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Previvor: A Journey of Courage, Resilience, and Advocacy

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  When you never thought you would do it, but you only discovered how powerful you can be right after surviving immense fear! Fear . It’s a word we all dread, but one that can lead to the most courageous decisions of our lives. My journey as a previvor has taught me that fear is not the enemy—it’s an opportunity to rise above what holds us back. Our story began in 1988 when I was just a baby. During breastfeeding, my mother discovered a lump in her breast. It turned out to be cancer. Early detection was her saving grace, and while she didn’t require chemotherapy or radiation, she underwent a mastectomy without reconstruction. For 25 years, she lived cancer-free, becoming the pillar of strength and resilience in our family. But in 2015, cancer struck again, more aggressively this time. Seeing my mother, the strongest person I knew, go through chemotherapy was heartbreaking. Yet her bravery inspired us to face this disease head-on. In 2017, after genetic testing revealed that my sist...
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Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Gail Honeyman

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    Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine Summary & Analysis Hello Readers, I’m delighted to share with you my first blog post as the founder and president of Al Jalees Culture Club. I lead the Riyadh chapter, and in October, our featured book for discussion is Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman—a story that has captivated readers worldwide. In this post, I’ll be sharing a non-spoiler introduction to the book, followed by a deeper dive into its themes and characters. For those who want to know more, I’ll give a heads-up before moving into spoiler territory! Continue reading for a look into the life of Eleanor Oliphant and what makes this story unforgettable. About the Author: Gail Honeyman Gail Honeyman is a Scottish author who achieved international acclaim with her debut novel, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Interestingly, Gail Honeyman wrote this book while she was working a full-time job, squeezing in writing sessions during her evenings and weeke...
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Why do all the beautiful ideas come at dawn?

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  I am hoping to uncover a stash of wasted treasures—brilliant thoughts that drift through my mind at night, only to fade into oblivion by morning. It usually happens when my two-year-old wakes me up, and I barely recognize myself. It’s as though, in those groggy hours, my brain decides to unlock a hidden genius that I didn’t know existed. I start to suspect, for a brief moment, that I’m a creative mastermind. There’s something about the calmness of the night—despite the chaos of my crying toddler—that sets my thoughts free. My brain slips into an altered state, where the usual filters and inhibitions are gone, leaving behind pure, unfiltered creativity. I can’t help but wonder: Why can’t I be this brilliant at noon? Of course, the tragedy is that I rarely remember these gems when I wake up. I did read Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, so I get it—circadian rhythms, sleep hormones, and the brain’s downtime processing. But understanding the science doesn’t stop me from wanting to clin...
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