I just don’t comprehend why we haven’t solved those mysteries already. The solutions are pending. Why? Tell me why.
14. How were you different five years ago from what you are today?
I’m older and wiser today than I was five years ago. Do I want to go back to being five years younger? Never! Onward, ever!
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” ~ Albert Einstein
15. What would you like to leave as your legacy? Is there any message you would like to communicate to us?
An exclusive message? None. Well, nothing more than I’ve already communicated to you in this lengthy interview. Very interesting questions. Avant-garde, bohemian, all of them. They made me think deeply. Thank you very much.
A question for you:
What is your motivation behind these questions?
I came up with this idea long ago as I wanted to know more about each of you than words. I wanted to know where do you come from and how your life has shaped you as a human.
Why are these fifteen questions of interest to you?
I wanted to come up with more but I believed in showing mercy :) Hence only 15 questions.
And what will you do with the answers?
Imprinting them in the hidden treasure of my heart.
What purpose will they serve?
They are making me learn a lot from each of you and motivating me to face one more day in the life.
Do whatever you like with my answers. These are the answers today. Tomorrow they might sound different.
You’re such a joy, Gurpreet. Be well.
Thanks for the interesting questions borne of your curious mind. Don’t change. I wish you miracles, sweet girl
Selma is a Reader/Writer/Learner/Enthusiast. A late bloomer & Slow Reader. I Believe in Miracles, Kindness & in the beauty of ordinary living #amwriting selmawrites.com
