I even sat for the children the first hour and a half so that Nahida, my wife, could go and buy the veggies and the fruits, the bread and the milk on her own, then, when she got back, I could go to the city center and get the photos developed. I could not find a single photographer for a different reason this time. They rushed from their businesses, not to get food for their families, but because a large number of morning weddings were happening at the same time. Peak hours for photographers!
I even sat for the children the first hour and a half so that Nahida, my wife, could go and buy the veggies and the fruits, the bread and the milk on her own, then, when she got back, I could go to the city center and get the photos developed. I could not find a single photographer for a different reason this time. They rushed from their businesses, not to get food for their families, but because a large number of morning weddings were happening at the same time. Peak hours for photographers!
It is amazing how such an important occasion for newly weds and their families could be squeezed in such a short time and under such pressure. This is no joke! Ten couples got married today, all between the hours ten in the morning and two in the afternoon. A cousin of mine, who was engaged for two years, must have been preparing himself for such a day. He starts a new life in matrimony with his loved one, pledged in Christ to live their lives together, to bare the fruits of the Lord as future parents.
I could picture them, both families, anxiously watching local news on when the Israeli soldiers would lift up the curfew; some would have stayed up all night to spread the good news. Two years of planning and preparing does not seem to hold any value to the cruel decision to hold a curfew. Curfews force the simplest cycles of life to be compressed into a mere few hours. A curfew is a curfew and will not be lifted under any circumstance. Even death does not count.
At exactly 11 AM, Ramzy and Niveen stood at the alter in front of the priest at the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, standing over the grotto that gave refuge to our Lord 2002 years ago, married in 40 minutes, posed for photos in 20, rushed to the reception in 10, greeted more than 400 guests in 30 minutes and were back home in the remaining half hour.
I remember the day I got married seven years ago. Back then, we had a month to prepare and it was exhausting. The wedding day was a full 24-hour ceremony and we felt we needed more. This couple had three hours to be happy, 2 hours to share their new life with their families, one hour to bid celibacy goodbye, half an hour to cry, and then the rest of the day, and maybe the coming three days, to meditate on this fast track, high pressure wedding under curfew…hope they remembered to get some food supplies to last them the rest of the week!!
The tanks start roaming the streets at exactly 14:00, any pedestrian and/or car still in the street was apt to suffer harsh treatment and all kinds of humiliation. Arrogant young soldiers did body searches, strip searches and even dispossessed people of their cars and made the driver and companions walk back home only to be stopped by another group of soldiers and the cycle goes on and on!!!
Friends and family attended the wedding, glorious in their suits and evening dresses on the assumption that such an occasion would be an evening event. But, they all seemed sad. On such an important occasion, many felt sad for the ones getting married under such circumstances. The occasion gave them time to reflect on their own lives and the unwanted impact of the Israeli re-occupation. They are puzzled and confused about the wreckage of their own hopes and dreams in their lives. They did not wish for it, asked for it nor did they definitely deserve it.
The recent policies and measures that have been implemented by the Israelis with regard to the recent Palestinian reality have no value or justification, in my point of view, regardless of the many think tanks and politicians that justify the brutality. Many of supporters claim that these policies are the essence of democratization and the preserving of human lives, or in other words, it is a preventive measure against enemies of life and peace. Security precautions are justified so that life on one side can continue in peace. Children of one side will feel at ease during their summer vacation while the other side has to endure and sweat in their enclosed rooms. Beaches on one side are swamped with summer vacationers, surfers and sun tanners, while the other side can look at the beach from a distance and fantasize how it felt to swim in the good old days.
