Well, it happened again. My whole world turned upside down and backwards but I landed on my feet. I landed in Manama Bahrain, actually where I was in the beginning. But now in a more humble and hotel, somewhat within my price range providing me with the ability to cook for myself. No more 5 star hotels me. I have been out of my league.. particularly in Bahrain with its atrocious exchange rate. My plans for Malaysia were scuttled, temporarily anyway.
I have always had the uncanny ability to land on my feet. What does it mean when someone lands on their feet? It is to be in good condition or in a good situation after having a bad or difficult experience. It implies that the person is resilient and able to adapt to changing circumstances in order to achieve success.
That is me, always adaptable and resilient. Overcoming the worst of odds. Knowing that this was part of my modus operandi I typed land on one’s feet in the search engine of this blog. Six entries emerged. I shall list the entries by date and titles. I am laughing.
January 11, 2024 I Have Landed on My Feet, But Landed With a Virus: Three Friends Bring Support and Sympathy; Dumping a Toxic Relationship, Finding Immediate Replacements; Landing on My Feet Proven to be a Character Trait; An Amazing Kohbar City Tour.
What I find most amusing about this is that I cannot remember, for the life of me who the toxic relationship was with. It doesn’t say and I do not remember. I did define it but did not identify the parasite. “A toxic relationship is one that makes you feel unsupported, misunderstood, demeaned or attached. A relationship is toxic when your well-being is threatened in some way – emotionally, psychological, and even physically.” So whoever it was I cannot say that I miss he/she/it.
March 20,2022 Lyrics to Pick Yourself Up; The Story of My Life; Back to the Drawing Board: Always Landing on My Feet; Sacrilegious Defined: Conversations with Allah and S.A.F.E.: Photographs From Hospital, One of Alexis Looking Queenly; The Others of Sheikh Zayed Looking Kingly. This one began in an upbeat manner.
“I have this amazing ability – something changes, my life is altered. It is almost always bad news but I pick myself up, dust my self off and start all over again. It happened yet again. First of all, go to YouTube and listen to Frank Sinatra’s version of Pick Yourself Up. It is a totally upbeat song and will get you in a good mood. You will be shrugging your shoulders, tapping your feet, snapping your fingers and feeling great. I promise.”
This March 20, 2022 entry contained more cheer.
“There is another expression called Landing On Your Feet. There can be found many quotes to this phrase. Here are a few. “Start every day with a positive thought. And a grateful heart.” Roy T. Bennett. “Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.” “If you want light to come into your life, you need to stand where it is shining.” “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.” “Happiness is the only thing that multiplies when you share it.”The last quote has to be my favorite: Happiness is the only thing that multiples when you share it’ I do spread my happiness around even when things do not turn out the way I planned.
I possessed these qualities before my conversion to the Islamic faith but it has been enhanced a thousand fold. It sounds rather sacrilegious to say this but I just shake and and say:
Me: Allah you know what you are doing! . Thought for a minute that you did not but you do. It was only a minute Allah and every day and in every way I am getting better and better.
Allah: Yes Alexis, (or shall I call you Fatimah). Your trust in me grows with each passing day. It is rather glorious to see.”
I was living in the Abu Dhabi at the time, was soon to leave, returning to Canada, which also did not work out in the long run.
January 3, 2020 An Ill fated Trip; Landing on One’s Feet; Phoenix Rising; I Have Lost That Lovin’ Feeling A Picture of the Gallery in This Hotel.
At least I managed to get on the plane this time, arriving in Dubai..
“This has turned into an ill fated trip – which means: doomed, blighted, condemned, damned, cursed, ill-starred, ill-omened, jinxed; unlucky, luckless, unfortunate, hapless, unhappy; literary star-crossed. What has made it doomed, cursed, jinxed, and unlucky is the fact that Dubai is on my agenda. A pilot at this hotel summarized the situation: “The long way, the wrong way.”
These were my thoughts on Phoenix Rising.
“Another expression that comes to mind is Phoenix rising: The phrase rise like a phoenix from the ashes is based on a story that goes back thousands of years. … To rise like a phoenix from the ashes means to emerge from a catastrophe stronger, smarter and more powerful. It has always been true in my life – and believe me there have been ashes. ‘
January 18, 2024 There is Some Despair, Some Sorrow in This Blog But in the Long Run Good Did Prevail Over Evil; Heartsick Defined; The Heart (Qalb) is the Core of Human Beings in the Islamic Faith; The Fortress of Tawhid Provides Relief and Knowledge: Soon Off to Ithaca, the Perfect Place for Me to Be; Photo of a Shirt
“Heartsick is a perfect word for the emotion I am feeling when writing this. Heartsick: despondent, typically from grief or loss of love. It is a loss of love, this was a trusted and esteemed person who proved not worthy of my love, who stole from me, who manipulated me who caused me much distress. “
The blog goes on to talk about the heart (Qalib) being the core of human beings in the Islamic Faith, it is referred to 32 times in the Quran.
