26 November, 2006

Kinzi and the birds

Minutes ago I was trying to write about something that happened to me two or three weeks ago, after I finished writing a sentence or so I deleted the file convinced that I'm not in the mood for writing or posting on my blog which technically is dead, although I still post on it every once in a while.

Now after ten minutes of deleting that file, I'm back writing again, and the reason behind is something I will mention later in this post.

So this is what I was writing about before I deleted the file, while I was attending a workshop two weeks ago, and during the break we used to take every two hours I happened to talk to a Jordanian professor in one of our famous Jordanian universities, we talked about the workshop when he told me that he is always busy, and that he doesn’t have time to do many things in his life, at that moment I thought that was not his problem only, and that almost everyone has the same problem, we are all in a hurry, and we all have less time than what we need.

I wanted to tell him something when I stopped because I felt it’s a little bit personal and I still don't know him well to reveal something personal to someone I don’t know, but I couldn't hold myself especially that I was convinced that it didn't hurt if anyone knows about it, as I'm convinced of what I do.

So I told him that I'm a happy person, "what? Are you?" he asked, implying what I was telling him has nothing to do with what he was trying to tell me about, in other words being busy has nothing to do with being happy, because they don't have any relation, from outside they are both different.

I asked him "do you have at least one hour for yourself to be able to contemplate or meditate or enjoy life?" he was silent, and I sounded weird, and a silly smile appeared on his face, I told him that I began waking up early in the morning at 5 every day, "but why do you do that?" he asked, I told him that I pray, then I shave, after that I prepare a breakfast, I told him that I take care of every detail, I listen to the boiling water to make tea, I watch the fire of the oven, I feel the hot loaf of bread I heat, then I sit down to eat my breakfast, and enjoy the sun rising, and the singing of birds, "birds?" he mockingly asked, with the same silly smile on his face, "yes, birds" I naively answered, "why, where do you live?" he asked again, I told him I live in Amman, he laughed, he wanted to tell me that there are no birds in Amman.

I stopped there, because I realized how silly he was, I wanted to tell him that even if he lives in a jungle full of different kinds of birds he wouldn't listen to them, I wanted to tell him that we can even enjoy the singing of the domestic sparrow which has neither colored feather nor beautiful singing, if we want to enjoy it, I wanted to tell him that I'm happy in preparing my simple breakfast, because I wanted to enjoy it, when I stopped making that mechanically, I wanted to tell him that I was stupid like him before I realized that I have to enjoy blessings God blessed me with.

We have to slow down and enjoy the details, we have to live the moment sometimes, we have to resist running hurriedly in all our lives, I tried it and it works.

Ok, now I will tell you why I came back to rewrite this post when I decided I wasn't in the mood, I wanted to check my email, when I saw a comment from someone I met in JP's last meet-up, I never talked to her before, we talked about many things, she was very nice and encouraged me to write about my thoughts, and because I'm used to people forgetting about things, I thought that was the end, but I got surprised today with her comment that she dropped by to make sure I'm ok, and to encourage me to continue posting, that made my day, so I decided to rewrite the post I deleted before, thank you kinzi, I think you are one of the beautiful birds we have in Jordan.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Eyad , this is a very nice post , I really loved it.
Thanks for Kinzi who made you write such a nice post.

Keep blogging Eyad , you have very nice thoughts to write:)

Anonymous said...

Well, I'm not a bird, nor am I in Jordan, but I agree with Kinzi: keep on writing :)

Anonymous said...

Eyad,
Thanks for the timely reminder. I used to get up early and have a nice leasurly breakfast, pray and read the Bible, but lately I've been sleeping in and buying a sandwich from the falafel vendor and eating it at my desk as I check my e-mails. Thanks for the inspiration to set my alarm and get up early tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

Hapinees in things which cost nothing!!

I am so happy when my mother baked mana2esh za3tar for me, or aza la7a2t salat el fajr on time at dawn..it's precious peaceful time..

fi kteer 2ishya2 taniyeh,,the most important to entend being happy and optemests

Amer said...

you write!!!

eyad said...

7ala: thank you dear friend.
Beti:I think you are a bird,a free one.
Rebecca:thanks, its nice of you to tell me about your experience getting up early.
Red rose:what a nice nickname :)
el tapatio:you are welcome :)

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness!! I'm so honored!! To think a short note could inspire you to post this, well, I'm very blessed. You made my morning, Eyad.

I will open my window and listen for the birds in my garden, and give thanks to God for His small, everyday miracles.

Anonymous said...

I'm SO honored! My morning is made, blessed to be an encouragement. Now I will open my window and listen for the birds, and thank God for small miracles.

eyad said...

Kinzi:the honor is mine, I was waiting for you to read my post, you made my day I made your morning :),thank you.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Its not an easy task to be reminded of finding happiness in small details...

This post is nothing less than inspirational... I love the way you caught lively details, so full of joy...

by the way I hate university professors teaching in Jordan... well, not all but most of them are arrogant knuckle heads... but I'm happy one of them bumped into you maybe that’s the best thing he did in his lifetime...

eyad said...

Hey, i just visited your blog and left you a messege there, thanks for the visit.

Anonymous said...

I'm really honored and pleased by meeting you ...looking forward new meetings insha2allah..

I like the name "proactivity"...if it's Viktor Frankl's proactivity, then we've got something in common ;)

Anonymous said...

you are absolutely right Iyad... not so many people have the sense of enjoying there lives...life is so short.. and we- by filling it with lots of selly commetments- make it shorter...have a great day