Hi! My name is Jamil. It’s Arabic.
When I was a child I hated my name. Folks could never get it right. I grew up in a school full of Andy’s, Johns, Steve’s, Justin’s, Eric’s, Brian’s. Jamil seemed too different. As I got older though I realized being different was actually more interesting so I started including my middle name in the discussion: Raahman. Yes, Jamil Raahman. Translation, Handsome & Merciful.
I think a lot, probably too much. I meditate a lot. I study a lot of speeches. I hate not growing. I feel a lot. I look at my Mint account too much. I’m a great starter of things and a terrible finisher. I have a least 4 GREAT unfinished books that I’ve written. Sometimes I’m really lazy. Sometimes I’m really ambitious. Sometimes I’m lazily ambitious. I’m scared a lot for my kids. I have flashes of not such great things being said to them or done to them that never seem to go away.
People ask me what religion I am. I honestly don’t know. I think I’m a Buddhist, Stoic-Christian with a little bit of Taoism, a hint of yogi and a lot of love? If that’s a religion then I’m that. People ask me war or peace? I think I’m a peaceful warrior. These days lots of people ask me what I do. I’m honestly not all that sure. I love helping others but I never feel like I’m doing enough. I hate seeing people suffer especially when they don’t have to. I drove down a street in Los Angeles a week ago and cried. Literally cried. It was so poor. I kept thinking, “It doesn’t have to be this way.”
I constantly ask myself questions that don’t have answers like, “Why do some have great desire while others don’t?” Or, “If I can do it, why won’t they?” I love seeing people smile. I get ultimate joy from seeing others do things they didn’t believe they could do. I believe in humanity and I’m so thankful for Gods gifts and that I woke up this morning and that you did too.