Just Like A Child

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. “
Pablo Picasso

There are times when we wish we could return the torn calender pages back to the time when we were children. Life was much simpler back then; when our decisions were being made for us on what to wear and where to go, when we didn’t have to think twice about the people in our lives because the world seemed to rotate around us after all, when we were fed and clothed and our biggest interest in life was the next toy, baloon and ice cream we’d get if we cried loud enough. We hadn’t been introduced to betrayal, so it was easy to trust everyone. We did not understand pain so much, so it was easy to love unconditionally…Love everyone and everything that is. The sight of the flowers and the bees would make us stare for hours at awe, because we hadn’t been stung yet.

But then again, would you really want to live your life over? And even if you would, would you have made any changes in your life?

After all, if you hadn’t fallen down many times, would you have been able to walk? If you hadn’t been hurt when you were misunderstood, would you have developed the capacity to understand people? What about the endless lessons that you keep on learning with every fall, blow and shock…

What about your journey in academia, and the boring times spent stuck to the school chair when you’d rather be outside playing in the rain or curled up in bed…would you like to go through all that again?

So I wonder, if we could meet our kid selves again, what would we tell them?
To face life with the innocence of a child, and the responsibility of an adult
To continue dreaming like a child, and work hard to live those dreams like an adult
To forgive people like a child, and be there for them like an adult
To tell the truth like a child, and speak your mind like an adult
To unconditionally love like a child, and learn to sacrifice like an adult
To smile crazily like a child, and stay quiet like an adult
To ask questions like a child, and seek answers like an adult
To want like a child, but be patient like an adult
To shout like a child, but listen like an adult
To break things like a child, but fix them like an adult To explore life like a child, and analyze it like an adult
To take risks like a child, and stay grounded like an adult
To live with the spirit of a child, and the mind of an adult

Written by AH with some help from NS

Countries Going Green

In a discussion with a friend about “Oil vs. Alternate Energy,” we were talking about how Middle Eastern countries have the resources to push green technology forward but don’t have the initiative, since their number one product is oil, and since these countries are consumerist by nature, green initiatives would need a shove from the government. The exception of this could be Masdar City in Abu Dhabi; an emerging global clean-technology cluster located in what aims to be one of the world’s most sustainable urban developments powered by renewable energy.

On another front, “Kenya is going green,” an article in Daily Nation’s newspaper announced today. “Kenyans who plant more trees and use energy-saving techniques that reduce carbon emissions will in the near future get paid for this.”

However, a question posed is; Is Kenya ready?
African Carbon Asset Development announced grants to two projects underway in Kenya: The Lake Turkana wind power project, and a biomass fuel substitution project being developed by Athi River Mining Ltd.

Additionally, Jordan and Sudan are reported to have launched solar projects [1].
“The solar programme in Sudan may well become a new world-class model by integrating renewable energy resources in the surrounding land while producing dispatchable elecricity and water,” the Sudanese secretary of energy and mining Omar Mohammed Kheir said in March.

According to the report, “The Jordanian and Sudanese national programmes to develop low-carbon energy are among the most aggressive in the region. They may still develop faster than the generally smaller renewable energy programmes of far richer Gulf oil exporting states. That is because in both Jordan and Sudan, energy development is a pressing, basic human need.”

This poses the question; would green technology advance faster in rich countries or poor countries?

What are your opinions on the topic?

[1] http://blogs.thenational.ae/the_grid/2010/06/jordan-and-sudan-launch-solar-projects.html

Butterfly Effect of Unsung Heroes

“The world is divided into people who do things, and people who get credit. Try, if you can, to belong to the first class, there is far less competition.” »Dwight Morrow

Sometimes we cross paths with people who pass us by like a breath of cool air that cause dew drops to appear like crystals across a green meadow. They pass in and out of our lives so subtly, and leave behind valuable gifts without even realizing that they did. These gifts do not have to be covered in fancy wrapping paper, and are usually not expensive watches, diamond necklaces or cars. Instead, they may simply be memories that we cherish, smiles that make our day, kind words that touch our hearts, moments that take our breaths away, or lessons we will never forget….things that are more precious than diamonds, and much cheaper as well.

Their lessons are not necessarily shared as you-tubed lectures or written facebook notes and published books, but rather, they’re shared through the example of their life stories. They are inspiring in the way they hold true to their beliefs, in the way they courageously confront trying situations, in the way they make others laugh when they’d rather cry themselves, in the way they sacrifice their own dreams and passions to watch others realize their full potential.

And these unsung heroes may not even be known to the world outside their own. Some of them do not have many friends, and you wouldn’t find them on the news, on television or even online. What’s even funnier – or rather, sadder – is that even though we know that these people are amazing, and deserve the best in life for the differences they make in the lives of others, some are not accepted by their own people, and are labeled and shunned by the society they are in, because they dared to be different and stood up for what they believed in.
Whether these unsung heroes are parents, teachers, family or friends, they’re always in our lives, yet we don’t always see them. Sometimes we do, but we form our judgments about them based on what we hear from others, without taking that step forward to interact with them in an attempt to understand them. Sadly, when it comes to judging others, it’s really rare for us to follow the advice; believe only half of what you see and nothing of what you hear. So we listen to false accusations and judgments, justifying it by the phrase, “there can’t be smoke without fire” so we end up missing out on opportunities to enjoy the presents from their presence.

So if your eyes have suddenly opened to such an unsung hero who’s left your life, leaving a precious gift behind, then the least you could do is remember them in your prayers, and carry their gift forward. The memories, the smiles, the moments, the lessons…carry them forward, for you might contribute to the butterfly effect of their actions. That way you show appreciation for what they’ve done, and you become to others what they were to you once upon a time.

And if you are one of those unsung underappreciated people who don’t really see the immediate effects of your actions, believe in Allah’s rewards in the Hereafter for good deeds done with the right intentions. Additionally, think of the butterfly effect of your own actions.

So what is the butterfly effect? It’s how a small action today may cause large changes tomorrow. The theory of the butterfly effect is based on how what you do today might change the world someday, for you never know who might carry it forward.

Welcome To Kenya

I finally reached Kenya alhamdullilah, after one of the most tiring trips we have ever had in our lives.Our Pride of Africa (Kenya Airways) did not let us down when it comes to delaying their planes.Now we are used to one-two hour delays but FIVE hours? Or at least that was what they told us when we checked in, that our 2am flight was delayed until 7am.Naturally, we flew at 8.30 am.

Note to self; next time carry a tent to the airport, just in case. Or book a camel as plan B to send us to Kenya.

Our second flight from Nairobi to Mombasa got delayed by 20 min.
’20 min is a blessing.’ one of the passengers (1) said.
‘I hope it’s really 20 minutes not 20 hours.’ another said.
‘Well if it’s 20 hours, I think we will start walking to Mombasa.’ The first one said.

Suddenly, the Kenya Airways crew appeared to apologize because they were delaying some more. Passenger 1 demanded to see the manager and when he returned he told us the cause of this delay; They were understaffed and they didn’t have a shuttle bus to carry us from the departure gate to the plane. So basically, we had to walk the distance to the plane. Thank God we didn’t have to walk the distance to Mombasa.

Ilmohem, my mother asked the Kenya airways crew,’Are you guys on strike again?’ remembering the strike we got stuck in the middle of in 2009 (to find out more, click here ). The woman just laughed.

Finally we boarded, flew and landed in Moi International (aka ina tabu = tiresome) Airport in Mombasa. We took our bags and on the way out, the lights went out.

Welcome to Kenya.

Jambo Jambo Bwana

So I guess it’s that time of the year. It’s summer time here and winter time in Kenya, so it just makes sense for Kenyans to remember their origins and dig out their buried passports to run away from the UAE’s heat.

