“I just want my life back!” must be the cry of so many people around the world today. Syria, Yemen, Libya, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mali, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, Gaza, Egypt and now possibly Lebanon, Turkey; all suffering from mild public unrest to outright civil war. From floods in Canada, India and right across Europe which have killed thousands. We witness daily forest fires, loss of life, homes, crops, income and jobs.
The world may not have ended in 2012 but it seems that ‘life as we know it’ is ending daily across the globe for pretty much everyone. It seems that the more we have tried to protect ourselves from disaster – disaster itself has grown diverse tentacles and ensnares us one way or another.
So, what’s going on? We can blame ‘men of violence’ and an array of conspiracy theories for the revolutions, dirty politics, religious wars etc. but we can’t lay the natural disasters at their doors. So what, what is happening us?
Everyday life has been completely normal here in Egypt (apart from the odd hot spot) since Jan 25 2011 – the only abnormality is that we cannot plan for the future because we are buffeted about by so much outside our control and we don’t know what tomorrow will bring – but then isn’t that what life has been like in Gaza for the last 40 years? I have to admit that as I watched the Middle East catch fire I have been shocked at the lack of interest shown by Europe – while at the same time seeing so much that points to the meddling of the US in the various countries. Don’t anyone bother getting mad at me about that statement because we have seen too many films come out of Hollywood based on true stories and evidence of this in countries around the world since forever!
So now, as I sit and watch floods and natural disasters around the world I feel ever so sorry for what all those people are going through – but, at the same time, I have to wonder if we are all being brought to the same level by the ‘unseen hand’. Here in the Middle East and North Africa that phrase ‘unseen hand’ is usually attributed to intervention by foreign powers. European and American insurance polices will refer to their disasters as ‘Acts of God’….
Are we all being brought back to basics, one way or another? I don’t have the answer – I’m just asking the question.
Me too, “I just want my life back”. I want to know I have a safe home, family, income, future….
” I want to know I have a safe home, family, income, future”
Insh’Allah, Mara! No one actually knows any more than you or I, this is where faith comes into action. (Or possibly is tested?)