I owe much of the author Ernest Hemingway for his novel The Old Man And The Sea. I personally feel, I am just like the old man Santiago of his novel in many aspects .

http://youtu.be/W5ih1IRIRxI

Since in my early years, I have dreamt to be an English teacher. I strove to make my dream come a true. I merely considered that studying was releasing outlet when I feel tired.
I stood just a few steps away from the forty seven. I became an old man and my vivid dream also became an old one. It was growing up with me. I had got everything through my life. I defeated poverty  which prevented me from chasing my old dream. I achieved finally most precious things, except the old dream of mine. I was waiting as long as a great wish lurked in my heart.

Much later, I joined to The College Of Arts. From then on , I devoted myself to attain my dream. So I made many sacrifices in order to be an English teacher. I lost my position as tradesman among my friends, became uncared for money. Moreover, I shrunk a little from participation in my city’s social activities. I did my best to study. I learnt  as much as I could to get higher marks in my class, and  to challenge my fate. At last I managed to be a clever and a successful old student in my college.

Soon after, I graduate and get a certificate which qualifies me to be an English teacher. But I can’t be a good  teacher for many reasons.

In the novel The Old Man And The Sea, there was a hero whose name was Santiago. The fish of The Old Man Santiago was so big, but he could not deal with it. It was uneatable because the sharks had eaten it. Although the old man aimed his strong desire but unfortunately the fish was useless for him.

I feel that I am just like Santiago. I get my certificate in English language but , it is no longer useful to promote me to be a good teacher. My health no longer good as before . Moreover I can't hear audible sounds clearly. I have Tinnitus which makes me tired a lot.  My eyes no longer as eagle eyes because I have read too much recently. Let alone my body is exhausted. I physically unfit to teach students now, though my delight spirit. Even I never –say- die attitude, but what can I do?

Apparently there is unseen powers and unavoidable incidents  which controls our destinies.  Our wills and obviations are not sufficient enough to complete our dreams.

In the Ernest Hemingway’s novel , the hero
Santiago was unbeaten man but there were justifiable reasons behind losing his aim. He hunted a very big fish , but it was useless.

Santiago  was a good reflection to my struggle against my fate.

Since early years of our childhood, we learnt virtues in all its forms. We read religion's books which incited us to love each other, altruism, donation, brotherhood and honesty. We also read about patriotism which stimulated us to love our countries and the coexistence. We learnt history books which taught us examples from the past and inspiration .

Because we were children, we interacted with contents of our lessons. Our good nature helped us a lot to keep the lessons in our minds, furthermore they stuck on our tongues. We didn’t encounter difficulties as long as we were young so we didn’t apply what we learnt on reality.
Sooner, we become mature individuals. Then the time of truth have come. The practical examination have just started. What we learnt yesterday we should apply them as life is full of daily difficult situations that are required a real honesty.

Unfortunately the proportions of success for the examinations would be low though we are still speak about moral as fake babbles. I really don’t know why we don’t comprehend what we learn before. What the advantage of learning in the childhood period if we don’t apply them .

The question is directed to myself firstly, as I am still a stupid man, of course not directed to perfect and moralist humans.

https://voca.ro/7rq3kLbzGlw

People returning from foreign countries are bringing a new wave of coronavirus cases to my city. The visitors of my city also do the same. I live in Najaf, a holy city. The city are visited by many tourists because it contains Imam Ali's shrine. The results of examinations have shown that some people here have symptoms of covid-19.

Government orders people to lockdown to keep themselves in quarantine for unknown period, so we have furlough now. The whole country is under complete lockdown. Government's decision is good because covid-19 is very dangerous, moreover the incubation of covid-19 is fourteen days so it is not easy to note symptoms on patients in the beginning. In addition, old people have a weak immunity system and are easy to catch infection of this epidemic.

The outbreak of covid-19 epidemic in my country has showed many facts. During an emergency, people don’t hoard to buy food. Simply, because most of them are poor although they very helpful. They help each other for example rich men donate food and money to help poor families. Some young local men enlist as volunteers staff. They set out sterilizing streets and public places. Health officials have said the worst is yet to come and the cases would overwhelm Najaf’s hospitals, which now have just few intensive care units. For this reason, some young volunteer as paramedics, waiting emergency times to involve. Some form a committee to pray on dead people and prepare suitable graveyard far from the city to bury victims according to Muslim ceremony.  

