just an extraordinary man

He is my knight in a shining armor…my hero…my angel…my savior…my inspiration… He’s been my companion for years, my true friend and soul mate…

He was there with me when I was a little girl, and as I grew up he was guiding me and was the one to supply my mind and soul with so many noble, classic and chivalry thoughts and manners…that despite the life we’re living, still breathing somewhere inside of me. Today is a special day…and I decided I might talk about him just a little bit.

Well, first I’d like to take a few lines to describe him…how he looked and how he was…
He was a fairly tall, well built and a rather handsome fellow With fair hair and light coloured eyes; sparkling eyes…eyes that used to look at you in a way as if saying “hello, nice to meet you” and actually meaning it…smart eyes that were always observing and wandering; memorizing… His cheeks were red; it’s not as if he looked childish but he had a fair -enough- complexion that made every detail in his face as clear as the sun, and his cheeks were always in a raised position where you might think they’re about to touch his lower eyelashes at a certain point as he smiled…and it seemed as if he was born smiling, for the smile was barely off his face. And two very lovely dimples (I love dimples) that used to show off as he smiled; that’s how he looked…

He was a true knight and a great rider. And above that, he had all the noble characteristics of a proper knight. He was a true honest man, a light hearted one too. He was usually mistaken for an ordinary funny and romantic guy, one who only thought of love and romance. Hardly anyone ever saw through what he was thinking or talking about all the time. And this I learned from him; I don’t have to say it out loud and clear unless it’s worth it and I’m sure it’ll make the difference it’s supposed to make; other than that, I’ll say it my way and those who’ll get it, are those who are meant for that…and nothing else matters.
He made a joke out of everything in life, even if the joke had to be on him or the ones he loved. At a certain point in his life, for the sake of the joke; he’d have gladly given his life.
He was a very loving son to a brilliant father, who was in fact only a more sophisticated version of his son! And yet was so simple and raw that you might never notice how deep he really was. Once he was supposed to finish a book written by his father after he had died (his father was a well noted poet and writer). His father wrote about 400 pages and there were about a 100 more to go. He had it finished in 10 pages! And it didn’t feel so much different, they said. It felt all the same as if written by the father but only very much summarized! What a man!

He was the first to tell me about Love in all its forms. He was the reason why I’m enjoying my life to the fullest. He was the first to tell me that love was not only a way to get a guy; but a way to live life lovingly…he was the one who told me that I better not waste my emotions unless I was a thousand percent sure, and that it’s not wrong to confess Love even if you won’t be with your love after all, just letting people know about the Love in your heart is the point; possession is nothing of Love. Love means freedom; and it cannot live imprisoned, neither possessed. He taught me how to keep my love in my heart and mind. And never let go of memories that one day meant the whole world. Because there might come a day when I might need those memories; when they would probably be my only companion.
He showed me the greater kind of Love; Love for your home and where you grew up, Love for your family in which you have no choice, Love for the sake of Love itself. He showed me that for Love, I should gladly give my life…even if it meant to be killed by the hands of those I loved…again it’s all about ALL the Love in the world! He showed me how to forgive, even if I never loved; no matter how big the mistake was, simply because forgiveness is the noblest of all human feelings. And he also showed when to never forgive or forget, no matter how small the fault was.

Now; I’m really grateful for this. Among the things he taught me was a brilliant way to spend any class sleeping without anyone noticing it! Or how to trick some people into a certain….no, I won’t say that…it’s a trick! He believed that no one needs anything to be creative in something, because it’s all about faith…in God & yourself to start!
He is my all time favorite person, and I bet if he had lived till this day…I would wanted to be his shadow, just his shadow…but he came and gone before my time but never even slightly failed to capture my heart, mind, tears and laughs….
He made me cry till I had no more tears in my eyes to shed
He made me laugh till I felt that I’m just one laugh away from losing my breath forever

I’ve been with many people in his company….and creatures! Not just many people; ALL kinds of people
I’ve been with kings, queens, knights, poets, great writers, rebels, riots, warriors, leaders, lovers, liars, tramps, actors, doctors, even fishermen, undefined characters; and they’re countless…but somehow they found their way in his world.
I’ve even been with Angels and Devils…

If it were for me, I’d say he’s the most decent, intellect, sweet-mannered, hilarious, romantic and realistic writer ever lived in this country. I have to stop here, or I’ll never stop.

On a day like this one, he was born; to make my life only slightly different
Killed by those whom he loved & defended, till his last breath!...
what a life!!! May God bless his soul, may he rest in peace…I’m sure he is.

ماذا سيكون تأثير الموت علي؟
وعلى الآخرين؟ لا شيء..
ستنشر الصحافة نبأ موتي
كخبر مثير ليس لأني مت
بل لأن موتي سيقترن
بحادثة مثيرة.

يوسف السباعي

من رواية طائر بين المحيطين 1971