30 years

Dear World,

How do you sum up three decades? It’s very difficult but I do want the world to know that I have been blessed to be a part of you for these 30 years and I will continue to work and learn from all that you have and will continue to teach me. This is a time of reflection for me because it is only by the grace of God that I am still a part of you. I have had a difficult life that many will never understand, at times I don’t even understand it, but I have been taught many lessons from my accomplishments and my failures. This I know is all that you ask of me, is to be a productive member of your family and i hope that I have done a good job so far.

In this time of celebration I can not help but think of the Haitian people that have lost everything that they have, many with no hope of finding family members or ever living a “normal” life again. It makes me proud to see how you have put your own needs aside and have gone to their aid. This shows that no matter how it looks on an everyday basis, we are kind and selfless when we are needed and it is good to see. I am proud to be a part of you. It really hits home for me because these are people that look like me and my family and friends. That could be where my ancestors were dropped off 400 years ago so that could be mother, my brothers, my cousins, etc…It pains me to hear some in this world look down on them as second class citizens and have the nerve to say that we need to help our own and forget about them, but they are our own. They are a part of the human family. If they suffer we all suffer so lets help them get back on their feet.

Again I thank you. You have shown me how to love and that I, myself am worthy of it. You have shown me how to be a father and a husband and I am eternally grateful. You allowed me to work hard to get to 30 and I will work even harder in the days to come. Thank you for loving me and embracing me. I will not let you down…

Sincerely,
Jawhar