The Most Secret Smile

Heaven opened up through the corner
of her mouth. Holding back the smile that
would let loose all the angels. The sound of water
rushing down. The sound of her laughter, an amazing grace.

But still that smile could stop time, stop the water rushing,
and would make the music dissapear and be her. If her smile
can bs smelt, it would be the smell of a thousand roses.

Roses in black is what she is wearing with a crown of stars.
Stars would leap out of her smile, and burn the image in the eye
of my mind. I'm a captive, prisoner, nay slave to a look,
a single look. That bid me "fare thee well O dreamer O lunatic".

Smile O rose, and let the angels rush and pray for my lunatic soul.

Young Power

Recently I have realized that I wasn’t the only one here in Bahrain to have shifted jobs for three times. Actually it came to my attention that many young adults recently have been changing work for quite some time now. Maybe it was the environment I live in where almost 50% of people I interact with work in the BDF or the Ministry of Interior. Regardless, this fact is not a bad thing if you look at it from a certain angle, but it can be considered bad when people switch jobs because of unhealthy work environments. I am not prepared to talk about my experience in this post, but I will be talking more in general terms.

Unemployment in Bahrain is not a thing to joke about, regardless what the official figures show. I take this fact simply looking at the amount of people who have volunteered in schools and health services recently. It shows that many young people who already have their degrees are stuck at home jobless because there is a lack of opportunities that would fit their credentials or even come close to that matter. Of course I am a great believer in the power of the private sector’s potential to drive this country forward, but it seems that the private sector is lacking the drive that would eventually allow it to expand and compete with major regional powers like Dubai. Blaming the government is what you would normally hear from the other side of the argument, yet it seems that local business leaders have little interest in the Bahraini market or in developing it properly. So we see more efforts from the EDB in promoting Bahrain to foreign investment, and that in all honesty is like moving mountains, since it is useless to convince foreign investors to choose the unstable Bahrain to the more business friendly Dubai. This little opinion of mine regarding the economic environment here is basically going to affect the job market here and in turn will affect the average income of Bahrainis.

Coming back to my post’s theme, I am certain that many people who will read this will look back and think that they are not happy about their job or their work environment but that there is little or no choice other than sitting helplessly at home regretting a stable income. What would happen naturally is that all this energy that young people have will eventually be lost rather than be invested properly. It saddens me whenever I learn of a young Bahraini that moved to Dubai or Qatar to look for a job instead of settling here in Bahrain and benefitting from what this person’s energy can provide even in the short run, let alone those who give up altogether on the public sector and move to the old and stagnated public sector. This has many reasons to it in my humble opinion. I think that Bahrainis get along very well in work places regardless of their ethnic or heritage background, but it is a different matter when expatriates come into the equation. I do not wish to pinpoint expatriates as the main reason for putting down the Bahraini job seekers, but I think you would agree that some expatriates do look and act like mercenaries that are very territorial in regards to making money. Yet I have noticed a great many of them who have developed very patriotic love to this little island nation. Also there seems to be some lack of faith in the Bahraini worker that will force employers to look elsewhere for more productive workforce. This is a cultural norm here in Bahrain, because only a few generations ago did people actually realize that you would need to work hard to provide for your family. So a major campaign of awareness should be taken into consideration by both the government and the private sector in informing future job seekers that the time of economic socialism is over and taking it easy is no more a way of life.

There are other more economical and social reasons behind why people would move between jobs or seek them elsewhere and I could go on for volumes if I would want to research into it, but the fact remains that unless direct measures are taken then we would eventually see a lack of growth in a country that is desperate for it. Plus we would see more fertile ground for extreme ideals to take root in the minds of those who have the energy to act.

Bahraini Transformers

It’s not too strange to see that people you knew in the past have changed, for better or worse. It’s become a simple fact of life. Yet there are also those who remain as steadfast in the face of time. I’m not in the process of judging which is wrong or right here, I’m just observing how events erode characters. Or better yet, do events erode masks and show the faces behind?

