Have we lost our way?Have mercy for a man whose nation is humbled [Archives:2004/714/Opinion]

Abdulwahhab A. Al Sofi
[email protected]
For The Yemen Times
I walked a complete street-length, then raised my hand to a taxi as I felt very exhausted. I got in the tax and relaxed on the seat next to the driver, who was listening to a traditional song to the famous Egyptian singer Om klothoum.
I gave such a long sigh that the driver could hear it. He smiled and said, did the song take your heart and remind you of old sores?
After I had gathered my breath I said, “absolutely.”
I would grant you my next age and you return my past life. I want to live our grand fathers and old generation's life. In my opinion, they lived their life better than we live. My father is now 55 years old.
He never suffers from any dangerous diseases. Although he is a builder, working outside under the sunshine, he never complains from dangerous diseases such as blood pressure, sugar, optical illness or kidney failure and cancer These bad diseases which spread everywhere, did not exist and the world was not full of materialism.
There was no pollution and man breathed pure and fresh air. My grandfather died at 95 age. After he had come back from his farm in the mountain.
His job was hard-working. He never suffered from bad diseases or any defectiveness in his body except he lost his hair and his teeth as well. Moreover he had a little bow in his body.
Our forefathers left a cultural traditional history in our mind, but we couldn't preserve it. They are philosophers, doctors, teachers, engineers and even experts without certificates.
Some didn't go to school because they are themselves school, they lived their life and struggled for survival. They made their life themselves whereas our lives were made by others, by our enemy whom planned our life as they want.
They want us to be only consumers importing everything. They want us to be their markets. We aren't able to adapt our life properly. Education is intruded by our enemy. Our food and other needs are controlled by them. They disillusion us that they free us from tyranny.
Thus, we imitate others who present honey mixed with poison.
Meanwhile, we violate our grand father's advice and we dropped to a ditch. It is a deep dirty ditch in which we lost our pureness, faith and decision. The imported culture of foreigners does not agree with our nation as Moslems.
We actually have invaded intellectually. We only pay the cost and we want our next new generation to be aware.
We have lost a certain old-fashioned charm, a leisurely pace of life, and the ability to enjoy the simple pleasures of this world. We became wise instruments, looking for our daily food.
There is no doubt that our forefathers lived close to nature. They led simple lives and believed wholeheartedly in the Holy Quran which illuminates their path.
We should have followed their advice by hook or by crook.
——
[archive-e:714-v:13-y:2004-d:2004-02-23-p:opinion]