hsofiyayusef

[hsofiyayusef]

Springtime means springtime reads. I want to make an effort to read more classics. On my roster is:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

The Winds in the Willow by Kenneth Grahame

The Little Princess by Frances Hudgson Burnett

The Secret Garden by Frances Hudgson Burnett

Anne of Green Gables by L.M Montogomery. (I grew up watching this show and Road to Avonlea)

Little Women by Louise May Alcott

I've decided to cozy up and read more happy books and take a break from the news.

#classics #childrenslit #cottagecorereads

[hsofiyayusef]

#classics #books

[hsofiyayusef]

New blog

I decided to create a new blog for my essays on art, philosophy, science, psychology and tradition. It's an online literary salon, sort of.

I swear, I love the internet, especially Tiktok but I can feel my brain melting from the lack of intellectual stimulous and quick videos in succession. Sometimes I want to read and talk about deep things. That requires time, silence, and contemplation. I think being rooted in yourself, and your beliefs is so important when there are a million people and a million different opinions being thrown at your daily.

You are welcome to join as I fight anti-intellectualism in my own corner of the internet.

H. Sofiya Yusef | Substack

#literary salon #intellectualism

[hsofiyayusef]

I have determined that I really am a cottagecore fairy girly. I have been in the city for 2 months and the lack of nature is really hard on me lately. I notice I am just not myself and my creative bursts sort of come and go.

When life got hard, I would always go to the ocean. I have always thought I was a mermaid. I love water in a way I cannot describe. The ocean is hypnotizing, calming, and nurturing. Its healing, free and unlimiting. I always feel like I am in the arms of the mother earth. After 20 minutes, I feel like I took the most refreshing nap ever.

In the future, I want to have my own little farm with my shabby chic decor, cute birds that visit me every morning and delicious spice tea every morning. I want to breathe fresh air, spend my days tending to my garden or making honeycake. I want to have every piece in my home intentionally placed there. It will be English countryside with a side of Baroque. I will fill it with books written by Beatrix Potter, Jane Austen and Jilly Murphy. Bromley Hedge and Tasha Tudor vibes. Lots of books on metaphysics that I can read outside while I stare at the stars. Walls will be filled with my favourite paintings. My kitchen will be filled with delightful and warm smells. Lemon blueberry cake and gooey cinnamon buns. Fairy cakes and pretty dim lights. At night, when it gets cold, I will light some candles and put on a pot simmer of oranges, cloves, cinnamon, apples and cranberries. I will complete my children's fantasy novel I have been wanting to do while sipping on hot chocolate that I poured into my cottage rose fine bone china.

I will be surrounded by nature - birds, cute goats, baby rabbits, my horse, fresh air, tall willowy trees and beautiful sunsets.

My whole life will be hygge and whimsical - cozy, warm, safe - something I have not felt much of growing up.

#cottagecore #cottagecoredreams #farmlifevibes

[hsofiyayusef]

Oh yes, Florence is definately on the list. One day. Insha allah.

[hsofiyayusef]

I used to be a spoken word poet. In a past life, I won many awards, competitions and even competed in the National Canadian Spoken Word Festival when I was 19. My team came in 2nd. I love poetry. I love writing. Its one of the only ways I can get through life.

My poetry collection is called True Gold Never Fears Fire. Its an ancient Chinese philosophy. It means if you have integrity and strength, you can get through anything.

I am going to publish it piece by piece on my Substack. hudapoetry.substack.com

#poetry #somali poet #poet #substack #writers and poets

[hsofiyayusef]

[hsofiyayusef]

The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things. Epictetus

#stoicism #philosophy #greek

[hsofiyayusef]

One of the most difficult things in life is having a soft heart. Soft as a pillow. Deep as the ocean. The waves are strong, powerful and frightening. I suffer because of my heart, in it is entirety, because I feel so deeply and truly.

[hsofiyayusef]

A few pictures from my (multiple) trips to Chile. I was in a place called Renaca in Valparaiso, Santiago, Chile.

#valparaiso #chile #santiago #travel #travel photography #wanderlust

[hsofiyayusef]

I lived in Turkey for over 5 years. I deeply miss it. It is one of the most complex, fascinating and beautiful places in the world. The top is a masjid in Istanbul. The bottom is Mudanya, a place near Bursa. I was there for my sister's wedding reception.

[hsofiyayusef]

A drive through Hargeysa.

#hargeisa

[hsofiyayusef]

Visited the Somali National Theatre. It was closed in 1991 and re-opened in 2022. I was a visitor at the Mogadishu Book Fair.

[hsofiyayusef]

Borama, northern Somalia, during the sunset. I went hiking with my mom with a few hours in the savannah.

#borama #somalia

[hsofiyayusef]

Mogadishu, you beauty.

#mogadishu #coastal

[hsofiyayusef]

Under the trees in the Somali Countryside

[hsofiyayusef]

"Evil comes from a failure to think. It defies thought, for as soon as thought tries to engage itself with evil and examine the premises and principles from which it originates, it is frustrated because it finds nothing there. That is the banality of evil." - Hannah Arendt