African Lioness

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Mon, 20 May 2013 18:01:24 -0400

I want to do this

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:58:53 -0400

I want to do this

"After learning my flight was detained 4 hours, I heard the announcement: If anyone in the vicinity..."

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:29:26 -0400

“

After learning my flight was detained 4 hours,
I heard the announcement:
If anyone in the vicinity of gate 4-A understands any Arabic,
Please come to the gate immediately.

Well—one pauses these days. Gate 4-A was my own gate. I went there.
An older woman in full traditional Palestinian dress,
Just like my grandma wore, was crumpled to the floor, wailing loudly.
Help, said the flight service person. Talk to her. What is her
Problem? we told her the flight was going to be four hours late and she
Did this.

I put my arm around her and spoke to her haltingly.
Shu dow-a, shu- biduck habibti, stani stani schway, min fadlick,
Sho bit se-wee?

The minute she heard any words she knew—however poorly used—
She stopped crying.

She thought our flight had been canceled entirely.
She needed to be in El Paso for some major medical treatment the
Following day. I said no, no, we’re fine, you’ll get there, just late,

Who is picking you up? Let’s call him and tell him.
We called her son and I spoke with him in English.
I told him I would stay with his mother till we got on the plane and
Would ride next to her—Southwest.

She talked to him. Then we called her other sons just for the fun of it.

Then we called my dad and he and she spoke for a while in Arabic and
Found out of course they had ten shared friends.

Then I thought just for the heck of it why not call some Palestinian
Poets I know and let them chat with her. This all took up about 2 hours.

She was laughing a lot by then. Telling about her life. Answering
Questions.

She had pulled a sack of homemade mamool cookies—little powdered
Sugar crumbly mounds stuffed with dates and nuts—out of her bag—
And was offering them to all the women at the gate.

To my amazement, not a single woman declined one. It was like a
Sacrament. The traveler from Argentina, the traveler from California,
The lovely woman from Laredo—we were all covered with the same
Powdered sugar. And smiling. There are no better cookies.

And then the airline broke out the free beverages from huge coolers—
Non-alcoholic—and the two little girls for our flight, one African
American, one Mexican American—ran around serving us all apple juice
And lemonade and they were covered with powdered sugar too.

And I noticed my new best friend—by now we were holding hands—
Had a potted plant poking out of her bag, some medicinal thing,

With green furry leaves. Such an old country traveling tradition. Always
Carry a plant. Always stay rooted to somewhere.

And I looked around that gate of late and weary ones and thought,
This is the world I want to live in. The shared world.

Not a single person in this gate—once the crying of confusion stopped
—has seemed apprehensive about any other person.

They took the cookies. I wanted to hug all those other women too.
This can still happen anywhere.

Not everything is lost.

”

- Naomi Shihab Nye (b. 1952), “Wandering Around an Albuquerque Airport Terminal.” I think this poem may be making the rounds, this week, but that’s as it should be. (via oliviacirce)

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Sat, 18 May 2013 16:20:25 -0400

Meow

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:20:00 -0400

Meow

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Sat, 18 May 2013 16:19:00 -0400

bijou1986: A Mom went to have dinner with her son who lives...

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:18:50 -0400

bijou1986:

A Mom went to have dinner with her son who lives with his roommate.
During the course of the meal, his mother couldn’t help but notice how handsome his roommate was. She had been suspicious about her sons sexuality but being a good mother she felt that he would let her know if and when the time was right but seeing the two together just made her more curious.

Over the course of the evening, while watching the interaction between the two she wondered even more if there was more here than meets the eye. Her son, sensing his mothers watchfully eye volunteered, “really Mom, I can tell what you’re thinking and you can just get it out of your mind, we are just roommates and nothing more”.

About a week later the roommate remarked, “ever since your mother was here the silver serving platter has been missing, do you think she took it?”

He responded, “Well I’m sure she didn’t but I will email her and ask just to be sure” he sat down and wrote:

Hey Mom
I’m not saying you did take the silver platter from the house and I am not saying you didn’t take it but the fact remains that it has been missing ever since you were here for dinner.
Love,
Your Son.

A couple days later he got a response from his mother:

Dear Son,
I am not saying that you do sleep with your roommate and I am not saying that you don’t sleep with him and you know I love you and could care less either way but the fact remains that if he was sleeping in his own bed he would have found the platter under his pillow.
When are the two of you coming for dinner?
Love,
Mom

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Sat, 18 May 2013 16:18:18 -0400

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Sat, 18 May 2013 16:17:52 -0400

fdny: The Subway Simulator tunnel extension that was built at...

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:52:21 -0400

fdny:

The Subway Simulator tunnel extension that was built at the FDNY Fire Academy last year. Firefighters and EMS members train on this full-scale replica of an underground subway tunnel every day.

Is it just me or is it weird to think subway tunnels are beautiful!

“Elephants have been known to die of broken hearts if a mate...

Sat, 18 May 2013 14:33:53 -0400

“Elephants have been known to die of broken hearts if a mate dies. They refuse to eat and will lay down, shedding tears until they starve to death. They refuse all human help.”

"I enjoy talking to you. Your mind appeals to me."

Sat, 18 May 2013 09:36:07 -0400

“I enjoy talking to you. Your mind appeals to me.”

- George Orwell, 1984 (via wickedbabylon)

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Sat, 18 May 2013 09:35:57 -0400

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Sat, 18 May 2013 09:34:14 -0400

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Sat, 18 May 2013 09:34:02 -0400

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Sat, 18 May 2013 09:33:58 -0400

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Sat, 18 May 2013 09:33:32 -0400

Your hands were made to create, not to destroy

Sat, 18 May 2013 09:31:00 -0400

Your hands were made to create, not to destroy

I am addicted

Sat, 18 May 2013 09:21:47 -0400

I am addicted

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Sat, 18 May 2013 09:21:38 -0400