At this exact moment I live an incredibly blessed life; I am immensely grateful. Grateful beyond measure. My gratitude is enhanced, made viable by the hardships, the woe, the betrayals, the abuse suffered in the past. Last evening walking ‘home’ from the Prophet’s Mosque I reached the sudden realization that I had been nobly, diligently and tirelessly attempting to air condition hell. Needless to say, success in that endeavor was not achieved.
Yet again, I look to the meaning of words and phrases to understand, and then to explain my thoughts. Three words used in the first paragraph, will aid in the exploration when explained: . betrayal, viable and needless.
Needless to say simply means of course. So Of course, I could not achieve success in my prior mission – that of air conditioning hell.
Viable: capable of working successfully, feasible. Synonyms: within the bounds/realms of possibility, within reach, within reason, likely, achievable, attainable, accomplishable, realizable, reasonable, sensible, realistic, logical, of use, expedient, well advised, well thought out, well grounded, judicious, wise.
My gratitude to our Creator is made within the realms of reason, realizable, well thought out, judicious and wise because of the hardships, woes and betrayals suffered in the past.
Betrayal, a powerful concept with many powerful synonyms; treachery, disloyalty, perfidiousness, faithlessness, falseness; duplicity, deception, double-dealing; breach of faith, breach of trust, stab in the back, Judas kiss; double-cross, sellout. My favorites? Perfidiousness, stab in the back, duplicity, treachery and Judas kiss. More about Judas kiss in a coming blog. Do stay tuned. Hahahaha
I realize, become increasingly cognizant of my blessings by recognizing and thoroughly appreciating the diametrically opposed situation encountered at this moment n my blessed existence. The ‘air conditioning hell’ has a counterpart, an opposite. It is rather amusing. I do hate the heat, become totally nonfunctional and grouchy in temperatures considered cold in this part of the world. For years and years and years, this phrase conveyed the depth of my feeling.
Me: If I lived near the equator I would become a mass murderer.
Alter Ego: Really?? Why do you say that? Have you said that for ages?
Me: When hot, I cannot sleep, everything irritates me. I am miserable, see no beauty in the world.
Alter Ego: May I point out to you that you now live in a part of the world known for, , shall we say,, tropical conditions?
Me: I know! But as I say to any and all who warn about the heat: they have air conditioning.
My room in this Oberio Hotel Refuge Camp is definitely air conditioned. It is absolutely frigid. I have been bravely living under those conditions for almost two months, afraid that if I asked for an temperature adjustment it would become steamy. I would rather shiver than sweat any day, all days. Yesterday, for some unknown reason, I summoned the bravery to go to reception. Blessedly the manager was standing nearby.
Me: I love air conditioning and the cold but my room is frigid. When I greet people in the morning they grasp my hands, are startled, saying my hands are like ice. I have been afraid to complain because I much prefer cold to hot and I am afraid that my room would be too hot and I would be complaining again, this time desperately.
The Manager: We could have the heat adjusted but I have a better suggestion. We will bring a heater to your room. Then you can adjust the heat in that way.
Me: You are an absolute genius. That would be perfect, absolutely perfect.
He: I will have it delivered to your room immediately. Do we have your permission to enter your room.
Me: Of course! Of course! I am absolutely blessed Thank you.
Upon returning to my room, found a heater in all of its glory. I announced my joy my sending a photo of the heater through WhatsApp to two men.
Me: This is Jannah! I finally complained about the frigid temperatures in my room. Immediately a heater was delivered. This hotel is Jannah. Well AJ (Almost Jannah)
Have not received a response from either of them – they are after all Mere Mortal Men. It is becoming evidently clear as mud, not the opposite, that I will have to met my husband in Jannah – there will be men of quality there, much better date selection. Hahaha. Neither of these two men are being considered for the role, by the way. One is my “Big Brother”, the other “Great Guy”.
My next move was to speak of my feeble attempts at air conditioning hell but instead stall focus and direct our attention to another example of the blessed situation in which I find myself. I am missing two items of important, my Apple air pods and my blue rimmed glasses. I first thoroughly organized my room, not finding them decided to go to Reception to inquire as to weather there was a Lost and Found. Reception is so entirely helpful. I have stayed in other hotels where the response would be as follows.
Me: Is there a lost and found?
They: I do not know, that is another department.
OR: How best can I not serve your needs.
(This by the way is an example of me trying to air condition hell. I thought I could in some way have an impact on the mismanagement of these hotel)
This was my experience.
Me: Is there a lost and found.
They: Yes there is. Let me call Housekeeping for you.
Me: Perhaps I should make a list. Could I please have a pen and paper.
They: Of course.
Me: So I seem to be missing my Apple air pods and my blue framed eye glasses. Perhaps both in a bag left in the lobby or the breakfast room or the Tea room
They: We have two sets of air pods. We can use your phone to see if one of these are yours.
