The Blessing of Florence

Eons ago I watched America wipe Iraq in a brutal,colonialistic and terror filled war..... a war? It was obliteration.
The strafing of boys on an empty desert highway...... the slaughter of thousands....... terrible dying.
I saw that road today
I stood as close as I could
And the echoes of those dead
Slapped my face

I remembered watching media of this slaughter
And thanking whatever that I was not there

I was there
Today
Such a profound proximity to death.

Yet we found the antithesis of the horror
It is the Pilgimage
For Imam Hussein
And millions make it
And
The spiritual love and generosity that flowed
The kindness of these Muslim men
Undid the sadness
Brought love into self
And a strong appreciation
For goodness from good people

I am blessed.

The Roaming Florence of Oman

I disappeared! Not really but metaphorically!
That’s what happens in life- you head off for a great long weekend end which was quite wonderful.You return to find an overwhelming load falling on shoulders!,,,,
My load is the work.... work and more work! I can’t really complain!

Back to my long weekend! Every time I leave here, I hesitate to face the chaos of our international airport.... and I know what awaits me each time I return.
That said,nothing deters me from the exodus!
Oman is beautiful !
The coastline is mountainous.... the mountains meet the sea. Inland the tortured world of rocks is slowly breaking down.... those extraordinary mountains , sheer and rugged have old carpets of eroded rock at their feet.
The Portuguese presence still stands upon the cliffs, in the buildings and across the land.
Large fortresses speak of war and power but the aesthetics of said buildings shout cultured societies of educated people.
Date palms are many and the high respect manifested in their economic role is obvious.
Feats of engineering such as their control of water flow, directed to the fields and the date plantations is magnificent. How did they know? What kinds of minds imagined these structures?
We climbed down into a wadi, where in older times, people grew pomegranates,walnuts and apricots.... these trees remain and bear fruit which is still harvested. The people moved to the walls above the wadi where they can be accessed easily.
It is an ancient land of great history and geological marvels.....
From this I returned to the waiting chaos of a familiar airport
And
Became immersed in the demands of work.....