But the main problems here, are the shortage of health's equipment such as ventilators.
Iraqi doctors have discovered a new vaccine and they are testing it now.

Please pray to all humanity to stay healthy.

https://voca.ro/dbafQ9tDLcn

There are many secret love stories in our conservative community. One of these stories is, Sajad's and his beloved Zainab. His story would not be known but the bullet in his chaste revealed it.

A young demonstrator called Sajad was injured during anti-government protest a few days ago and his wound was healed later.
The young loved Zainab and tattooed her name over his chest as an impressive reminder.

I personally can't speak about his love on behalf of him. Olney lovers can describe their loves, but there was a conversation between Sajad and his doctor ;

"Who's Zainab?" The doctor asked him curiously.
"She is my beloved." Sajad replied with a pale smile.
"Does she know you are injured?" asked the doctor.
"No" Sajad said sadly.
"Why?" The doctor asked.
"She has left me recently" Sajad replied.
"Why?" the doctor asked surprisingly.
"Because she got married" Sajad replied.
"Why?" the doctor asked eagerly.
Sajad heaved a sigh and began to narrate his tale; our love was a nice dream of mine but ended up as a nightmare. She waited me for a long time to betroth her but I was jobless, I couldn’t find suitable job.
She get torn between her love and seeking for a good married life. I am just a poor jobless man so she decided to abandon me. I pray for her to be happy.

Sooner, I went to demonstrate against unemployment and corruptions which deprived me of Zainab, and would deprive other lovers from uniting together.

Facebook and twitter were created firstly for communicating between people. The communication, exchanging information, and overspreading knowledge were very acceptable social media goals. These sites used to offer great opportunities for users to express themselves, share their thoughts and take part to form a new community. Via social networking service, people posted and interacted with messages all over the world. Due to such great sites, the world becomes as a small village.
Later on, those sites divert onto financial market area. Those sites devote their works to take advantages of advertisements and become moneymaking very quickly.

The strong influence of advertisement of those sites on people's mind are very dangerous because there is no norm would limit their advertisements as long as you can pay money. Anyone can polish criminals or defame righteous when he pays money to those sites. Actually, the sites display the materials without even sure if the substance might be Photoshopped, faked or contained fallacy.
They don’t verify the videos or images, so many good concepts might be blackened by the adversarial or bad thoughts might be circulated. The amazing development of photoshop enables people to do whatever they want because there are no social, personal or professional ethics when someone advertises in general social media.

Unfortunately, the epidemic of sectarian violence, growing of racialism, civil wars and spreading of radicalism all these plights have been prevailed recently as a result of cupidity of social media sites.

It seems to me, if the social media sites don’t apply advertising ethics as ruling standards, the humanity will steepen to a dark slide way.

 May be until just one century ago or even less, there was no term media as we know it now. The best tools of media are photos and sounds or both of them (videos). By such material, the media has so strong raucous magnitude in our present time. It is the time of photography mania in which there is a big tendency to visual carnage.

It comes as no surprise that photographer chases mishaps trying to find the most horrible dead bodies or the helpless victims of misfortune. He doesn’t intend to give hand for them he rather immortalizes happily the moment of their horrible feeling.

Photographer sends hurls of flashes in order to capture the best photo. The much visibility of photo deserves much money and fame. The photographer  makes a high fame for the dead bodies or the helpless victims too which victims themselves didn’t  dream to get it before their death. Some miserable bodies deserve to be in the covers of magazine whereas some in the last page. But some photos will be neglected  because of the curse of the dead. What a pity there are ranks for photos.

 The more horrible photo is the more expensive price will deserve. Photographer knows well the norm of taking photos . According to this norm, there is hierarchy and preferences for some photos. The ugliness,  blood, severe cruelty all these features make the photos good in the eyes of photographer.