It amuses me how I see people around me change, not that it’s a bad thing, but how easily they do. Changing ideas, ideals, and principals is not an easy feat in my humble opinion, so how about changing characteristics for example? So the question still remains, what does change people? I have seen in my life people change with positions for example, like when a simple employee that seems to be friendly turns into a power hungry, all controlling superior, but that has become normal I believe. I have also seen people change the way they see other people after a major experience like an accident or quick wealth, yet my real question is how can hundreds, not thousands change in such a short time? This is what I have noticed in my tiny country Bahrain. The mass transformation of thousands of individuals.

I have to admit that the events that took place in Bahrain in 2011 will bring change to any who have lived through them, for better or worse. Some have developed political awareness; some have grown a hatred for all that are different; some discovered a patriotic nationalistic sense, etc. so now the logical next question would be, how would Bahrain be shaped by its ever transforming people? No one can deny that we somehow miss the old Bahrain, and that bringing it back is going to be as successful as bringing a dead person to life. I also believe that dwelling in the nostalgia of old Bahrain is not very productive. The only way available is always forward, but forward does mean more change, and that is something for the future to decide.

I do believe that we as Bahrainis have been naïve for long, I also believe that some form of consciousness of the outside world is always a positive thing. Developing racial divides is never a good thing, nor does religious confrontations. But how about those who never changed? Will they eventually change or will they be swallowed up by the tide? Or will they feel like strangers surrounded by familiar faces? The future is not ours to decide, and we shouldn’t be vain in thinking that we can control it.

The Cupcake Society

Everyone can see that during the last year or so Bahrain have had so many cupcake shops that you might think they are mushrooms that spring out after a heavy rain. Of course this new, and abused idea, is exclusively one that is associated with Bahraini women and girls. It seems that most girls are experts in photography, fashion design and art. Not that it's a bad thing, its just a bit overdoing it when all of a sudden they become experts in those fields. Before I get scratched to death by hundreds of girls, I have to say that this post is NOT about girls interest these days. This post is rather about how our Bahraini society has taken the shape of those yummy cupcakes, and how as delicious as it seems, it is not a healthy society if you think more about it.

Imagine holding a cupcake, or better yet, get a cupcake in your hand while you read this post, but do resist the urge to eat it until the end. The basic shape of this cupcake is basically a lovely designed top, filled with the sweetest ingredients, and a plain sweet bottom. What attracts you most? The top. What part tastes the best? The top. For one I personally enjoy only the top part and tend to discard with the bottom part, simply because it's not as tasty as the top part. Now imagine Bahraini society as having the same shape, same substance and same structure. It's only the top part of society that is attractive, luxurious and all round delicious. But what about the rest? Just like the bottom of the cupcake, it's hidden, plain and sometimes discarded. Yet if you think about it, the bottom part is the one holding the top part up to be seen. By the rest of the world. Not very fair for the bottom part of the cupcake, or society for that matter.

Bahrain as a society have transformed several times during the last century, these changes have not all been bad or have been good as well. But nevertheless it is only the recent changes that have provided the "top" with more sugar and more glamour to be sprinkled on. And all the time the "bottom" looks on as the top becomes prettier and tastier than it can ever be. This wasted, hidden part can have such great potential as to achieve greater heights for all the cupcake, if only it had a fair shot. It doesn't mean that it will trade places with the top part, just a chance at being as sweet and beautiful as its top brother. The fear is that the top is now too vain to allow for any to take its place or to have a chance at showing its potential for fear of being discarded and left uneaten. This fear have transformed into less chances for anyone to achieve or for anyone to improve his or her position in the cupcake system. This stifling of creativity and youth can have grave consequences if society does not try and fight this cupcake mentality and introduce more opportunity to any who is willing to roll up his sleeves to think and work. Just remember that if the dinosaurs started thinking they wouldn't be museum exhibitions.

