LITTLE THAT I KNOW

I’m not a very religious soul,

but I try,  in small, quiet ways.

Practicing the little I’ve learned,

holding on to what stays.

Imam al-Shafi’i once said,

there are three signs of a noble heart:

to hide your struggles,

so the world thinks you’re always fine.

To hide your anger,

so they believe you’re calm inside.

To hide your pain,

so they think your life is only full of blessings.

Yeah, I know… sometimes I tell my stories,

my anger, my problems ,

but even then,

I’m still trying to hide it.

To make it sound smaller than it feels,

so no one sees the whole weight I’m carrying.

So it’s not that I refuse to share,

or that I’m pretending all is perfect.

It’s just… I was taught

some burdens are best carried

between me and God.

And maybe that’s why I’m quiet.

Not because I have no storms,

but because I’m still learning

to walk with grace

in the little that I know.