Whether I continue posting during my vacation insha’Allah will be a function of boredom, time, internet connectivity and mood, with mood definitely weighing the heaviest. Things to look forward to;-

a) Seeing so many stickers on the car’s windshield. Thank God it’s not enough to block the view because the driving there is bad already. 
b) Our own version of BR…not Baskin Robbins but Blue Room, and yes it does sell ice cream. Don’t ask why the building is not colored blue though.
c) Drama. Now for those people who were following last year’s Kenya’s Diaries on FB, you could tell we had a vacation and a half last year – so much so that we needed a vacation from the vacation. Now I hope we don’t get so much drama this time cz I really, really, really need a proper, relaxing, dramaless vacation. But then again, we’re talking about me, here, I just can’t help it but drama seems to follow me wherever I go. Typical example of Kenya drama; a road accident that is defined by having a mkokoteni hitting a Tuk Tuk.

An Empty Mkokoteni

Tuk Tuk

d) The picturesque scenery and the beauty that makes Kenya what it is.

Things not to look forward to; the potholes, the mosquitos, the crimes, and the power blackouts.

Photo image taken from a Kenyan newspaper last year

So anyhow, let me say adios to all the friends I didn’t have the chance to call/meet before I leave despite making (endless) plans that we would. Please forgive me if I did anyone of you any wrong.You know I can have a loose tongue and heavy sense of humor sometimes, but I don’t mean to hurt anybody.

Adios to my blog readers. Try hard not to miss my notes so much,because if you see posted notes then that would indicate I am getting extremely bored.

And if you need anything from Kenya…

The number you have dialed is either switched off or outside the coverage area…

This is AH signing off.

 

The Silent Ones

Sometimes one sits and wonders about The Silence Ones (TSO’s ). You probably know one of those; they’re not as quiet as a mouse – since mice can be pretty noisy – but rather, they are so quiet that the rhythmic sound of their breathing may be the only sign indicating they’re alive – in addition to the watchful gaze that slowly follows you if you dare to enter their vicinity.

You wonder what they’re thinking – if anything at all – , and wonder if they’re too inarticulate to voice their opinions or simply just too shy. You might ask one of them a question, and they throw a reply your way that makes you think immediately of the cavemen’s primitive forms of communication – a snarl or/and a growl. Which, by the way, may be interpreted as unfriendly or threatening, and you find yourself picking your way outside their territory because they seem not to want to say anything, when in reality, they just have nothing to say.

To you.

Adding ‘to you’ sheds light on a whole new dimension in this discussion, because maybe the TSO’s are normally talkative, until you come into the picture, when the walls of silence find themselves raised opposite in direction to the steel doors dropped over the gates of ancient fortresses. Why is that? Maybe, just like the fortress, it’s a defensive measure. They might be scared that any sound wave reaching you might cause a spark that would send a ticking bomb off. Especially if you – like me – have a tendency to transform a person’s sentence into a whole Facebook note (or 4) and tag all your friends (and maybe theirs as well). So maybe, they turn silent because they are cautious, afraid that you might hurt them. But what if it’s not really like that? What if the walls of silence go up, not because they are scared you might hurt them, but because they are scared that they might hurt you? What if they know that they have a debilitating ability when it comes to keeping their temper in check or when it comes to keeping their tongues on a leash? So they’re afraid of hurting you, and they grunt and growl instead, not encouraging any conversation, closing the door off any imminent danger.

And it’s sort of the same, when a person turns their back on you when you’re talking. The cold shoulder is considered rude. Why? Because we decided to interpret it that way. What if we look at it from another perspective? What if the TSO in question does it in an attempt to avoid a confrontation, in an attempt to avoid a ping-pong game of angry words hurling from one end to another, in an attempt to keep the peace. But do we think about it like that? No. When we are given the ‘cold shoulder’, the effect is the extreme opposite. How many wars have begun with a, “Don’t you dare turn your back on me!”?

So there’s something to think about today, when we meet the TSO’s of our lives, for they may be trying to say a lot without having to speak at all. And when you run into one and get snubbed, don’t get upset. Just try to understand. And ignore.

When Will We Learn To Forgive and Forget?

