When something needs to be said, I'll say it even if the whole world grabs me by the neck and tells me to keep quiet. - Elif Şafak

في بعض الأحيان يجب أن تحطم كل ارتباطاتك حتى تفوز بنفسك. فإذا كانت علاقتنا بعائلاتنا وثيقة، ومكانتنا في المجتمع رفيعة، حتى إذا كانت علاقتنا جيدة بمدرستنا المحليّة أو مسجدنا وتقف عائقًا في طريق اتحادنا مع الله، فإنه يتعين علينا حينئذ أن نحطم هذه الارتباطات.

I like to borrow a metaphor from the great poet and mystic Rumi who talks about living like a drawing compass. One leg of the compass is static. It is fixed and rooted in a certain spot. Meanwhile, the other leg draws a huge wide circle around the first one, constantly moving. Just like that, one part of my writing is based in Istanbul. It has strong local roots. Yet at the same time the other part travels the whole wide world, feeling connected to several cities, cultures, and peoples.

Cities are erected on spiritual columns. Like giant mirrors, they reflect the hearts of their residents. If those hearts darken and lose faith, cities will lose their glamour.