Many questions may be raised when it comes to think of the best mechanism for choosing leaders.
I think that elections , dictatorships, coups, domination of one party power, monarchy, principality and sultanates are not excellent ways to authority for leadership.
Unfortunately, Election sometimes opens up a pandora's box of disasters against voters and even people all over the world. That makes us wondering if there is really democratic states!
As far as I know, in many countries the rate of ignorant electors is bigger than the enlightened electors so the winners will come by the votes of ignorant electors rather than enlightened. Moreover in many cases the will of people in elections would be fabricated by fraud ballot box stuffing. And when the winners come they would stay more presidential terms by changing constitutions in lame excuses. History proves that many leaders had unconstitutional abuse of using power.
We can safely assume that monarchy, principality and sultanates are very often relinquish power according to inheritance, bringing unqualified descendant rulers. And usually loyal families get ill- gotten gains whereas people languish in abject poverty.
In past, the votes of Centre Party and Conservatives in the Reichstag brought Adluf Hitler to seize power in Germany in 1933. So it was as same as the dictatorship which enabled General Franco who lasted for nearly 40 years or brought saddam Hussian in 1979 who lasted 35 years and made Iraq bellwether of the region or as same as coups which brought Idi Amin Dada Oumee, the butcher of Uganda he lasted as the president from 1925 to  August 2003.There are many examples like them.
So, to sum it up; all these ways of choosing leaders have significant repercussions. So thinkers should invent a new mechanism for rotation of power to prevent new blood bath.

What is nobility? Do poor people have an inborn tendency to nobility?

The irresponsible governmental actions raised a storm of protest in many cities in Iraq. Now, there are huge demonstrations in Baghdad and other cities. The demonstrators protest against corruption, unemployment and poor services.

Riot police uses tear gas and rubber bullets against demonstrators. There are many wounded  people and the death toll steadily  rises .There are tuk tuks drivers among  demonstrators. They drive auto rickshaw, small three-wheeled vehicles, which are modified to be small ambulances for injured people.

 Most Iraqis used to believe that tuk tuks  drivers were careless young men. It is possibly due to their notoriety and poverty. They come from lower social class but now tuk tuks drivers prove they are very generous men. They devote themselves to help and save injured demonstrators at no charge. The nobility, gallantry, and  knighthood are clearly embodied by those brave young men. They are still there, haven't  gone home since 25th November 2019.Proving magnanimity of those young men  garner respect from most Iraqis whatever their affiliation.

In our demonstration, It seems to be that cruelty in wealth and nobility in poverty.   https://youtu.be/L6wlbJgC2T0

I hunt dreams to escape from nightmares of reality. Our dreams are own consolations in hard times. Dreams are beautiful like birds, some fly in the horizon and some stand up on the sails of fishing boats. Some, sleep between tears. Some die in our hands and disappear as long as we grow up. Dreams are revived again by a glimmer of hope. Some of them are great dreams but we do not wish them to come true anymore, because the stream of life is no longer safe to swim in! Some are simple dreams, but no longer valuable, because if they come true they will be like a small celebration in a destroying land. My dream, you are like a rose and my heart like a waste land. I know that the beautiful rose does not grow up in the waste land. My soulful eyes contrast painfully with your eternal renewal beauty as contradictory as a star amid gloomy darkness, but none of what I have mentioned will handle me to be close to you. Even you are not close to me. So you can do whatever you want, be free, it is pleasurable enough to me to see you in front of my eyes as a vivid dream ,I am still able to find justifications to keep myself half asleep just to live inside you my dream.

It was 15th of March 2012. In that day I saw my fruit in my colleagues’ tears . When our instructor asked me to give my impression concerning the novel “The Return of the Native “.The hero of this novel was similar to me. His dream was to teach people. So, it was easy for me to express his dream .

When I finished my speech, I noticed that most of my colleagues were moved to tears. I melted away in the sight of their eyes’ tears. I felt glad to see the effect of my speech on them and their great admiration which overflowed from their eyes. That was so warm feeling to my heart.

Then I turned back to my seat. When I sat ,the tape of memories started to run. It went back to my early months in My EC. In that time I had no idea how to write or speak but I loved English language. This site built my ability and taught me how to write and speak. It also extended the hand of friendship with the readers .I remembered readers’ encouragements so, I did my best just to meet their expectations. I extremely believed in their opinions When they told me that “you would reap your efforts “And you would be good at English, just keep writing. Their encouragements were the first step which gradually led me to study English language steadily and patiently .