The month of mercy and forgiveness is around the corner inshaAllah so how are you preparing for it? There are those who can’t wait to spend sleepless nights in tears during sujood and there are those who can’t wait for the new season of Arabic TV series. Then you have one of those people writing a note about the topic of forgiveness.

I’ve always believed the quote that forgiveness is the attribute of the strong, because it is really hard to forgive someone who has wronged you. Especially if that person is too proud to acknowledge their mistake and apologize. So you end up seeing two people on different ends of a seesaw; as one goes up, the other goes down. And unlike children who enjoy seesaws, they give their backs to each other, none of them willing to compromise because everybody thinks they are right.

Then problems that start out similar to the size of gololis (marble balls) end up similar to the size of the sun, because every tiny disagreement builds on the other, and the anger and hatred gets out of control. An interesting comment on one of the previous notes was how different life would be if people forgave each other for their past behaviors.

Don’t you think?

Because people change, situations change, life changes. If you live in a city, it’s easy to get lost in the rapid pace as life moves on, and evolves. They’re always building new buildings, expanding roads, upgrading new technologies…yet when you find yourself stranded in a small town, you hear ancient-enough-to-be-in-a-museum cases getting opened like they were just on the headlines that morning. Which makes you think, “Didn’t you get over that yet?”

Apparently not. And the worse thing is this; as a neutral side, if you hear from A and from B, you might realize that both sides have made mistakes, and yet nobody is willing to forgive the other for their mistake. And you also realize that the problem can easily be solved if the two sides put their differences aside, and sat down to fix the relationship.

The problem is that, sometimes, they don’t even sit down and talk about what’s really bothering them. And even if they do, they may not be honest about it. All they do is go around, and ruin each other’s reputation in gossip centers. Sometimes the ‘wrongdoer’ is totally unaware of ‘his mistake’ (I’m using apostrophes because remember that people perceive things differently). A behavior that is accepted as normal by someone might be considered as rude by another.

Yet, you might think, that if you can put those two people in a room together, alone, disconnected from the outside world like people of the jury are, and tell them to focus on “Fixing The Relationship,” chances are higher that it might work, even if they have to scream at each other, punch each other, cry…In the end, it might just work.

But are they ready to admit they are wrong?

And yet when another generation tries to unite the older generation, some jump at them – the proverbial children of day before yesterday (watoto wa juzi) – and ask, “What do you know? This relationship is beyond repair.” Let me tell you what we know; what we know is that, it is beyond repair because nobody’s focus is on repairing the relationship as much as their focus is on proving who is right, and who is wrong.

Or am I wrong?

And sometimes the problem is simply in the clash of personalities. The two people’s personalities don’t match at all, and there’s no mutual ground. And here’s yet another call for putting aside people’s differences to salvage a relationship.

And if people go their separate ways, the least they could do is just empty their hearts from hatred…I mean, what does it really take to just forgive and forget, and wish them well in their future endeavors, then move on and let go without thinking of revenge and ways to destroy them. Because seriously, even if your own people reject you, they’ll be replaced with others who will accept you, and when you forgive, you’re not really doing them a big favor as much as you’re doing yourself a favor because, “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was YOU” (Jean Paul Richter)

Du’a for Gaza, Mishary Al ‘Afasy

Freedom Flotilla

Israel seems to have a special way of celebrating the World Cup; attack innocent people while everybody’s busy preparing themselves for the World Cup Fever. If you don’t remember what I’m talking about, you can check out an older blog on a similar topic. http://ahechoes.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/egypt-vs-algeria-battle/

It’s sad how we’ve become so accustomed to the reactions to Israel’s bloody attacks; The world goes in a rage, people hold demonstrations,

Presidents condemn

Oh yeah, and where are the Arabs in the midst of all this?

I’m not so sure but some of them might be lip-synching “Waving Flag” with Nancy Ajram.

