me

Hi world! I’m Maisam (“Mais”) Toor. I’m a fun-loving movie fanatic who is prone to all things sweet. I’m the guy who laughs at dad jokes – genuine belly laugh, who is never far from a punishingly bad pun; pun intended 😉, and who loves to sing along (very out of tune may I add) to a good Jack Johnson song; “better together” is a personal fav!

The last 48 months have seen me moving out from the nest, tying the proverbial knot, swiftly followed by a new job offer and the imminent birth of our first child.

To pack 48 months in less than 48 words was a challenge!

But one to invoke a response to the age-old question – who am I?

The fluidity of this probe with its efflorescent nature, traversing through time like a feather in the wind, is a beautiful enigma we’re all seeking to understand. My quest led me to a foreign shore, my very first blog post.

But what began as novel now feels like known, for “who am I?”, well – that’s easy, I’m the smileyape 😊

What are you here to do? I hear you ask. Well dear readers (tad presumptuous), I’m here to lend a word and two, and ears, to share my thoughts to a pair of reading eyes, about the most valuable currency in the world, and that is (*cue drum roll*) … happiness!

A coveted state of well-being as fleeting as the tail of a dream one tries to recall, and as elating as an uncontrollable laugh. For as long as I can remember (which isn’t that long given my bad memory), the concept of happiness has intrigued me. Through its pursuit, I came to know that; in the words of Desmond Tutu, “there is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time”.

My father once said that happiness is a journey – not a destination, and though this may sound like a proverb from a Christmas cracker, it rings true. This anecdotal wisdom is a mantra I use to orientate my life. And whilst I cannot attest to have ever eaten the metaphorical elephant; for achieving that would mean I have accomplished everything; I remain a student of my life. And like all students, books are where we reside in.

The most riveting of reads are ourself, and this next chapter of my life is called “My Blog”.

For the etymologists (study of origins of words) amongst us, the term blog is the short form of the word weblog. The term has been described as an online journal.

A self-invented theory of mine is that the measurement of our lives is based on our memories. A blog is the ideal platform to fuse two of my passions together, a passion for words, and a passion for learning. This coalescence brought to life in the form of my very own blog is an exciting step in my learning, and the first step towards a goal is to take one.

This blog will serve as my diary, to register periodical thoughts that overtime I hope will formalise memories that are shared with all, for this diary has no lock or key. The goal behind my blog is to cast a ray of sunshine. For even one ray can dispel a thousand shadows (words of Saint Francis of Assisi), and in times where it’s hard to see the forest from the trees, this blog can serve as rays of sun that filter through the trees, illuminating blue skies above.

Think of this blog as your salsa-dance partner. As you interplay to the rhythm of your life, this blog will be there to offer a lending hand, and guide you through setbacks and fragilities, to remind you why today is always the favourite day, and to take a while to spend on a smile.

Happiness is like a warm jumper on a cold day, made up of interwoven facets that are threaded together in a harmonious balance. The purpose of my blog is to explore these facets and provide ways to implement approaches to lead a happier life.

So, if you’re in search for a stroke of serendipity and would like to lead a happier life, let’s take a walk through the woods and together see what lies ahead.

The irony of self-reflection to guide ourselves is a paradox with a well-founded truth at the heart of it – to look out one must first look in. Smileyape is about exploring the fabrics of happiness, such as positivity, well-being, and the power of visualization, to harness a happier disposition. Through practical approaches of applying insight into such elements, together we unravel how to lead a happier life, and learn to celebrate who we are.

What brings us together is what sets us apart – a unique identity.

And though we may communicate in different languages, we smile in the same. This blog is designed to optimize potential of happiness, and though it can’t offer a pill for guarantee (unlike Morpheus!), it will be there to draw inspiration from. As the Green Goblin in Spider-Man said, “we are who we choose to be”.

So, if you don’t mind the odd film-quote reference, and welcome an attempt to humour, join the community of smileyapes and read on.