Sylvia's Journal

I woke up with yet another variation of the cold that I brough to Afghanistan, where it took on local characteristics, and then brought back to Manchester-by-the-Sea. It is a cold that drains me and makes my eyes red. It also leaves a trail of crumpled tissues. I miss the abundant Kleenex boxes that were always replenished by some invisible hand in the MSH guesthouse and office in Kabul.

I also woke up from a dream that had threads of Afghanistan woven throughout. Something about going alone to a dangerous place, where I was taken under false pretenses; once there I had to fend for myself. There were people to advise me and pointed me in directions that required following dark passages and stumbling over sleeping children. Somewhere along my stumblings through the dark I found my friend Suzy who was there with a group of law students. They were looking for opportunities to do good work.

I had earlier visited her sister and we had had a ceremony with a bunch of people. I had given them a picture of a few women in Burqa holding hands with small children. I remember pointing out that the picture answered the question why we were there. I remember saying “lillah” which would mean ‘for God’ in Arabic – fancy that, dreaming in Arabic! But one of the women in the group pasted her own picture over the one I had given. I tried to be light-hearted about it, making some off-hand comment but it fell on deaf ears. Lucikly her photo only partially stuck and dangled at an angle, revealing some of photo underneath. I continued my stumble in that dangerous place until a weird sound (my alarm) brought me back to this world.

It is always hard to get back into the going-to-work routine after a trip, getting up when it is still dark. But seeing my friends and colleagues again makes it all worthwhile. It was nice to see everyone at the office. I received big hugs from people who know I am in my third life. I have experienced, now twice, what most people would consider the scariest things that could happen to anyone. Actually, only my body knows exactly, my mind only parts of it. I can see them thinking, what was it like (with the accent on like)!

I spent the morning training with colleagues from other organizations, for a virtual conference that we will be facilitating and that takes place next week. I like such online trainings and events because you can multi-task while being on the phone and online. Right in the middle of the conference call I won an Alden Ocean shell on E-bay which I am going to pick up next weekend on Cape Cod. Imagine that, rowing out off the Cove when the sea is like a mirror. I cannot wait!

On my way home I went to see my Senegalese friend Fatou who is recovering from surgery in Salem hospital. I found her starved for food as she refused the hospital meals. It was funny that it was me this time to feed Fatou, who, during the summer and fall, has fed us and a cast of thousands the most amazing meals. The best I could do for her was a McD’s meal, a far cry from her elaborate African spreads, but it was exactly what she wanted.

Back home I did not last long. I picked at the leftover hambone from our Easter event and went to bed with a book at 8:00 to fall asleep around 8:30 while Axel was slugging away at his computer to get our taxes done on time. He filed 20 minutes before the deadline. I always give him a hard time and he always delivers in the end, making it a much closer call than I am comfortable with. But still, he delivered and we will get a refund. A high-five for Axel and now on with our lives.