When I was a young boy . I dressed a nice suit and combed my hair and added some perfume all that because I would meet people I loved.
Today , I like to meet people through my blogs so I arrange my words and refine my sentences and beautify my writings. I do all that just to meet members through my blogs. This was the main reason why my English has improved since I joined EC.

Whenever I see or smell an orange I feel injustice. I have not recognized the injustice from university's books or Divine books, but I recognize it from oranges. I was a little boy lived in a poplar quarter .Our houses were side by side with each other. I saw a little girl carrying some oranges and came to her father who had married again recently. She knocked the door. Her stepmother opened the door .I heard the girl telling her ”it is my father’s birthday “ The stepmother shouted at her”Do not come here again “Then girl was slipped strongly and the oranges scattered everywhere. The girl left with no tears .I took one of those oranges and tasted it. Ever since I feel injustice as soon as I see or smell oranges.

We had a professor in our university who used to put on a wristwatch for girls .We were always laughing at him then we stopped when we discovered that this wristwatch was for his dead daughter.

The buyer man shouted behind my door “are there any old things for sale”.
I had nothing for sale. I wondered would he buy an old dream which was covered by spider’s net? The buyer man still shouted” Is there anything for sale”? I still wondered what would I sell him and what would he buy from me?
Could I sell him my memories, writings, ambitions or my whishes which were the most precious things in my life? The buyer still shouted “ are there any old thing for sale” what would I sell him! Could he buy an old love which I could not revive it again?.
His voice sounded to be far away.So, I should seize the opportunity. I called him” Sir, do you want to buy a dream which becomes an illusion? or an old love which has been buried in my heart for fifteen years? Do you want to buy my memories which have been carved on my city’s walls and on the remote trees by my hands.
Do you want to buy a sandy house which I built in my childhood’s time on a beach and never lived in but in my dreams? Do you want to buy my dreams…………..? Seemingly , you may get angry at me and the color of your face has been changed. Excuse me, sir, I remember an old pair of sandals.
Do you want to buy it? The man gave me a smile then told me “give it to me ,I ‘ll give you ten Dinars, for me your dreams memories and writings are worthless because I do not buy illusion”.

When the pen spoke

I would like to introduce myself to you .I am the pen ,the most precious instrument have ever used for writing .I transfer mental thoughts into readable thoughts . The progressive modern live is due to me . Although I am small in size yet it seems to hold a world of meaning. I am mute but I am so talkative tool .
I am very important to such a great extent that Allah swear by me in the holy Quran in the verse “Nun, By the pen and what the (angels) write (in the Records of men)”.

Do not abuse me;
You are human have inborn tendency to evil in your nature .I am most obedient to your hands so ,do not abuse me and force me to develop your massive weapons inventions or any kind of weapons .You unintentionally try to destroy yourselves and other living creatures in this nice world .

Spread education and morality ;
Do any significant part to purify the human mire. The first step is education .Learn illiterate kids writing in remote places of the world , because enlightenment is very necessary for you human .When you become able to write and read you will get rid of poverty and disease and wars from your universe .

Do not be hired;
When you learn do not make bad people hire your hand to write on behalf of evils . Strive to be moral .Money is not everything in your life .

Be creative ;
Do not write stupid ideas , try to be creative in your writings . Do not use me to write false facts to deceive others .Don’t play with peoples’ emotions ,be always honest .

Don’t leave me;
Do not leave me and leave paper even though there are new alternative ways to write because you need me . You can depend on me every time and everywhere.

Once , I read old philosophical Greek theories about The origin of the world and how it had been created .One of those philosophers claimed that the world came from fire and another one claimed that numbers was the origin of the world ..etc.

The astonishing theory was said by philosopher Heraclitus 500 BC .He believed that world came from contradictions. He said “war is general for everybody and conflict is justice and all things are formed and vanished as a result of conflict “ He said too” The war is the father of everything and life of everything .It makes some people Gods , men , slaves and free “The theory might sound a bit agitated but when it comes to the real world surrounding us, it becomes realistic enough to be debated .