Now imagine if the cupcake you are holding is all sweet and pretty just as the top. Wouldn't that be amazing? It's impossible but very nice to imagine. But what can be achieved is to take a spreading knife and spread all this yummy cream all over the cupcake so that you can equally enjoy it all, without thriving any leftovers or any waste, except the paper wrap that was standing in the way of enjoying the rest of the cupcake. It would definitely not be a cupcake anymore, and be more like a chocolate bar that is lovely all over, from start to end. That would be a better choice than the cupcake you are holding right now, the one you will eat and enjoy but think differently of from now on. Did I just make you feel like eating something sweet? Yeah me two.

Learning from Beauty

The Arabian Peninsula is known for something that is more valuable than its rich oil fields, more elegant than its noblest lady, more sensitive than the delicate butterflies and a lot smarter than many who call themselves decent human beings. It’s the Arabian horse. This famous creature have captivated all who lay their eyes upon it and cast an eternal spell that will keep them bound to it. If we should look more and appreciate it we can learn quite a lot of how a simple beast of burden turned into an obsession of millions.

The graceful Arabian horse strides elegantly in between its ugly cousins. It raises its head always even when in battle, announcing to all that it is here and it would never bow down to any other. Its eyes scream with the most wondrous poetry that can sooth even the most savage beasts all while declaring its superior pedigree. Its strong bone structure and amazing endurance warns of those that will take beauty as a sign of weakness. Its sensitive nature is kin only to the most eloquent of poets that rise over the average sensitivity of human beings. Yet we seem to not notice that we can learn quite a lot from this creature, and this happens when ignorance is a state of mind not a statistic on a table.

Something to be noticed about the modern Arab is the lack of desire to learn and the inability to adapt rather than copy our western opposites. This fact has left us from being the center of the universe at one period of history into sadly a rock that orbits a bright sun. At first it was because of too much pride and the foolish sense of superiority, and then it developed into a feeling of despair and a dreadful inferiority. Yet we can still pick up the paces and shine again to become the lighthouse that once attracted the eyes of all of those that are beyond our borders. Just like the old myth of the phoenix that rose again from the ashes we can reclaim our rightful throne. It needs education, development and more importantly an open eye and mind.

The Arabian horse is but one treasure that we seem to have ignored in the pursuit of copying those who we believe to be superior to us in order to become superior like them. There are many other gems of our Islamic civilization that sadly have become objects to hide out of shame. As George Orwell famously says “He who controls the present controls the past. He who controls the past controls the future” can only be the way forward if we are looking for a brighter future for our future generations. If I’m wrong then I’m open for debate, because what I see is definitely is not right.

A Nation Divided

A picture, that’s all what I needed to force my hand to start typing this post. A picture on a website that was supposedly showing how thousands of so called “revolutionaries” are protesting in their cars. What it really showed was just a simple traffic jam on one of the roads to Manama. This is of course a blatant lie but what is sad about it that people willingly believed it as an actual fact. It’s been seven months since the start of the protests here in Bahrain, and the story is still to be continued. Only question is until when?

The Arab Spring came and turned to an Arab Winter and still we see Libya is still on hold until they catch or kill Gaddafi, Syria loses its sons daily and Yemen is looking more and more like the old Yemen of the civil war era. But what about Bahrain. You see if you really understand Bahrain then you would realize that there was never a spring, it was only a continuation of something that never ended. People who understand Bahrain know that there are three types of people; people who do not want the status quo and are constantly looking for a change in their direction, then there are those who are more than happy with the status quo, and then there are those who are just trying to live. And those of the last category are what matter the most. The term “Arab Spring” actually comes from the “Springtime of Nations” that was referring to the liberal movements of nineteenth century Europe. So can you explain to me again why the radical liberal governments of both Tunisia and Egypt were toppled?! Okay so it’s a movement towards more democracy, this I can totally relate to. But what if this democracy brings in radical elements of socialists or any other extremist elements? Makes you think doesn’t it?

