Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Jeans... say what?

It's about 1:45 in the morning and I'm trying to sleep. My mind is wandering to something I was talking about with friends earlier. More on that in a minute.

A random thought now. One of the simple joys in life? Jeans. People don't realize how amazing it is to just slap on a pair of jeans. They go with everything. Heck, I used to sleep in them sometimes. Some of my college buddies can tell you about a pair of jeans that I referred to as my "Sunday jeans". They can either give off the message, "I don't care," or, if they're nicer (and out of my league), they can say, "I shop at Express and stuff and I know style. You don't. I wear nice jeans and you wear old jeans that don't fit." For a while, I wore shorts or sweatpants like my fellow patients. In the hospital, thats what my therapists taught me how to put on. It was kind of annoying to even get those on. (Try pulling your pants up while you're sitting, without lifting your butt up). My occupational therapist said she'd teach me how to wear "normal clothes" when I was in inpatient, but we never got to it. So, while in outpatient therapy at Shepherd and after about 6-7 months of looking like I was preparing to run through the streets of Philly in my sweatpants like Rocky, I decided one day to just put on a pair of my old jeans. Some of the more "fitted" jeans (not skinny jeans, mind you) were kind of hard to put on. But I was able to put on some jeans. And they felt great. To me, it was a big step in rejoining "normal society". It was a simple pleasure. Please don't ever take it for granted.

I got to thinking about that memory because I was talking to a few friends today about how I wish I could put my contacts in. I told them how it's a real pain to have to lean over the sink to wash my hands, so I just use hand sanitizer. I don't need a sink to put the contacts in my eyes, but I also don't want my eyes to burn if I still have traces of hand sanitizer on my hands. I'm remembering the part of Fight Club where Tyler Durden burns the narrator's hand with lye... and it's not a good mental image that I want to mimic with my eyeballs. So, a goal of mine is to get physically good enough to stand (somehow) in front of the sink and mirror to be able to put my contacts in and not look like a dork with my glasses. It'll feel great when I can do that. Simple pleasures man, simple pleasures.

11 comments:

  1. Wow amazing post....I never thought how amazing jeans were. I will cherish every moment.

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  2. This is an exceptional early post, I can visualize the challenges of just putting on jeans! unbelievable. Stay in good spirits and keep posting

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  3. I saw a video once..about how we like to complain about everything in today's world. We get so upset when our cell phones drops a call, or when our computer is running slow..or whatever else you may have. But in all honesty, isn't life just simpler when you take it for what it is and just enjoy it. You r an inspiration man. I hope your dream comes true inshaAllah..i will pray for it.

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  4. simple pleasures man... i love that.

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  5. I'm glad you're back to enjoying the simple pleasure of wearing contacts! :) Even if there are a few simple pleasures that you are not able to enjoy anymore...just know that there are soooooooo many more simple pleasures out there for you to find that you WILL be able to appreciate and enjoy iA. :)

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  6. what about alcohol-free hand sanitizer?

    www.soapopular.com

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  7. Hammad -- As-Salaamu A'laikum. You continue to amaze MashaALLAH(SWT). I saw your pull-ups, and I can tell you that you're stronger still than 97% of the world's population, because 97% of the world's population cannot do 5 pull-ups with proper form.

    But more than that, it is your character that shines brighter than ever MashaALLAH(SWT). I am grateful to ALLAH(SWT) that I know you. May ALLAH(SWT) Bless you with everything good here and in Jannat-il-Firdaus InshaALLAH(SWT), Aaameen. Please keep my family and me in your Du'as InshaALLAH(SWT).

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  8. there are some keywords in your blog that made me recall the anecdote of russians going crazy over american jeans at the collapse of soviet union. you see, american jeans(import) were banned in U.S.S.R. So, when the cold war ended, russians joined the "normal society" as they wore american blue jeans :)

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  9. Maybe it's things like these that make us appreciate the little things in life. :)

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  10. Please dont mind...but I'm so jealous of you. I read all of your blogs and I started last night. You're the coolest person I know in all sense. Please keep writing :)

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  11. Wow, you're even an inspiration to help me take care of my eyes. I often sleep in my contacts. I hope, by now, putting contacts on is a breeze.
    -Salamander

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