I live in Iraq which is a center of wars . I tried to check the theory of philosopher Heraclitus 500 BC ever since I became an adult. Sometimes , unfortunately, I am about to believe it .
No doubt wars are The World's Biggest Problem. ,because they reap thousands of innocent lives aimlessly. After World War II (1939-1945) the wars broke out again in many countries .They cast shadows over many countries . In the course of life I saw many wars .I heard about the Lebanon’s Civil War in the 1970s and 1980s . I read about the conflicts of Nicaragua in 1980s . I saw many films about American invasion to Vietnam . I was contemporaneous with Israeli Arabian wars and Soviet war in Afghanistan too .I was participant in Iraq Iran war in 1980-1988 and Iraq and Kuwait war in 1990. I saw American’s invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. I witnessed the American invasion of Iraq in 2003 I heard the details of the civil war in Rwanda which was exploded in 1994 between Tutsis and Hutus .I saw an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina .I am observing now Global War on Terrorism against al-Qaeda and ISIS. I am chasing Russia and Ukraine news in TV channels .

There are also many wars in our region nowadays. There was so called “Arab Spring”. It was a name of uprisings against dictators in some Arab countries. The uprisings were a dream of new generations to get justice and welfare for people but the dream ended up as a nightmare. The dream was stolen by gunmen . In crude terms the awaited Arab spring wasn’t more than a short-lived gimmick, then it triggered off a wave of violence everywhere .The stealers of Arab Spring dream fought unarmed civilians cruelly .They divided Muslims into many sects since they considered them as apostates. They displace other minorities from their cities • It's sad that our region is letting this atrocity happen. You can see the aftermath of this ostensible spring is apparent by looking into Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, Bahrain , Syria and Iraq .

As a result of this supposed spring , we have witnessed a super-big social dissonance in Egypt between Muslims and Christians and in Syria , Iraq , Yemen ,Bahrain between Sunnis and Shias . Consequently , we have millions of emigrants in Iraq and Syria and thousands of dead innocent people besides countless orphans ,widows, jobless people and immense of destruction .

For all these events mentioned above I consider wars are the World's Biggest Problem. Apparently , “The war is the father of everything and life of everything “ as an old philosopher Heraclitus (500-BC) said but Unfortunately a HEARTLESS FATHER . It would be highly optimistic to expect our world will be free from wars . The hope is still dim and far .

My name is tawfeeq .I am from Iraq , it is a Sumerians land . Iraq is located in the middle east , it is considered as the cradle of civilization where there first letter of writing was invented .But unfortunately Iraq now is unstable .
I was born in Najaf in the middle of Iraq .It is a holy city because it contains the shrine of Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib with its resplendent golden dome and minarets. His holy tomb under the shrine . He was buried here since a long time .Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib is a symbol of the social justice . This is one of his will ;
"My son, make yourself the measure for dealings between you and others. Thus, you should desire for others what you desire for yourself and hate for others what you hate for yourself. Do not oppress as you do not like to be oppressed. Do good to others, as you would like good to be done to you”. I always visit this holy shrine because it injects me by spiritual power.

There is a vast cemetery in the middle of my city . Shiites from all over the world ask to be buried here close to the Shrine of Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib. So , it becomes the largest cemetery in the world. When I was a kid I sat on the verge of the valley of this cemetery to ponder over graves ,feeling that my city was sad , and it took its sorrow from its graveyard which has devoured dead bodies eagerly for a long time . Ever since ,The cemetery has inspired me and makes me feel the absurdity of life .

I was born near the two places , shrine and cemetery .I always visit the street of our old home, reviving my old memories , remembering   the old tree in the corner of the street .We used to sit under it when we  were kids to play, fight to dream . My dreams began to be formed under this tree. The tree gradually fade away just like our dreams .later on , some of my dreams come true and some of them are no longer dreams because its time has been expired.

Near  this tree ,there was a house of an old lady who taught me  how to recite Quran , I was 5 years old , so I am still indebted to the late old lady.

I remember , we left that place when I  reached puberty. My family moved to an another quarter. I feel quit nostalgic, still live spiritually  in that old street , whishing if I could stop that time to live longer lasted period of childhood .

I like the place of my birthday I feel as if I am deeply rooted in  .

