A friend whom I quite like, told me not too long ago,
He said -- You know what Layla - your problem is that you're stuck...
Without batting an eyelid I responded -- no shit! how did you guess ?!
- Come on now, you know...All you think, write, speak, feel about, is Iraq and its tragedies. You are closed to the real world, you are closed to us, to our lives here and now..It's like you live in another universe, in another reality...come back here, come back among us...come back to us...
- You are right, am divorced from you and your reality...It's true, I live over there even though am here...But let me ask you something. How come you're so much here and am so much there ? After all you are an Arab yourself, and you're not exactly living in some remote country, away from it all...you are next door. OK let me assume that you are a few kilometers away, a few hours drive, but what about those who, like myself, surround you daily...Do you see them ?
- Yes of course I see them...but what can I do about it ? I have to live my life...I have to get up in the morning, go to work, earn a living, pretend life is normal, or as normal as can be ...
- I understand...but how come I can't do the same...how come am still stuck over there...while you seem to be very stuck over here ?
- You need to switch off...others are living their lives, normally...You are not Jesus nor Joan of Arc...I know you are ambitious, but you will not liberate Iraq that way...
- Well thanks for reminding what I have not forgotten...There are no more Jesuses nor Joans of Arc...I am ambitious and contributing to bringing down the Empire is one of my ambitions...
- Oh sure, and you will do that through your blog, right ?
- I do have illusions or delusions of grandeur but not that grand...but I do follow my heart, and where it takes me I will go...Your heart seems to be pointing in a different direction...
- That's what I call romantic idealism...I am not a romantic idealist myself...I am a pragmatist.
- And is that why you refuse to see the obvious ?
- The obvious ? Of course I see the obvious !
- Oh do you really ? Is it so very obvious to you that a whole country has been wiped off the map just like that, in a matter of a few years and 5 years is nothing in the annals of history... it is actually a very short period...and that it happens so easily, so flippantly, so inconsequentially--does not strike you as very obvious?
- Well, yes...but...
- But what ?
- But, life goes on ya Layla...
- Yes life goes on in your country, you still have a country, but for those who don't have one anymore...for those who don't have a place called home anymore...does life go on the same way ?
- Nope I guess it can't...
- So, do you still see me as stuck ?
- Yes I guess I do, now.
Painting : Iraqi artist, Sabah Majeed.
He said -- You know what Layla - your problem is that you're stuck...
Without batting an eyelid I responded -- no shit! how did you guess ?!
- Come on now, you know...All you think, write, speak, feel about, is Iraq and its tragedies. You are closed to the real world, you are closed to us, to our lives here and now..It's like you live in another universe, in another reality...come back here, come back among us...come back to us...
- You are right, am divorced from you and your reality...It's true, I live over there even though am here...But let me ask you something. How come you're so much here and am so much there ? After all you are an Arab yourself, and you're not exactly living in some remote country, away from it all...you are next door. OK let me assume that you are a few kilometers away, a few hours drive, but what about those who, like myself, surround you daily...Do you see them ?
- Yes of course I see them...but what can I do about it ? I have to live my life...I have to get up in the morning, go to work, earn a living, pretend life is normal, or as normal as can be ...
- I understand...but how come I can't do the same...how come am still stuck over there...while you seem to be very stuck over here ?
- You need to switch off...others are living their lives, normally...You are not Jesus nor Joan of Arc...I know you are ambitious, but you will not liberate Iraq that way...
- Well thanks for reminding what I have not forgotten...There are no more Jesuses nor Joans of Arc...I am ambitious and contributing to bringing down the Empire is one of my ambitions...
- Oh sure, and you will do that through your blog, right ?
- I do have illusions or delusions of grandeur but not that grand...but I do follow my heart, and where it takes me I will go...Your heart seems to be pointing in a different direction...
- That's what I call romantic idealism...I am not a romantic idealist myself...I am a pragmatist.
- And is that why you refuse to see the obvious ?
- The obvious ? Of course I see the obvious !
- Oh do you really ? Is it so very obvious to you that a whole country has been wiped off the map just like that, in a matter of a few years and 5 years is nothing in the annals of history... it is actually a very short period...and that it happens so easily, so flippantly, so inconsequentially--does not strike you as very obvious?
- Well, yes...but...
- But what ?
- But, life goes on ya Layla...
- Yes life goes on in your country, you still have a country, but for those who don't have one anymore...for those who don't have a place called home anymore...does life go on the same way ?
- Nope I guess it can't...
- So, do you still see me as stuck ?
- Yes I guess I do, now.
Painting : Iraqi artist, Sabah Majeed.
