Great Hopes...

My birthday was a few days ago and although, I was too busy with all my work and the final exam for my masters, I still was so happy to know that there are lots of family, and good friends who cared enough to greet me, send me presents, and prepare a surprise party for me that eventually was cancelled because I didn’t feel that I should be celebrating this year.

Every year that passes by I review my last year's list of resolutions, and goals. I realize that some of the goals were achieved, I thank Allah for that, and then I make a new list of goals and resolutions. This ritual started in the last couple of years at collage after reading about the importance of “goal setting” and making a “personal mission statement”.

Some may find this ritual neurotic; some may say I'm over-managing and some may argue that I have oversized dreams. For the people who knows me well, they know that I never really give a damn for what people say or think about me as long as I believe that I'm doing what's right for me, and that what I'm doing is doing no harm to anyone.

I had a deep sense that I knew where I was going, what I wanted out of life and how to get there. I believed that I had to remain good, keep the faith, work hard and be patient.

I remember in 2008 when I left working at a big international company and went to work at a community pharmacy for half the salary. I left the company because, I felt that working there wasn't the right thing for me and the future at this company wasn't what I wanted. I took a temporary job at a community pharmacy, I never though a “temporary job” could last for 7 months! I really enjoyed working there and made good relations with lots of customers and people regarded me as a trusted friend. I acted as the Manager and managed almost everything even getting medication from suppliers to the pharmacy. I got a lot of interviews, but I rejected most of the offers, not because of the salary (which in most cases higher than my salary at the community pharmacy back then), I rejected those offers because I believed I would be taking a step back and it wouldn’t add anything and wouldn’t lead me to the path I'm searching for. I used the extra time in the pharmacy when there were no customers to study French and read books. I learned a lot, I never lost vision of where I wanted to be. I went to all interviews even of companies that weren't known to me, because I believed that sometimes opportunities may be found in the most unexpected places.

One day I got a phone call. It was a job interview at a fancy hotel. The interviewing company's name wasn't familiar. I decided to go, as I had nothing to loose. I ended up getting the job. It was a national company that was an agent for a multinational Japanese medical devices company. I felt that this is the place for me and this is the path I wanted. I felt that all the waiting and job searching has come to a successful end, the future can only get better from here. That was true until the few last months of 2010.

Things never stay the same. Today, I'm sad to say that I, for some reason, don't know where I want to go from here. I have no list of goals or resolutions this year.

My only goal for this year is to find the “List of Goals”, to rediscover my path. I still have great hopes, and believe that Allah will guide me to find that list, but for the time being I’ll just enjoy the simple things in life and live like there is no tomorrow.

This was a year full of events …

·      This is the year I got engaged.

·      The year I also, agreed with my ex-fiancée that it’s better for both of us to separate.

·      The year I met a good number of new people who eventually became very close friends. The year I also, strengthened relationship with friends who weren’t very close, and now are more like family to me.

·      The year I got promoted and then quit my job only to return to it a few months later with a small raise.

·      The Year I started this Blog; the idea of this Blog was suggested by one of my new good friends.

·      The year we; the Free Egyptians, said our word and defeated a tyrant. I was one of the blessed ones who witnessed it from the very beginning.

Last year was the year of “The Found Treasure”… this year is the year of “Great Hopes”…  these are great hopes for a better future for me; by finding my “List of Goals” and great hope for Egypt and the Egyptians by finding their place among the great countries of the world…