July 25, 1955
Dear Ghassan,
Thank you for the most wonderful and romantic letter I have ever received. I will cherish it always. The day I received it, I jumped with delight when I saw that it was postmarked from Syria. As I sat to read it, the tears streamed down my face from pure joy. Your words are so beautifully poetic. I couldn’t put it down for the rest of the day. I held it for a while in my hand and carried it in my pocket everywhere I went. That night (and every night since), I slept with it beneath my pillow. I think I dreamed of you until the morning when I awoke. As I write this letter, yours is placed just above. It truly brings me happiness and lifts me above the dreariness of this wretched place.
I find myself yearning terribly for Stuttgart. The memory of our day at Wilhelma is also clear in my mind. It was like a dream – a sun-filled dream. Here in Aberdeen, it seems, its always wet and cold. Even when the sun shines, I still feel a chill. I often go to the seaside and stare longingly at the horizon as the cold wind, whipping off the icy waters, conspires to blow me asunder. The knowledge that across those waters lies the land that brought us together, a place to which we’ll return to soon, is the blanket that warms me. Never before have I so desperately wanted to return to school!
As much as I would like to shout your name from the top of every mountain, I have only told my closest girlfriend about you. When I first returned home, I asked my father what he knew about Syria. He practically dismissed me on the spot. With a wave of the hand, he muttered something about Russia and left the room. When I pressed him further, his words frightened me into silence. I am so eager to share my happiness with anyone who will listen, but now I am truly afraid of my father’s response. My mother would be sure to tell my father, so I have avoided confiding in her as well. In my nightly prayers, I have asked God for guidance, but he seems unresponsive. Oh, Ghassan, the secret is gnawing away at my heart!
Please write again and tell me more about your wonderful homeland. I’m sure to you it all seems quite ordinary, but to me, reading your descriptions is like reading passages from an adventure book; a novel where the hero travels to exotic lands full of bizarre and fascinating treasures. I wish, too, with everything that I am, that I could be there with you. But, I keep reminding myself that September is only a little over a month away, and then we’ll be together in Stuttgart once again.
Until then, I wish you well, my dear, sweet, Ghassan.
Sincerely, with love,
Alexandra
(to be continued)
Mariyah
abufares
abufares said,
November 20, 2008 at 10:00 am
No compact literary form comes close to matching the exquisite beauty of the Art of Letters. Alas though it is becoming a lost art.
Letters between \”intelligent\” and \”sensitive\” lovers are a joy to read, especially with the passage of years.
They are like vintage wine, to be enjoyed in the stillness of night and in the warmth of an open hearth.
saint said,
November 20, 2008 at 10:47 am
Waked up early today, went to the computer and found your 8 episode; still flowing delicately and preciously. Then went through your selection of songs for Ghassan and Alexandra, then thought if a new song from this time to describe their longing it would be this song for Leann Rimes, How do l Live .. : http://www.last.fm/music/LeAnn+Rimes/_/How+Do+I+Live?autostart
Mariyah said,
November 20, 2008 at 1:34 pm
To Abu Fares: I thought a lot about the art of letter writing as I wrote the last two posts. It is a dying art and that really is a shame. I think nowadays people forget how thrilling it would be to receive something as beautiful and precious as a love-letter…a handwritten one.
To Sait: Thank you for the musical suggestion. Leann Rimes has such a lovely voice and the song does suit the story very well. I’m glad you’re still enjoying the story.
Gabriela said,
November 20, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Hello Mariyah:
New episode… I was so thrilled to find it today.
I totally agree with you when you say that people nowadays ignore how thrilling is to receive a letter. I even have a post about it.
Keep on giving us this lovely story.
Gabriela said,
November 21, 2008 at 12:40 am
As you said, it’s a shame that new generations will never enjoy the delight of getting letters from friends all over the world. There is something about letters that makes them irreplaceable.
I try to keep the tradition alive, too. That makes two of us, and hopefully there are more.