“The heart is the barzakh or isthmus between this world and the next, between the visible and invisible worlds, between the human realm and the realm of the Spirit, between the horizontal and vertical dimensions of existence – William Chittack, The Essential Seyyed Nasr, 2007.”
There are two more entries 19,2023 and March 6, 2019, However, it seems timely to discuss what happened to me on the evening of yesterday January 3, 2024.
D-Day had not been planned with greater precision. I was off for my next adventure., traveling to Malaysia to join up with my wonderful Malaysian sister, originally met in Medina on July 22, 2023. A wondrous day at the Bahrain Rex Carlton began with Fajr prayer, then at sunrise a walk on through the grounds – making videos of the sunrise and flamingos to be shown later on Instagram. It was necessary to check out of my room by noon but I had the use of the facilities. So I had a spa day. But first lunch – a reservation at the Catina which did to bear fruition so instead ate at Trader Vics. The food sumptuous, the staff so solicitous. It brought back memories of my fist visit to the San Francisco Trader Vics on Compton Place. I had eaten there with members of the Kaiser family, Walter McKenzie and his wife. Walter McKenzie the Dean of the University of Alberta Medical School. I have difficulty recalling the year but it had to be 1971 or thereabouts. When learning of my intense interest in food, I was allowed to visit the kitchen of that esteemed restaurant. I had forgotten about that magical evening until the place brought back memories. I had delicious calamari for an appetizer, left for my massage, returning later for my mail course of short ribs and mashed potatoes. Left at 7:30 for the airport and my scheduled flight.
Everything then fell apart – all of my carefully laid plans went astray. The driver hired by the hotel to take me to the hotel was exceptionally rude. However I had my Qatar Air ticket in hand (well, on my iPhone). I arrived on time, to learn that my ticket had been cancelled. No reason given, no explanation. I was in a terrible quandary, had checked out of my hotel, had made reservations in Georgetown Malaysia, so looking forward to being with my Malaysian sister. The Qatar Air staff were totally unhelpful, tried reasoning with them to no avail. I was beyond myself, my lawyer, assertive and rational eloquence was not getting my anywhere. What did I do? In totally a non characteristic manner I fell to the floor and started to cry. I felt like a helpless infant, there was no artifice in this unusual behavior at all.
Artifice is a clever or cunning devices or expedients, especially as used to trick or deceive others. I shall artifice later but now get back to this tale of woe which actually has a happy ending.
I was escorted into a room, with many people, all trying to be helpful. They called in the troops which is an expression meaning help was on the say. It appeared in the person of the, honest to goodness, the Consul for the American Embassy. Can you believe that??? I cannot. What a man, what help. It made me proud to be an American, which is recently not been an expression of my feelings. After making several phone calls he found a hotel for men, instructing me to get in touch with my credit card company and then proceed on my travels. It seemed a miracle. Zi will always and forever be grateful to his wonderful man. He and he his wife, who accompanied him, walked me to a taxi stand. After some initial difficulty I found myself at a Residence Hotel which is perfect for my needs.
The next morning after Fajr prayer, and writing the beginning of the blog, went down to the lobby – the staff is nothing short of incredible. Made arrangements to extend my stay for at least a week. Now dealing with the aftermath, the canceling of hotel reservations, other flights, dealing with my credit card company – the list is endless.
However, at this point in time I have peace of mind with the blessed knowledge that this had to be planned by Allah (SWT). I am to make the best of this drastic alteration of my plans and I have already begun so.
Alhamdulillah. My Malaysian Sister is unhappy that I am not with her at this moment but we continue to Whats App. I just received a message from her.
The photographs include my morning greeting from my Malaysian little sister. The sunrise reel made from the grounds of the Rex Carlton, a photo of the short ribs with mashed potatoes, a very amateur reel of the memories occasioned by my impromptu visit to Trader Vic’s. A photo of the interior of the restaurant, two Sinning Saudis pictured. More about that later.
Alhamdulillah.