I was debating with a lawyer a while back about how corruption, profiteering and backwardness didn’t help our government, but in having this debate we were actually believing that there is always a better way, and this is what constructive thinking is all about. We did not refer at all to the so called “revolutionaries” simply because we knew that willingly or unwillingly those that are against the establishment have divided this nation, and you should only look up the map towards Iraq to see how dividing a nation into Shiaa and Sunni would result into. Just like a separated couple, the children are the ones who bear the consequences.

On a final note, I do apologize for my rusty writing; I do also apologize for disappearing from this blog.

Potatoes to Make Cranberry Juice

During the time I was away from writing, I was in the process of trying to absorb as much about Bahrain as possible. It is still a work in progress. But this does not necessarily mean that I haven’t developed a few ideas or noticed a few misconceptions here and there. One of these misconceptions is the idea that democracy would bring us a better life; another misconception is that democracy would never bring us a better life. Interested yet? I sure hope you are by now.

The idea of democracy or political freedom in any shape or sense (including a constitutional monarchy) is a brilliant and noble ideal, except that it should always be after two important prerequisites before it can be achieved. First and most important prerequisite is the need to fill the people’s stomachs, not in the literal sense of course, but rather the idea to fill the people’s needs and achieve some economical advances for the benefit of the people, not just the few and selected capitalist fat boys. The second prerequisite is the idea to fill the people’s minds, again not to literally open up their heads and stuff them with confetti, but rather to fill them with knowledge and information. These two prerequisites in my opinion need to be there when you would like to eventually fill your heart with the ideas of freedom and liberty. Neither of which have happened in Bahrain before the introduction of the national charter and its reforms. This means that as the cliché goes, you have brought the cart in front of the horse. If you still don’t understand what I’m saying then just try and imagine and remember how many times we have seen in the news about a coup d’état or a civil war that would rage on for decades. This all is the product of forcing democracy before meeting its two prerequisites; which are again fill their bellies, and then fill their minds before filling their hearts.

Bahrainis look to their immediate neighbors with envy as to their superior standard of living, and this is true when we have basic salaries that go back to the eighties and nineties, and inflated basic goods that are most probably being monopolized by someone out there. I agree that Bahrain is such a small market, but look at Singapore and how a country roughly our size could have planted itself firmly in the global scene, and to think that we have had a head start on them as well. So basically, it is ever too late to try and take serious measures to raise the standard of living for your people and in that sense, give them enough tools and the means to further develop your economy and GDP.

We were once a country that has prided itself on the standard of education when compared to our neighbor’s Stone Age methods. Underline the word “once”, as in once upon a time. Our neighbors now host some of the most prestigious educational facilities and institutions in the world, and they don’t look like stopping at that anytime soon as well. Our own educational reform initiative is only 3 years of age, which is headed by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa the deputy prime minister. It is a very brave and hopeful idea but one that also needs more backing in the form of funds and cooperation from all sectors of Bahraini society for it to succeed. Remember that science and enlightenment was always a game changer when it comes to the rise and fall of civilizations. We should not lag behind in that department. Education also would be the stable land that freedom needs in order to grow up into a mighty tree of hope.

Look to our democratic practices now and you would hopefully understand my idea and what I am talking about. We are basically being ruled by people who have virtually no serious education and certainly no political knowhow. I am talking about our esteemed representatives in parliament, or their much worse colleagues in the upper house or the Shura Council. All of this takes place while the people of Bahrain are sitting there watching what is happening around them with open mouths or with little interest and trust in what is taking place. Why? Because they either struggle so much for their living that they have no time or interest in politics or that they have little education that would make them armed with the necessary tools to improve on their nation. What is sad though is that people who have become politicians have filled their pockets with bribes and gifts while the people stay suffering and confused with simple ideas such as politics. So remind me again how I can make cranberry juice out of potatoes!!