I am thankful to a longtime friend of mine for motivating me into creating this blog and actually accomplishing the beginning of something I have always wanted to do, for as long as I can remember: writing.  This wish started way before my interaction with computers so I presently have a hand written manuscript somewhere on the shelves next to my home office table.  I intend to revisit it and try to reproduce it here.  Yesterday I read the blog of a friend I made when I was back working in my home country, The Gambia.  I was so impressed that the energy I got from her written thoughts catapulted me into creating a blog of my own and this resulted into my first attempt: First Sighting.  It would appear that they had made a conscious decision to bring and raise their family of five in The Gambia, in Africa, in order to nurture their children in their formative years, in an environment that accepted them for who they were and made no distinctions on the basis of the colour of their skin.  In the process, our kids became friends and grew up together to the mutual benefit of my children in having an oppurtunity to be open to wholesome healthy interactions in their childhood that in no little way contributed to the adults they have now become.  I will always be grateful.

I am in my office two whole hours before the official start of the day and I decide that I will spend some of this personal time (such a rare commodity) on my blog.  I have been getting to the office an hour late most days and yesterday I decided to take my official break hour to visit a friend who had moved houses and had extended several invitations to me, which I was yet to honour.  Of course it gives an indication of how I must be feeling at work to decide to do this in the middle of a work day.  But that is a story for another time.  So I get there, and as it was my first time, I had no idea which of the houses on the street my friend had moved to.  So knowing my friend, I decided to park my car right outside the house that I felt most represented her before calling her on the phone for more specific directions.  I was right in my choice of houses as she answers her phone and in giving the directions opened the gate of the house in front of which I had confidently parked.  As would be expected,  the visit did not last within my one hour break and coupled with traffic from the office to her and back, I returned to the office well after the lunch break.  However I never worry too much about time as I know that I spend way too much time on my job in any event.  However upon a discussion with my Boss later that day, it would seem that institutions do not care about the extra time you give them, but find the official times that you take highly disruptive to office culture.  Technically I was at fault in that I was not adhering to what was officially expected from me.  I apologized and decided that from now on, I would ensure to be at the office on time but that I would also leave on time.  Further, from now on I would also take my official one hour break, everyday.  When I got home that evening my Husband could tell something was on my mind as he asked me halfway through dinner if anything was bothering me.  I quickly explained the talk I had with my Boss earlier in the day, he listened and he also told me about the breaking news of terror attacks in the US against CNN and the Obamas.  The TV channel was on CNN and I listened without actually listening wondering in my head if the threats were credible? Was someone trying to wipe out potential opponents in the next elections? Was it a plot to whip up public sentiments one way or the other?  I remembered the Khashoggi incident and recollect what I had read about the US receiving $200 Million transfer from the kingdom of Saudi Arabia(could not be sure if this was fake news or not) and Germany halting trade in arms to the Kingdom as a result of the controversy on the possibility of the authorities in Saudi having a hand in Khashoggi’s disappearance and I sighed.

I headed to bed with an over active mind and got what little sleep I could. I was however up by the Fajr adhan and I decided to shower, pray and get ready to head to the office.  Still full of the energy of making a decision to begin a new routine, I have breakfast (cereal) packed my yoga mat and clothes, picked up the flashdrive that had the 40 minute  yoga video and head to the garage.  My Husband wanting to be helpful, as always, helped with getting my work bag and the yoga stuff to the car and opened the gates for me to drive out and head to work. We waved and my commute was on.  I decided to not play music in the car as I wanted to just visit with my thoughts.  I arrive at the office two hours early, had unhindered access to my parking spot and proceed to take my yoga stuff and work bag to the office.  I checked on the World Clock on my IPhone and see that it is just after midnight in the US. I decide to send a message on  Whatsapp Chat Group I have with my kids  asking who was still up and wanted to chat.  To my pleasure my phone starts ringing and I see the picture of my son fill the screen.  While I am on the phone with him, my younger daughter is calling.  When I finish my phone calls, I start wondering how technology that has facilitated connections with the far ends of the world has also created even more distance. What with social media and texting, actually talking to people and hearing their voices and interpreting their tone and the pauses in their sentences has become more of a rarity and all the more endearing.  I hope the energy of this beautiful beginning of a new routine lasts.  My blog will keep you posted.

 

 

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton