samirathejerk: This symbol means a lot to me. It’s the Hand of Fatima/Hamsa/Khamsa and it’s believed to ward off the evil eye and represents strength and blessings. I personally don’t believe it can protect me because I only believe protection comes from God but I do believe that it holds great meaning and power in a different way. The hamsa holds beauty and tells a tale of so many different cultures, from Muslims to Christians to Jews the Hamsa has traveled through the Middle East and North Africa giving people something to hold on to. It bothers me so much when I see someone wearing it just because they think it’s pretty when it means so much to so many people. My great grandmother gave me my first piece of jewelry with the hamsa on it when I was 6 and she made a du’a (prayer) over it asking God to allow my necklace to remind me of her love, His love, and the protection that their love came with. She said that the hamsa was there to always remind us that we were in God’s hands and He would always protect us as long as we remembered that. Still to this day when I look at the different pieces of jewelry or wall hangings around my house that have the hamsa on it, I am reminded that my whole life and well being are in His hands and it keeps me ever aware of His mercy.

"I saw that you were perfect and so I loved you. Then I saw that you were not perfect and I loved you even more."

(via wizlaqueefa)
dynamicafrica: BREAKING NEWS: One of Nigeria’s most prolific authors, Chinua Achebe, has passed away at the age 82. Reports say the Brown University professor had been ill for a while and reports say he passed away last night in a Boston hospital. Achebe rose to prominence after the publishing of his first novel Things Fall Apart, in 1958, and has authored other international best-selling novels such as No Longer At Ease, A Man of the People, Arrow of God and Anthills of the Savannah. “One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised.” - Chinua Achebe
thefemaletyrant: Hair comb from the Baule people of Cote d’Ivoire; early 20th century, wood, gold leaf and thread
samirathejerk: So being in the hospital I missed this and I’m just reading and looking back at it and fuck CNN completely I am so done. How the fuck are you going to make the RAPISTS the victims in this situation?? Fuck those boys and fuck these ppl. Wow. Are these people serious right now. What about the girl?? What about her life?? What about this horrible act haunting her the rest of her life?? Does she not matter? If you rape someone that’s what the hell is supposed to happen, you go to jail, you get your reputation ruined, you get haunted by your past, you suffer because that’s what you deserve and what you chose to bring upon yourself. And who cares if they cried?? Serial killers cry too when they’re convicted - you’re not sad about what you did, you’re sad that you got caught.  rapists are not the victims rapists are not the victims rapists are not the victims

"We grow hungrier and hungrier with no clue what we are hungry for. The holes inside of us grow bigger."

Courtney E. Martin, Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters  (via infinitelyperfectible)

"Hang in there. It is astonishing how short a time it can take for very wonderful things to happen."

Frances Hodgson Burnett  (via anditslove)

"Every mouth you’ve ever kissed was just practice. All the bodies you’ve ever undressed and ploughed in to were preparing you for me. I don’t mind tasting them in the memory of your mouth.
Was it a long journey? Did it take you long to find me?
You’re here now, welcome home."

Warsan Shire  (via warsanshire)

There are some people that come into your life and no matter how much you fight with them or how much distance you put between the two of you, you always end up right back by their side. It’s like a magnet drags you back across those miles (whether it be actual miles or emotional distance) and you both pick up where you left off.