It’s just so sad, and sorry for sounding so bitter, but despite all the anger against that one malicious country with the blue star, it just won’t rectify itself since it’s so full of itself when it posts provoking videos like the one below,

Guess all we gotta do is say 7asbuna Allah wa ne3mal wakeel, and pray for our Muslim brothers and sisters across the globe.

Si Mañana Nunca Llega*

I feel we’ve all been there. Maybe someone means so much to us, yet we take them for granted, and get into tiny disagreements that may build up into disputes, until the day we wake up to discover that they have gone; out of our house, out of our country, out of our world, out of our lives. Or maybe they’re still around, reachable by various means of communications – phone, facebook, msn – but when we talk to them, we feel something has changed. Their tones are colder, their replies are blander, their calls are shorter, or maybe….

The mobile phone you have called is either switched off or outside the coverage area, please DO NOT try again later….

Then we are left wondering why we never let them know how much they meant to us when they were here. It didn’t have to reach to this stage. It didn’t have to get this bad. And then we stand lingering outside a closed door with remorse, because it is by our own doing – or lack of doing – that the door had closed, and oh do we wish if we would get another chance, and the door would open so they would know how much they meant to us.

We would articulate it, put it on paper, let it show, tell the world.

My friend JJ once wrote about how people are in our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime, and it’s quite interesting how as we go down that list in the given order – reason, season, lifetime – the number of people decreases, because it’s only natural that we contact those who we need….

“Can I have your notes?”

“Yo, can you do me a favor?”

And then when the reason passes, and the season passes,

b’bye…just smile and wave…smile and wave

Bridges get burnt, relatives begin wars, friends lose touch, connections are cut, communications companies like Etisalat and Zain are affected by the dip in calls, sms….

And it’s sad, because we know that as Muslims we must not continue to hold grudges for more than three days, and the best among us are those who start with the salam as the prophet (pbuh) says:

لا يحل لرجل أن يهجر أخاه فوق ثلاث ليال يلتقيان فيعرض هذا ويعرض هذا وخيرهما الذي يبدأ بالسلام ” رواه البخاري[1

And we know it's not right to severe ties of kinship. We know this...And we know that...Yet despite knowing all that, we still hold grudges, we still burn bridges, and then we are too proud to rebuild burnt bridges, to say sorry, to forgive and forget, to say let's go back to where we used to be, with less expectations of course especially if trust was lost after the initial fallout.....

Yet there are times when we are just scared, scared to make that reconnection because we don't know how it will be taken, whether it will be accepted, whether the other side will doubt our sincerity, whether it will be blown off out of proportion, and so it's safer never to take the first step....never to make the first call...because we are afraid to get hurt...

Afraid to get rejected....

Afraid to get dejected...

So we stay disconnected...

And with time we pull the door closed one more time, and never know what might have been...

Yet let us imagine what might be - not what might have been - but what might be if we keep things the way they were. One day, if one of us were to outlive the other, we might find ourselves seated on a muddy ground somewhere, tree branches above, dripping with the rain that washes everything except the regret in our hearts,because there's nothing that would wash that away, because there's nothing that could wash that away, not even the Nile's worth of tears...

And we would wish we had swallowed our pride, taken that step forward to connect, reconcile, because let me tell you what we are most likely to remember...

Not the anger, not the fights, not the end

But we would be troubled by a different roll of film....

Of happier times, of shared laughter, of the start....

And we would wish that things had stayed the way they were, that things hadn't changed, that we didn't let our differences come between us, that we didn't let other people come between us...and so we'd end up sitting against that tree trunk, over that muddy ground, surrounded by the rain from the sky, and rain from our eyes, and think...

How we have missed out on years of laughter, because of one second of anger.

Yet we'd be consoled by the idea that 'it was all their fault', the same thing that they were probably thinking about us, but who cares whose fault it was?

And you know something?

When it comes to torn relationships, disputes, unnecessary anger, we'll never run out of excuses...but what we do run out of...is time....

So if tomorrow never comes, what would you have done differently today?

*If Tomorrow Never Comes
[1]http://www.islam-qa.com/tr/ref/books/37