My mom used to always tell me, “no matter where you are, look at the moon and know it’s the same moon I’ll be watching….” Those words have gotten me through some very emotional periods (i.e.- my first semester in college, of course basic training, and now my first tour of duty.)
I guess the only difference now is that the moon I look at happens to be up the same time the sun is staring at my mom. The 9-hour time difference between me in Iraq and my mom in Mississippi makes it hard for us to ever be on the same am/pm scheme.
When I get to work in the mornings, she’s “supposed to be” in bed asleep. When I get off in the evenings, she’s on her way to work to nurture young minds. Even when I can grab a cell phone to call home before I go to bed, she’s in the middle of her day and most of the time actively occupied by her 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.
So, each night, I look at the sky, watching the same stars I can imagine Aladdin saw on his magic carpet ride and I say goodnight to the Arabian sky and send the moon to meet my mom across the miles….
Sunday, 25. January 2009
As a child one of my favorite books was One Thousand and One Arabian Nights. It had wonderful pictures and I cannot tell you how many times we played Ali Baba and the 40 thieves! Just think of the history of where you are. From the ancient Babalonians to Alexander the Great marching through to WWI when the British fought the OTTOMAN Empire right through to today and the history you are making! I wish I was with you all so I could really see thousands of years of history.
Thursday, 29. January 2009
Giving Aladdin magic carpet ride a new meaning. Short be sweet im sure your mother is proud.