Ain't No mOUNtain High

"Ain't no mOuntain high enough...ain't no valley low enoUgh...ain't no rivER wild enough...to keep me from getting to U...", my phone rang for the last time last August 15 @around 2AM. Thats the assigned tone for my bestfriend. That's almost 3 months ago when i talked to him the last time. THe last conversation of almost the everyday talks we had. He bid goodbye and it was for forever.

He was and will always be a wonderful man. Very cheerful, happy, generous, talkative, respectful indeed he lived a great and fruitful life. He will always be remembered that way.

I'm starting to write after almost 3 months of being quiet. I got to keep in touch with his closest cousin and his uncle. During the past months, we used to call one another and sometimes found ourselves weeping over the wonderful memories of him. We terribly missed him.

We share almost same interest in everything, though we are of different roots and background, different professions, different language, and a few year age gap. We love to dine at the Steak Diners, listen to cool music, talk about his and my work, family and friends. We lived in almost 1400km away from each other. BUt we managed to drop each other a call at anytime of the day to just check whether things are going smooth and easy. We love to laugh and to talk about serious matters. WE love coffee for sure (specially turkish coffee). He was awed by one of my great friends...AMeer as if he saw a living legend. He was a dreamer. He loves his work and loved his Indian supervisor. He loves the Filipino man in KUDu Al Mumlaka. He loves to surprise his mom for anything. He loves his dad so dearly and idolized him. He is fascinated with Mamdooh, his brother and loves Mohannad too. He will do anything for his nephew Rayan who would always remind him not to smoke and not to listen to bad music. He cares for his bestfriend Abdul Rahman. We all miss him.

We dreamed together. We planned together for an outing with my wife and children and his. It will never happen anymore. BUt one thing for sure, i will tell my wife and my children someday that I have known an awesome man named Maazen. His story did not end when my cellphone stops ringing his assigned tone. His voice will always be heard. His lessons will always be passed down to generations.

Now i can smile and say "for a lifetime is not too long...to leave us friend".

This is random. I feel better now. I understand that God's ways are always higher than ours.

Y.C.D.I.

Y.C.D.I Four precious words I've heard from a wonderfUl person that I know will keep me on the race for another extra mile.

I got a missed call from AMeer at exactly 11:57pm on my phone. I did not noticed his call for i was deeply engrossed watching one awesome movie. I called him back and we had a little but wonderful chitchat.

Years back, i was telling the same thing to people who are losing hope. I love to help keeping people back on to track. For that i felt like I'm a winner. I don't have to have medals & trophies to be a champion. The "thank you's" were more than enough for me to keep doing it. Until i find myself lost from that track. I felt like i made some few wrong decisions on the way. I felt miserable. I have unlearned a lot of things. Isolated. I have tried to get back. I was up but not as before. The energy, the passion, the motivation, the vision, the determination was'nt the same. I want something to fan the flame in me.

I finally resolved something. Answered a question of long time ago. I was'nt wrong when i decided to leave the job that I love and be in the deserts of Arabia. I did not lost my self, my identity, my passion, but i have found more.

It just took a one phone call from an awesome person to tell me the FOUR PRECIOUS WORDS.....Y.C.D.I....You Can Do It!!! to believe in the unbelievable....to dream the impossible.

Those words keep me out from the shadows of my past successes. I believe I can be more. That I CAN DO IT!!! and that Y.C.D.I. too!

HeAvEn KnoWs

T'was a one fine day. Got some shopping before flying to Riyadh. Relaxed. Jumped from one coffee shop to another.

It was 8:36pm when i received a phone call from one of my friends. I was'nt expecting a shocking news. I was'nt ready. After all I'm enjoying my Jeddah getaway.

The bad news: One of my closest friends died on a car accident. Shocked and speechless. I sat down on the sofa. My mind stopped for few moments. The good times flashed like a scene on a movie i have watched in the past.

I cant cry. I cant believed it. I cant talk.

Tears started to fall from my eyes. I cant contain them. I don't understand. Only heaven knows. I cant ask why.

It took me an hour in such state. Then I started to call some friends to confirm the news. Believing that i could find someone who would tell me that it was just a mistake or a joke. Or that he was just severely injured but still alive. But i was failed. Everyone i talked to on the phone confirmed his untimely death on a car accident.

