The World of Lady Laila*

PERSONAL

FAMILY & HOME

MY FRIENDS

MY COUNTRY

MY PHOTOS

MY BLOG

"If you wish in this world
to advance
Your virtues you're bound
to enhance
You must stir and stump it
And blow your own trumpet
Or, trust me, you haven't a chance."

W.S. Gilbert
Iolanthe

Being a well-travelled woman in the mid 80s until the mid 90s, I considered myself lucky. Travelling was fun and exciting. The life that I once lived I guess is like a "dream" to some women. What else can I ask for? I have seen London, some US cities (Miami, Orlando, San Francisco, and Reno), some republics of Russia (Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Moscow, St. Petersburg and Uzbekistan), Brazil (Sao Paolo), Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Emirates (Dubai and Abudhabi), and some Asian countries (Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Nepal), and dine while in transit in the cities of Taiwan and Pakistan... fly First Class and stay in five-star Hotels... dine and party with nice and wonderful people with diplomatic positions and ranks...

I am not rich, I owed all these comfort and luxury to the Saudi Arabian stepfather of my children, whom not only showed me the world but also sent my children to school and supported my entire family. Indeed, friends and acquaintances admired us for being a dynamic duo. But, life is not all bed of roses yet, I must admit he remained the Best Man I ever met in my life.

Ten years of (almost) perfect relationship was over in 1997. I became dependent on pills and neglected everyone, including my children. I do not remember how long I was a living dead. Pills didn't helped me to sleep anymore - night was quite long. I didn't know anymore what to do?

At first, I blamed my fate to black magic, knowing too many envious people got jealous of my luck, had spent a lot of money to feng shui, fortune tellers and wise people in search for a justifiable reason -- why I had lost him to the Moroccan wife of his first cousin (considering they were both my friends)? -- another chance had been accorded but trust and respect were no longer there and by that time, I was devastated as though I had lost the other half of myself... I was so chaotic and dispirited

My depression worsened my health to the extent I almost had died twice in year 2000. The worst attack ever hit me was when I could no longer breathe, talk, nor move and believing it was my end, with tearful eyes, I grasped the rosary and recited prayers with all sincerity. I could not recall exactly how I asked God to give me another chance - I was real worried what will gonna happen with my children - I begged for forgiveness and life extension...

God's hand touches our lives by sending kind-hearted people as instruments to alleviate our sufferings and increase awareness about life. Of all the people I least expected to see, my ex-Saudi Arabian hubby came to know of my situation and he came back to me in year 2000 (after three long years of separation), then... his presence saved me from further depression. Yet, no matter how much I tried, I couldn't love the same man; it was an emotional setback, he's like a stranger in some way. Finally, in July 2001, I begged him to release me and allow me to start a new life. It took him couple of months to let go of me, yet, his love and support for the kids never failed and we remain good friends.

At present, two of my sisters are still working for him; my three brothers are woking in Saudi Arabia (one in Dammam and two in Jeddah); and my eldest sister is in Hong Kong with her daughter while her husband is working for a royal family in Jeddah, KSA.

A friend of mine sent me this message and there's a possibility that you might have read this already. But, this brought enlightenment why the people we love suddenly just left us, either by death or they just decided to leave us and go away...

ARE YOU A REASON, A SEASON, OR A LIFETIME?

Pay attention to what you read.
People come into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When we figure out which one it is,
we will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in our life for a REASON. . .
It is usually to meet a need we have expressed.
They have come to assist us through a difficulty,
to provide us with guidance and support,
to aid us physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are!
They are there for the reason we need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on our part,
or at an inconvenient time, this person will say
or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force us to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met,
our desire fulfilled, their work is done.
The prayer we sent up has been answered.
And now it is time to move on.

Then people come into our life for a SEASON...
Because our turn has come to share, grow, or learn.
They bring us an experience of peace, or make us laugh.
They may teach us something we have never done.
They usually give us an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach us lifetime lessons:
things we must build upon
in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Our job is to accept the lesson,
love the person, and put what we have learned
to use in all other relationships and areas of our life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Although this home page will be available for public viewing on a limited time only, I would like to thank my children and those friends who inspired, prayed and morally supported me during difficult times. I'm planning a big leap soon with a fresh attitude and envision a bright new avenues for growth and fulfillment, not only for my kids but for myself, as a mother and as a woman.

If you are reading this page because you are looking for some friends to chat with, I recommend Yahoo! Chat Messenger, ICQ Messenger or join ICQ Love Match, Paltalk, or try some dating $ite$ like Filipino Friend Finder, Asia Friend Finder, Muslim and Indian Matrimonials, uDate, and the original Friend Finder.

Thank you very much for being a part of my online presence and I will greatly appreciate if you will let me know you care by signing in my guestbook. You may wish to bookmark and visit me once in awhile but words you leave will serve as an inspiration forever.

Somehow, I never imagined that this moment would come and the internet would be my kind of world... today!

Wishing you the best in this life and hereafter...
please start counting your blessings now..