2011 was an exceptional year in many ways..accordingly the two exceptional best friends Dina Samir and I have decided to share their reflections on this special year. We will share with you our paradoxical thoughts and experiences during the world which has turned the Arab world round..
1- FRIENDSHIP: is that thing that we could not live with, yet really hard to find.
by Dina Samir
I learned from the Bible that, “whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap,” and I learned from life that you can sow love and reap indifference. In 2011, I faced some harshness from whom I considered good friends; I felt that the time and efforts I exerted with some people went unnoticed. It was hard finding friends not caring to say good bye when I was moving from Egypt to the States. But, the hardness I felt was mixed with feelings of normality. Have not I once fully grasped that, “human beings fail? ” Rule of thumb!
However, I refuse to regret any efforts and love poured, because I believe it is what you give, not what you take, defines you. Also, I remind myself with the many people I disappointed and hurt, my shortcomings!
In 2011 my best friend has given me a good lesson about what love is all about, acceptance. There is a song that says, “They say I am crazy, but you say I am golden.” My friend saw in me purity and gold while I could only see ugliness and rust. Her love was liberating, her acceptance was restorative. When you experience this unconditional love, you feel that life is worth living. You realize that true friendship is about that priceless friend that makes life possible.
Moving to the U.S. gave me the chance to talk to people I share nothing in common with. Yet, as we talk, and open up, we deeply connect. And I come to personally gather human beings’ ability to bond, just as human beings. Put aside religion, ethnicity, age, color, just a soul connecting with another. Fear, love, and aspirations uniting. I cherish what “humanity” really is.
Friends: as naked as couples ought to be
by Ekram Ibrahim
During 2011, I have experienced the harshest feelings of my entire life. I lost faith in everything around. The only thing left for were my best friends, the diamonds of my life. They have taught me to believe in myself during times when no one else did. They were there to remind me of my values during times of despair.
One of my biggest challenges during 2011 was to “remember” that I was fighting for “justice, love and authenticity.” The road to authenticity is very challenging to the people around you, especially if they were not on the same page. Your road of authenticity provokes the insecurities and the unresolved issues in them, thus they project those insecurities back on you. Your independence is twisted to failure, your humble attitude is twisted to acting and your persistence could also be twisted to evil strength!
Accordingly, I needed to learn not to internalize the harsh words my “opponents” used to stone me with. My friends used to work as the perfect doctor who gets inside the patient’s body and extracts the poisoned body before spreads all over.
For me friends are those people whom I can talk with freely, people who know my biggest fears, my greatest sins and my scattered thoughts. Friends are those people who never judge me. My friends are so unique in that they believe in humanity, they could be vulnerable, they don’t need to act before me; they are as naked as the best couples ought to be.
Not only this, but with them I spend the most authentic moments of my life. When we are together, I laugh in the middle of depression, I have hope in the middle of despair and I feel strong during my weakest times.
Interesting to mention that my friends are very diverse like I am. The majority of them have never met each other, yet we share similar values and have so many common challenges in our journey.
Friends can be the best cure to the worst disease.
