This is being written on the morning of September 19, 2022. I have accomplished what has been an horrendous task – getting a 2021 1099 tax form for my gifted marvelous US tax accountant. Just to complicate matters now I also have a gifted marvelous Canadian tax accountant as the return to the land of my birth shall necessitate moving my assets to Canada and filing taxes in both countries. Oh well – at least I have income (USA) and assets to move so I am not complaining. No I am rejoicing as a matter of fact.
As I spoke to an utterly helpful woman who led me down the garden path to my 1099 form which I sent onto to US tax accountant I said:
Me: Thank goodness for your help and assistance. This feels like a new dawn of a new day. I think I shall write about that on my blog.
So I shall. This is a new dawn of a new day. What did I do with this phrase? You know me, I googled it and came up with a fantastic song by Nina Simone. I shall provide the lyrics but go yourself, listen to it and its power. I dare you to. Hahaha.
Feelin’ Good
Birds flying high, you know how I feel
Sun in the sky, you know how I feel
Breeze driftin’ on by, you know how I feel
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life for me, yeah
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life for me, ooh
And I’m feeling good
Fish in the sea, you know how I feel
River running free, you know how I feel
Blossom on the tree, you know how I feel
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life for me
And I’m feeling good
Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, don’t you know?
Butterflies all havin’ fun, you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when day is done, that’s what I mean
And this old world, is a new world
And a bold world for me, yeah-yeah
Stars when you shine, you know how I feel
Scent of the pine, you know how I feel
Oh, freedom is mine
And I know how I feel
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life for me
I’m feeling good
How did I arrive at this new dawn on a new day? It was not easy. People expect easy answers, they are not there for anyone. It is often one slow step at a time but having the courage to make the first step is a critical and essential element. The first step in this new dawn was to leave the United Arab Emeritus and come back to Canada. The ability to do that, to return to my country of birth was an absolute blessing. But I was wounded and scarred from living in that corrupt and evil environment, from the oppression I experienced, which is nothing compared to experience of almost all expatriates who slave there – they took the easy way out of their often oppressive, poverty stricken and frequently unsafe countries. What these ex pats refuse to admit (and are not allowed to publicly declare) is that they traded one form of oppression for another. Getting out from under the UAE oppression has become increasingly difficult – Canada not the Mecca it formerly was because of the massive two million strong waiting list and increasingly expensive cost of housing even if one ever achieves entrance to this fair land.
Although I escaped the UAE I brought some of it with me – people, not physically present but their presence made possible by social media – Instagram, WhatsApp and all of that. They were haunting my life – my sympathy with some of their plights, the false promises offered by the more affluent in some position of power was rather alluring but it all was empty. I was powerless to help those in need and the others were bottomless pits requiring massive amounts of attention. Some discarding was abrupt but most done with warning, care and attention. Many were giving an explanation, it was most frequently the same heart and faith related reason. Here is an example. This occurred on WhatsApp – I was being pursued by someone or something – I had met the individual personified – I no longer am prey to those Instagram vermin with the fake identities and false (identical) promises.
First of all, let us examine the meaning of discard. Used as a verb it is getting rid of someone or something because it is no longer useful or desirable.The synonyms absolutely sing: throw away, throw out, get rid of, toss out; reject, jettison, scrap, dispense with, cast aside/off, repudiate, abandon, relinquish, drop, have done with, shed, slough off, shrug off, throw on the scrapheap; chuck (away/out), fling away, dump, ditch, axe, bin, junk, get shut of trash forsake.
There is this person, robot, machine who says that he is the Crown Prince of Dubai and this “entity’ has haunted my life even before I met the real thing in a humble hotel in London in November of 2019. I cannot understand this cancer, never shall. Some believe he is behind it all – at the very least he does nothing to prevent it. I have sympathy for him – he is in need to treatment and Wise Man could and would provide it. So I have succumbed but there is inevitably a lack of follow through. The last ‘attempt’ ( before this one) was during my residency in Abu Dhabi – he insisting that we shall meet so he could make amends, the meeting out of the presence of the media or others. It could have been arranged but he disappeared, yet again.
