For Wednesday September 18th 2013
Between Us Only!
The Marriage Proposal!
Or From The Pampers To The Wedding Dress!
If friendship is your weakest point then you are the strongest person in the world – Abraham Lincoln
There is something quite definite about our (late) parents that though they are not that highly educated – but they are more smart, intelligent and wiser than what we are – and ever hope to be in life! As time goes by – the graph will only take a more dip downwards than the status quo!
Long time ago – when I was showing the plot and drawings of my villa in Qorum Heights – the small villa but with the big heart – my late father was lamenting that he does not see a spare bedroom in the sketch! So I asked him – what for dad? You mean for the guests? No – he sadly lamented – just in case for one of your daughters – if she decides to return home!
Images – The Wedding Propsal – For Demonstration Purposes Only!
Though they are not really for us – to be with us forever – still the daughters are our responsibilities – even after long they have got married – and have children too! Then I recalled the incidents when my late sister used to come back home – and nobody had asked her anything – until she was cooler and calmer – and now was ready and wanted to talk! A few days she herself would return to her husband – on her own too!
One of my friends and peer at work at one time had invited me to the coming wedding of his son. As we sat talking – he was lamenting to me that if you do not learn from others experiences – then God will teach you instead! So I could see the man was highly stringed and troubled – and wanted to talk! So I prompted and encouraged him to go on and to do so!
So the poor man broke down – and he narrated to me that his son was going to get married to an offspring that came out of two groupings of people that – putting it rather mildly – he was ‘not too keen with’! That is God’s mysterious ways of giving you Life’s Teachings! The man used to boast to me how in his job pursuits he used to make ‘special attention’ to these two groups – and where it would go on okay with anyone else – but with the exception of them!
Images – The Wedding Propsal – For Demonstration Purposes Only!
A great sign of great leadership is seeing something with your own eyes – and you acting upon it immediately afterwards. It is said that the Great Prophet PBUH was passing one day – and he heard a woman singing sadly to herself that she was ‘missing her husband’ – who had gone off to the wars then! So a rotation system was introduced instead – to bring some of the men back home!
This happened to me too this week! I was outside the housemaid room – and I thought I heard crying! So next morning – as diplomatically and tactfully that I could muster – I asked her – what gives! Bear with me for awhile – but it will be clear at the end of this article – as to why the poor lady was crying too!
Anyway – this week I had received a ‘high powered’ delegation coming to ask for ‘the hand of my last daughter! Like any other father – I was torn between seeing her go away from the home – and seeing that my daughter was moving on with her life – and after starting work on completion of her Engineering Degree in the UK! For a girl to take such a field – and to be able to work in the desert locations – is in itself a great example and demonstration how far ahead and developed Oman has become now!
With people reporting to her – who were all ‘born and bred’ males – but modernity had caught up with us! As a person in HR – I recall many incidents of the so-called ‘stout and strong minded real men’ – who had refused to formally report to the fairer sex – until and unless the ‘books were thrown’ at them! Those were our old ways – we now have even their Excellencies the Ministers too!
They say the world is a small place – because you never know whom you will meet later in life – or need from that someone! Even if you think that you are rich and powerful – and ‘nothing can ever touch you’ – as in the last week’s article – The Sealed Fates in Life! You may think someone is insignificant and unimportant – and then you are forced to eat your own words – whether by mitigating circumstances and or by nature itself! Whether you like it or not – because events and fate have caught up with you now – and you are just helpless and impotent!
So I had a long chat with the Filipino housemaid. Then she told me – Oh Pappa – I came to Oman when MM was only one year old – today she has blossomed to be a fully fledged woman (girl) – and getting married too! From changing her pampers – to now assist her in wearing a bridal dress! How time flies – she sadly lamented! You know Pappa? Your above article last week made me think a lot – like many of your articles do!
My late father used to watch his grandchildren – and great grandchildren play! He used to ask us – Do you think they will remember and know each other (in the future)? So I used to tease back – Of course they will! You must be joking – my father sarcastically hit back – if even their parents ‘do not know each other now’ – how do you expect their children – and grandchildren – to remember! My later father never minced his words – calling ‘a spade a spade’!
I wished the old man was around – because he would see his granddaughter getting married now – and I will be keeping the room for her – just as he had advised! Though I am trying hard to resist in the temptation to convert it into an office – because I now use the dining room as also an office – books take a lot of the space – and the ‘friction cause and strife’ with Great Madam Wife – GMW – especially when guests are invited! Just gathering storm clouds – and for more storms coming ahead – unless I can get some money quickly now – for a much needed break! I have never been on a holiday break for the last 5 years!
My granddaughter was then saying to us – so Aunty MM is getting married now? Soon she will have babies – and what will they call me? We just look at her in ‘shock and awe’ – especially seeing she is just 5! Who is teaching them these things? Where do they learn such things? The mind just boggles….!
Gets scarier and scarier – by the day!
Take Care!
By: Majid Al-Suleimany
www.majidall.com - Being who you are and saying what you really feel! 