May be until just one century ago or even less,there was no term media as we know it now . The media has so strong raucous magnitude in our present time .They become well-built establishments .

killing a person for no fault is not a matter .The matter is how they record and take photos for the benefit of journal or TV channels. They look for misfortunes of unlucky people everywhere not for helping them but just to take photos and record their painful screams.

In my country, we have the same kind of those people who are always interested in photos. Not long ago during Saddam Hussein’s regime, we would barely have a clue to what cell phone stands for, even we can’t imagine a very small device which can take photos and has a Net Connection. Today, every Iraqi has his own cell phone. Some people are very keen to take photos for misfortune people rather than help them out in their plights.

I think that the majority of people acquiesce the truth that our world has really become heartless.

I headed for you
holding a gift
I saw many faces
but your face
I heard many tones
but your musical tones
I didn’t like faces neither voices
but yarning to hold you
I was very keen to hand you a phial
what a pity , there was no way
So ,I sprayed perfume in firmament of your place
hope the fragrance will find a way
to your nose
to remind you it was
your gift and he was yours
I left back home empty handed repeating;
Do not adore roving lovers
They are always about to leave .

There are two attitudes in the world ; positive and negative .There is an old conflict between virtue and vice .The virtue always wins the battle . I read an Arabic translation for a quotation belongs to Mahatma Gandih “ if we follow offense by another offense; so when will the offense be stopped .”But the majority of people often like to be treated the same way they treat others. They want to love and to be loved back, to care for and be cared back, to yearn for and be longed for in return ,but There is a rare kind of people who treat others with much kindness ,even though they were abused by them . Such kind people sacrifice everything , without the slightest desire to get anything in return. When they are being hurt ,their reaction always a great amount of love . Mrs. Hashida is one of those very rare people. Her personality impacts deeply on me.She is distressed badly since her husband photojournalist Shinsuke Hashida and his nephew have been killed In 2004 while reporting on the Iraqi civil war. Yet, she still treats Iraqi people by her kindness! How great she is ! To my utter astonishment , following his death, Mrs. Hashida established the "Hashida Memorial Fund." The organization has been working to provide medical treatment for children in Iraq, the construction of an orphanage in Samawah and the medical training of Iraqi doctors in Japan. 

Recently ,she has collected seventeen million Dollars as contributions for Iraqi people and sent them to establish a hospital in Fallujah city for caring orphans and widows .

I think that she has a heart which strongly believes that we are humans before being classified into multi-cultural or multi-religions or multi-races people. She believes that the meaning of humanity is care and love to avoid further bloodshed and when no one cares, agony shall continue, and may burst out and reaches others . The photojournalist’s widow really takes her revenge on her husband's killers by the best way…. by love , because, the terrorists would feel guilty with such her unprecedented reward .

I would say to this widow ! You have killed them as they killed your husband, and you have tormented them as they tormented you. No doubt, terrorists crimes are going into an awful recession sooner or later .Ultimately ,peace will one day prevail over my country , and criminals will go to the waste basket of history. My people always see the terrorists’ behavior as an impetuous renegade .The years will pass on a in coming decades many names of ordinary people will be forgotten , but Hashida’s name will be lasted in peoples’ minds forever as an impressive reminder ,it enriches the legacy of humanity , will be remained among our hearts as much as we live , it will be lasted as an honor, a hope, a medal we carry on our chests appreciatively.

He was burned and melted away meanwhile she talked happily about her friend .Then asked him “ Do you know him ?He is my strength when I am weak and I am his strength when he is weak .He is a very handsome . He is so nice one . He is the light of my way ….. “

The silence prevailed between them on mobile .
Then He said”I wish if I could be your eyes to make you see only me ,
I wish if I could be your arms to make you hug only me, I wish if I could be your mind to make you think of only me, I wish if I could be yourself to make you love only me" . Then ,he heaved a sigh and completed “ If the unavoidable destiny hinders me from uniting with you in a real life, I will see you in my dreams , the wiser say” the sleeping is a foolish attempt to waste time “but I would say, the sleeping is a successful attempt to evoke memories of those persons who we want to see them in a real life . I wish if you Could hear my cry and my wishes" .

But unfortunately , she doesn’t hear his wishes because he has already disconnected the call while he reveals his dreamy wishes.