The first attempt was recalled when I rather accidentally read a blog written from Vancouver in 2017 I do believe. I had never heard of Dubai – had no idea where or what it was at the time, Had to go to Vancouver Public Library and borrow a book Wrote I would never visit there (well oops!) How did that contact end up? After lengthly text exchanges the Prince Fazza asked for purchase a card that would allow him to introduce him to his father. Needless to say I did not fork over any money and he went away. Then, by total happenstance I met him in November of 2019. Did not know who he was, he had a name tag around his neck that said Sultan. Our second encounter hilariously funny when he approached me in the lobby of the same humble hotel declaring that he was the Sultan. What happened in the ensuing months is a sad story but I definitely recovered. I wonder if he did.
Thought I had gotten rid of his so-called presence in my life, blocking all Instagram accounts authored by him but I was not successful because someone or something purporting to be Prince Fazza, the Crown Prince of Dubai started following me this time he was PrinceFazza 123456, began DMing on Instagram around the first of September. I could not believe it but in my big-hearted way took pity on him and against my better judgment went to WhatsApp. He/She or It texted for a long time, was most romantic, did not recall every meeting me but declared that I was his destiny. Thought this over, slept on it but most importantly prayed to Allah for guidance and did receive it, as you shall see. .
The fateful morning received the following text.
He: Good morning to you my dear. How was your night, Hope you slept well. Hope you slept well last night.
Me: This shall not be good news. As I have told you I became very religious after I became a Muslim. I recite the Prayer for Guidance as part of my prayer ritual. I say it in English, as I unlike you do not speak Arabic. It ends Guide us along the Straight Path. The path of those you have blessed- not those You are displeased with, or those who are astray. Looking at your life style from far away (and up close,) and that of your father, I would say that both of you are astray. Perhaps Allah is displeased with you with the two of you. Therefore any thoughts that I am your destiny is wrong and even sinful. So I must bid you adieu. In other words, goodbye. Allah has spoken through the Quran.
Minutes later received this response.
He: Really
Of course I did not, nor shall not, respond. I said goodbye, the Islamic faith allows a woman to say NO – even to a formal marriage proposal.
His WhatsApp is Fazz3Bin Mohammed by the way. In the past has provided me with emails for direct contact, if I remember correctly. I do try to repress all thoughts of him as he is such a destructive, but pitiable, force.
Later on September 9, 2022 got another message. It would have been 3 am Dubai time .
He: How dear. How are you doing.
Again no response on my part. I have, after all, said goodbye and explained why. Not heard from He/She/It again.
The others, subject to the same words from the Prayer for Guidance, do not claim to be Royalty. Of course have met them in various situations and capacities but they were a distraction, if not absolutely harmful.
The result of this dumping, ditching, abandoning and jettisoning? A vast feeling of relief, relaxation and being close with Allah again. When one is being constantly bothered believers are encouraged to pray for Allah for protection. I did and Allah the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate provided it – as the Prayer for Guidance also speaks: “You ‘alone’ we worship and You ‘alone’ we ask for help.”
I have also declared my freedom from certain institutions but quietly – doubt that they would appreciate hearing that it was my opinion that they are being misguided. An Instagram screen shot illustrates the distinction between fact, opinion, ignorance and stupidity. It is brilliant.
But to end on a lighter and rather funny and most human note. The photograph depicts the view from my window taken yesterday. It was posted on Instagram with the following caption.
Me: This is so funny! I was awake for Fajr prayer. Looked out the window and thought: “Autumn is here! The leaves have started to turn gold. I was so happy. Well it was so disappointing to see later that it must have been the effects of the sunrise because everything is green again. Oh well, more time to get-together my hibernation gear. Hahaha
Received a response from a young woman living in the UAE.
She: Beautiful photo. Autumn is my favorite season.
Me: Mine too, so I guess I was making it come quicker. This the view from my apartment, in marked contrast to Abu Dhabi. So good to be home. In my defense I have not lived with seasons for over fifty years – as Northern California pretty much the same all year. I welcome winter. People here think I am mad.
