boulder. Sand flew into our faces as a whirlwind breeze picked up the granules and scattered them about. A group of ten were there, in the isolated desert of Wadi Rum, in the heart of Jordan, to watch the sunset. We had half an hour to wait. view. My camera hung around my neck as I skillfully climbed to the top. I felt confident and happy. I sat down at the smooth, rounded edge of the boulder and looked around. cliffs. The area between them was nothing but coral sand and a few tufts of scrub. Some of the cliffs looked snow-covered, but it was actually sand, plastered against them by the force of the wind. As the sun slowly lowered, the cliffs began to glow brilliantly. The clouds took on a variety of shades of pinks, purples, oranges and reds, as the hot sand below reflected its color onto them. It was beautiful. surrounding us. It was still and clam. From somewhere off in the distance, near the base of the cliffs, I heard the echo of a faint chanting sound. I strained to hear, thinking it was just the wind howling through the boulders, but there wasn't even a gentle breeze. became louder and finally I located the source. There were six men, all dressed in Arab garb, long white robes and a scarf held around their heads with bands, all as in days of old. They were on camel back, each bobbing up and down. The camels were in a straight line and each man was chanting in unison. It sounded like an ancient Muslim chant. I couldn't take my eyes off them. Their voices echoed off the cliff walls and filled the valley. Just then I felt like I was transported back in time. The sun began to fall below the horizon. Golden rays shot through the sky like shimmering, sparkling strands. The camel train moved closer. Like thousands of years ago, I was witnessing history, as unchanged as the stone cliffs surrounding me. This is how it must have been two thousand years ago when the camel trains passed through, carrying spices, oils, frankincense, and precious gems to Persia from a distant land, such as Egypt. items as they made their way towards other ancient cities. My heart leapt. I was witnessing something special. I was given this gift, by God. below the horizon. Never have I witnessed anything like that before; the colors, the beauty, the sounds and the men on those camels. A tear or two ran down my face. I realized that nothing changes for some. Here were these men, living as their ancestors of thousands of years ago lived, with nothing - no modern conveniences, yet they were filled with joy and laughter, happy with their meager lives. When they passed by and darkness came over us, we all sat still. Everyone of us was entranced by what we'd just seen. Millions of stars carpeted the heavens. What a wondrous gift I'd been given, a small gift, yet a priceless one. as I sat facing the royal family, I was surrounded by all the riches anyone could want; mosaics, gold, jewel-encased dishes, beauty of every kind imaginable, yet were they any more beautiful than the diamond-like stars that twinkled above me the night before, or more than the humble chants from the Bedouin's sincere mouths? I realized that perhaps happiness is what we make of it and what we do with our lives, rather than what we own.
Marilyn's Hideaway ~
Cancer Site ~
Children ~
Computers |