He is 36 years old with a wife and two kids. We've been good friends and brothers for 3 years now. He loves his job. He is a happy person. He is always a hand when I need a help. We laughed together. We cried. We jogged. All I've got now are the memories of that friendship.

My heart is crushed. I want to write every feeling that I have now. Its almost 4am and I still cant sleep. Tears are falling. Asthma attacks. Feeling cold. Unsure. Really I dont know...........ONLY HEAVEN KNOWS.

But we will be friends forever. In God's hands we know that a lifetime is not too long to leave us.

The GreAT ReWARd

Red SEA. Diving. Beach party. People. Wonderful.

It was an awesome FridAy. It was truly relaxing. Away from work. Far from any stressor.

I woke up at 6am. Excited to go to the Red Sea. Maybe because for almost five years I've never been to the beach. I miss the salty water, the waves, the wind everything about it.

We were at the meeting place at 10 minutes past 8am. Then half an hour drive. Excited. Awed. Anxious about the diving. Then finally right on the seashore of the infamous RED SEA.

The whole thing is not about the Red Sea experience. It's about the great reward for my self. I've heard one motivational speaker once said that one secret of the joy of working is learning how to reward yourself. Knowing the right reason of working is equally important to enjoying it. Many people feel condemned when they reward their selves. Why is it so? Maybe because we learned from the pasts that the reason why we are working is always because of other people. It's to provide for their needs. Only when you are free from these kind of thoughts that you’ll begin to enjoy working.

It is important to know when and how to reward yourself. I treated my self every time I accomplish something. I went to places I’ve never been. I did things I’ve never done. Invigorating. Refreshing.

I had fun today. I celebrated life. I enjoyed swimming with little Souhib. I saw people who are freely enjoying the fruit of their labor with their families.

It’s another “WOW” moment of my life….

---MoOoOoOoOoD, Mediocrity & ME---

I was once a mediocre. Living life inconsistently. Just trying everything without excelling in any of those. I quited that kind of life. I was tired. I'd stopped being just a face in the crowd. I'd like to leave a mark, a legacy, a lesson.

It was once on the pages of a book i read...that if you do something "give your 100% in it" or never do it at all. So i kept that lesson in my life...whenever i do something...I'm giving it my all. My time, my talent and my resources.

A comment on my blog today just reminded me to give my best to this thing that I love to do -writing! I was so flattered to have such comment from a complete stranger. By the way, thanks so much. You don't know how much it mean to me.

Giving my 100% to my blogs means just simply being honest with everything that I'm writing, about my feelings, and my views of the things around me. Everything goes with my mood.

I am now hearing the call for morning prayer, so it means it's a little bit late up here. It's morning. Good dAy!!!

It's Morning

Yesterday was my day off and all I did was sleeping. I was so sick. I hate it when the weather is changing.

I had a lot of complains in my life lately. Maybe it's a perfect time for me to rest, relax and think things over. Yeah....that's what I did overnight after finishing one DVD( I really love the film) and a cup of coffee.

First, leaving is not always the best mean to escape. Sometimes you just have to stay and let things fall on their right places. But im still 90% convinced that i need to leave and face new challenges in a new place with a new work and new people. But who knows, there is still 10% chance of staying. What do u think?

Second, complaining is draining. When I always complain...im beginning to lose my identity, my strenght and my vision. So I'd rather smile and take things easy.

Third, I'm sleepy. It's 8:ooam....It's morning....Good day everyone.

The RoaD

In few days, I'll be alone walking through the road we all used to take. It was the path that made us ONE, that united us with one purpose. Be it be on a warm summer sun or a feEziNg winter nights, t'was our way to a place once we called our own, our haven, the place where we built our bigger dreams....ngorzzzzz.

It has almost been 3 years since we steeped on the sands of this city in the valley. It was fun, new experiences, new people, new environment. It was insane. THe music. THe food. The fun. The pictures. The smiles. The fights. The talks. The lives we've touched and those who touched us. One thing for certain, WE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN. Some became BETTER and some BITTER.

It was a place, the place where we learned and unlearned some things in our lives. New skills. New vocabulary. New words on our lips. A totally new thing.

It was the 3 wonderful (lack of adjectives to use) years of our lives. We have to move on, fulfill our dreams, satisfy our hearts, learn new things, meet new people, travel the WORLD....Live LIFE...Be REAL.......DON't be afraid.