Toastmasters Club…

I was invited to the Toastmaster party of the company I work for. The theme of the meeting was “Humorous Speech”. My Japanese boss who is over 60 years old was going to participate and he told me that this is his first time to do such thing and that he is so nervous about it.

That was amazing…The man is over 60 years old and there is actually something he still didn’t do… and the more intriguing thought is that he still has the energy to experience new venues in life.

So much for the Toastmasters punctuality, the event started late…. Let alone that the speeches were not even amusing.

When my boss went up there and he started giving his speech I was taken by the fact that he was not even using his own voice. Something in his English is less Japanese. He gave his speech about a Japanese term that stands for “not utilizing things to their best efficiency” but unfortunately I forgot the term itself.

He just swept the audience off their feet. He used different voices, postures and bodily orientations to depict different characters in his speech. He was hilarious. And he concluded his speech by saying “Finally if you don’t vote for me that would be not utilizing your votes to their best efficiency” and the crowd erupted in laughter and very long round of applause.

Needless to say, he got the first prize. His speech was informative, funny really amusing and in less than 7 minutes!!!!

I really hope that one day I’ll find the same energy within my weary soul...

Tales of three cities and a friendship…

Days ago, I received a call from an old friend informing me that she will be flying to visit; she is best friends with my X and I haven’t seen her for two years or so…, I really did not know what to expect. I was nervous that seeing her might trigger some memories I’ve been trying to suppress and that I would subconsciously treat her in a way that she doesn’t deserve, in prosecution of her capacity rather than the person she really is…

I picked her up at the airport and headed to my place. We had lots of catching up to do, that night we talked, ate and laughed and my nervousness faded away, she actually made me feel better.

It was to my surprise to see that she has a clear, light and beautiful soul that makes you feel at ease with her being around. I certainly didn’t see that before... neither did I ever feel close to her as I did that day, I felt alive, hopeful and tranquilized in a way I haven’t felt in months.

How can the fact of being close to someone – my X for that matter – ever block the vision of seeing others as they really are rather than “objectifying” them in reflection of their social affiliations?!! Why was I ever considering breaking up with that friend for something she didn’t do or even remotely contribute to?! When did I lose my vision and decided to play things safe and erroneous rather than risky but correct?

We later took a flight to Abu Dhabi and then split ways. I visited some friends in Sharja and Dubai and we met again two days later in Abu Dhabi.

I didn’t like Sharja or Dubai as much as I liked Abu Dhabi… but generally, I had more fun in these four days than I had in the past seven months.

It was certainly a nice change to enjoy the proximity of someone, whom I used to have history with before the “expat’s syndrome” kicks into my systems, and it was definitely more than I ever bargained for; to make a new friend out of an old one.

For all of that I am thankful.

Strolling down the beach of life …

Today the weather was windy with some light rain; it was the perfect weather for one of my “mood walks”…

As I strolled down the beach I began to reflect on everything that has been going on lately. Here I am walking alone again on a windy and rainy day, as close to the water as I can get and as far from my self as I can be…

It was less than a week ago that I had to bid farewell to my last friend here, the same friend that I’ve been strolling down the beach with for the past six month or so.

My social life has been climbing up and down the graph since I left home… it has now become to a rest on the X-Axis…

I began to move away from the water as I felt my body temperature falling below average… I took a sit and stared at the surroundings… I found a tree, a light post and cement chair each in the proximity of the others but yet all are still alone fighting the freezing winter winds unaware of the fact that if they combined they will not need to fight any more. I smiled at the irony of life, we human beings are the same, we live, work and walk in proximity but we rather strive against the storm alone and hope to survive than unite and fight no more but risk being hurt… We need the proximity of others but yet we build fences and install more sophisticated locks. We buy more land to add extra perimeters to our own personal spaces and yet complain of the isolation.

As the sun went down and as I headed back to my place I began murmuring Brett Dennen’s “There ain’t no reason”.

May be one day I’ll find my reasons and may be one day I’ll find home again.

To whom I loved the most, cared for best, and cherished like I have no other,
To whom I pledged all my reasons and devotion,
To whom I offered nothing but pure and sincere affection,

Happy Birth Day
*****
May your year be better than mine.
May god never condemn you to endure what you destined me to go through.

May you never be what you forced me into.

May you never learn that treachery comes from the closest and that deceit can be sugar coated.
May you find whatever you are looking for and may it be worth the price I had to pay.

*****
Unfortunately, I have nothing to offer you in your birthday but wishes,

Although I wished it to be forgiveness and even though I sincerely tried, I just couldn’t, apparently I am not as strong or as forgiving as I used to be.

*****
Perhaps next year…!!!