Me: You are brilliant. I read of that feature. You go to Find My.
She: Let me doit for you.
Me: Oh my goodness thank you. You are SO helpful
So she did it. Put the earphones to her ear an then said Triumphantly.
She: These are yours.
Me: Alhamdullah!! Alhamduillah!
I felt totally blessed by Allah (SWT). You must understand, during my whole life I have had such a difficult time summoning the courage to ask for help. It never was forthcoming, led to feelings of loss, frustration and despair. I was left with the feeling of being utterly alone. As a result became entirely self sufficient and/or the a misplaced sense that I could do something to remedy to fix an impossible system or situation. In this magnificently managed hotel, this AJ (AlmostJannah), I find the answer to my prayers. Relief from the frigid air-conditioning and the return if the missing air pods. .
I speak of these miracles for a reason, for a purpose, clarified in a short conversation over coffee with FAME. He promised his presence in the Tea Room, fI was speaking and laughing with a a wonderful woman from Turkey. She had been siting at an adjacent table, somewhat summoned me.
She: I love your energy.
Me: Thanks!! I will come to your table and tell you a secret.
She was sitting with her husband, mother and father.
Me: I know! I am not this energetic every minute of the day but yes, I find energy when I am around people. Here is the miracle. I am 80.
They: I would NEVER have thought that.
She and I had a fabulous conversation, speaking of the Islamic Faith. Finally FAME made an appearance. .
Me: Here is my date, at long last he made his appearance. .
Simultaneously I picked up a date from the plate and looked it in the eye. When one orders Arab coffee it comes with a plate of the succulent dates. Medina is famous for its dates. More about that in an upcoming blog. Stay tuned. Hahahaha
Not sur why, or how, FAME and I got onto this topic but we began to discuss my role in the Islamic Faith. Do ave to admit this, the argument began with an argument. I am convinced I won, you shall here only my version however. .
Me: I disagree. There has to be a new role for women within the Islamic Faith. I am utterly alone, but I am a role model. You can be tterly alone with no husband or family, unencumbered by girlfriends and be happy, be fulfilled. That is never acknowledged, in the literature or in life. Conventional Muslims pity me my aloneness. I enjoy it.
He: We are your family, You are not alone.
Me: I know!! I love that! So I guess you just won that argument.
He: Thanks. I am going to leave quickly before you change your mind about that.
Me: Good idea! I will give you a virtual hug. I am positive that it is not harem.
He: It is not! Thank you.
He scurried of for another meeting. This hotel does not have useless meetings; there is a highly tuned system of communication amounts the staff members. The big wigs (as I call them) have worked within these hallowed halls for over thirty years.
What is.a big wig? A big wig is an important, influential person especially in a particular sphere. Where did this silly phrase come from? First arose in the 1730s, from big + wig. Formerly, English men of authority wore wigs. Bigwig plays on the idea that higher authority is denoted by a larger wig. Its synonyms are: kingpin, top banana.
.
Me: I do readily admit that it is rather unusual to be calling Hotel Oberio influential persons bigwig.
Alter Ego: Why?
Me: Well, at least two of the bigwigs, the top bananas wear keffiyehs
This from Wikipedia:
The keffiyeh or kufiyya (Arabic: كُوفِيَّة, romanized: kūfīyya, lit. ’coif‘),[1] also known in Arabic as a ghutrah (غُترَة), shemagh (شُمَاغ šumāġ), or ḥaṭṭah (حَطَّة), is a traditional headdress worn by people from parts of the Middle East.It is fashioned from a square scarf, and is usually made of cotton.[2] The keffiyeh is commonly found in arid regions, as it provides protection from sunburn, dust and sand. An agal is often used by Arabs to keep it in place.
Its origin? The Keffiyeh originated amongst Bedouins as a practical and protective covering for the head and face, especially in the arid desert climate in which they have traditionally lived,[3][4][5] before adaptation as a symbol of Wahhabism and then Palestinian nationalism. The term itself is a loan from Italian (cuffia) and shares its etymology with English “coif.”
Alter Ego: Why is that amusing?
Me: It is because if a man is wearing a keffiyeh you cannot see his hair, much less a wig.
Alter Ego: Oh, now I understand.
Me: A once asked a man if he had hair under all that.
Alter Ego? Oh my goodness, you didn’t???? What did he say?
Me: He said yes.
Alter Ego: What did you say?
Me: I said thanks for the information. I am not asking you to show it to me or anything. I will take your word for it.
Alter Ego: What did he say?
Me: He said thanks. And we both laughed and then spoke of other, more important things
Photographs will include the beloved heater, the recovered ear pads and my newest acquisition. Another children’s book: Teach Your Child Islam. You will hear more about it later.
