My Life in a Letter

Monday, September 23: A "life lately" post. What you're up to, how you're feeling, how you're doing on your goals, etc. Bonus points for great photos!

Dear Baba,

Life has been pretty interesting lately. Let me start with what's going on around the world. Firstly, and although it's five years later, America has an African American president. You remember how you told me that you watched Martin Luther King Jr deliver his infamous speech in DC? Well, I think you would have loved seeing Obama inaugurated. I guess it's a milestone many of your time thought may never happen. So, that's the first piece of news! And, around the same time as his election, the world experienced a financial crises with effects that still reverberate with us today. But, I guess if the world survived the Great Depression, we can survive this!

A bit closer to home, the Arab nations decided that enough was enough and, about 2 years ago, started revolting against the various oppressive regimes in the region. I don't follow the events as closely as I should. Politics has never been of major interest to me unfortunately. It's been fairly unstable, what with the financial crises, wars, revolutions, threats and all that. I try to remain positive through it though. I mean, other than the fact that every nation and civilisation has gone through turmoil, unrest and revolution before settling down, we are literally witnessing history. And it's not always easy and it's definitely scary at times. 

My friend described the state of the world in a really beautiful way to me once. She said, the birth of a baby is messy, and ugly and painful, but then something really beautiful comes out of the whole ordeal. And she said that the world was kind of going through a similar phase, a messy, ugly period, but a more beautiful world will be born at the end. And that put things into perspective for me. I stopped fearing all of this uncertainty and tried to embrace it. Her positivity really inspired me, and I've not been as afraid since.

I think you would have loved keeping up with all the news - especially with the amount of social media that has developed over the past few years. I remember how you used to read newspapers online. Well, you would get the news straight to your phone now. Never miss a news story ever!

In personal news! Well, I've been married for almost four years! Can you believe that? Time does fly. He's really wonderful, and I'm not just saying that haha! Of course, I get sad sometimes that the two of you didn't get much time together. I'm sure you would have loved him. I think you would've enjoyed talking to him about economics and government and Yemen. He is really smart and asks a lot of questions - something I should've done more when you were around. I imagine that the two of you would have analysed all the action happening around us! He reminds me of you at time, his kindness and reasoning. I know that you can see that I'm happy.

Also, I decided to quit law. Pretty much altogether. I know, it's not what you wanted for me. After working in the field for a few years, I knew that I was never meant to be a lawyer. It took a lot of to-ing and fro-ing but I am now a Personal Assistant. To some it doesn't sound as glamourous as being a lawyer, but for me, it's the most content I have been in any job. I do work in a law firm, so all of my legal knowledge comes in handy and gives me an edge! But, ultimately I enjoy supporting people around me in a more personal capacity than being a lawyer. It's only been 6 months in my new career, so I do get worried I'm jinxing my luck! But I finally feel like I "fit" somewhere. And man, isn't it a great feeling! Having said that, I did complete my masters in law, which I'm sure you're proud of. I have to show off - I was awarded a distinction! I'm so pleased to have accomplished that. Some of my colleagues joked that I should re-think being a lawyer...but they know my reply to that!

Wow, I guess there is a lot of news once you sit down and write about it. The last "vital" piece of my life as it is currently, is that L and I moved to Amman last year. I just got tired of all the rain in the UK! Also, I wanted to be closer to Mama and my brothers. It's been a good year. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about moving countries again, but now that we've done it, I feel more confident in the even tthat we want to move again. And we've done so much travelling over the past 3 years. You'd be impressed by the number of countries that we've visited and places we've seen! I'm pretty sure I got the travel bug from you :)

So, that's life as it is. I think of you often. I know you're present in my life, but it doesn't make writing this letter any easier. When I was in high school I decided one day to write down a "plan". It did not look anything like how my life has really panned out!! But that's the exquisiteness in life. It throws what it knows you can handle. All it asks of us is to open up and trust that we will absorb the blows that come with the beauty. 

With all my love,

Sx