A month ago, (and having just went through one of the most violent epochs of our history) we were determined to initiate as many summer programs for our children as possible so that we could revive in their dear hearts the need to love and be loved, the importance of living, and the right to dream. These programs were destined never to occur. For me, the ability to plan and create for others and to see through the application of a plan is one of the most fulfilling of human experiences. It combines the power to be creative and the power to manage and give joy to others. How is it possible to seek fulfillment with a successful plan to enrich peoples’ lives, aspirations and future while living in the suffocating clutches of a curfew? It is not! I even sat for the children the first hour and a half so that Nahida, my wife, could go and buy the veggies and the fruits, the bread and the milk on her own, then, when she got back, I could go to the city center and get the photos developed.I could not find a single photographer for a different reason this time.They rushed from their businesses, not to get food for their families, but because a large number of morning weddings were happening at the same time.Peak hours for photographers!
It is amazing how such an important occasion for newly weds and their families could be squeezed in such a short time and under such pressure.This is no joke!Ten couples got married today, all between the hours ten in the morning and two in the afternoon.A cousin of mine, who was engaged for two years, must have been preparing himself for such a day.He starts a new life in matrimony with his loved one, pledged in Christ to live their lives together, to bare the fruits of the Lord as future parents.
I could picture them, both families, anxiously watching local news on when the Israeli soldiers would lift up the curfew; some would have stayed up all night to spread the good news.Two years of planning and preparing does not seem to hold any value to the cruel decision to hold a curfew.Curfews force the simplest cycles of life to be compressed into a mere few hours.A curfew is a curfew and will not be lifted under any circumstance.Even death does not count.
At exactly 11 AM, Ramzy and Niveen stood at the alter in front of the priest at the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, standing over the grotto that gave refuge to our Lord 2002 years ago, married in 40 minutes, posed for photos in 20, rushed to the reception in 10, greeted more than 400 guests in 30 minutes and were back home in the remaining half hour.
I remember the day I got married seven years ago.Back then, we had a month to prepare and it was exhausting.The wedding day was a full 24-hour ceremony and we felt we needed more. This couple had three hours to be happy, 2 hours to share their new life with their families, one hour to bid celibacy goodbye, half an hour to cry, and then the rest of the day, and maybe the coming three days, to meditate on this fast track, high pressure wedding under curfew…hope they remembered to get some food supplies to last them the rest of the week!!
The tanks start roaming the streets at exactly 14:00, any pedestrian and/or car still in the street was apt to suffer harsh treatment and all kinds of humiliation.Arrogant young soldiers did body searches, strip searches and even dispossessed people of their cars and made the driver and companions walk back home only to be stopped by another group of soldiers and the cycle goes on and on!!!
Friends and family attended the wedding, glorious in their suits and evening dresses on the assumption that such an occasion would be an evening event.But, they all seemed sad.On such an important occasion, many felt sad for the ones getting married under such circumstances.The occasion gave them time to reflect on their own lives and the unwanted impact of the Israeli re-occupation.They are puzzled and confused about the wreckage of their own hopes and dreams in their lives.They did not wish for it, asked for it nor did they definitely deserve it.
The recent policies and measures that have been implemented by the Israelis with regard to the recent Palestinian reality have no value or justification, in my point of view, regardless of the many think tanks and politicians that justify the brutality.Many of supporters claim that these policies are the essence of democratization and the preserving of human lives, or in other words, it is a preventive measure against enemies of life and peace.Security precautions are justified so that life on one side can continue in peace.Children of one side will feel at ease during their summer vacation while the other side has to endure and sweat in their enclosed rooms.Beaches on one side are swamped with summer vacationers, surfers and sun tanners, while the other side can look at the beach from a distance and fantasize how it felt to swim in the good old days.
A month ago, (and having just went through one of the most violent epochs of our history) we were determined to initiate as many summer programs for our children as possible so that we could revive in their dear hearts the need to love and be loved, the importance of living, and the right to dream.These programs were destined never to occur.For me, the ability to plan and create for others and to see through the application of a plan is one of the most fulfilling of human experiences.It combines the power to be creative and the power to manage and give joy to others.How is it possible to seek fulfillment with a successful plan to enrich peoples’ lives, aspirations and future while living in the suffocating clutches of a curfew?It is not!
We are told that the Israelis will allow us another 5 hours tomorrow.I will try to get the photos developed but I know that many weddings are happening tomorrow too!
