He looked at me, reiterating my question; How many people thought that their life would turn out to be more successful or happier only if certain people disappear from their ways, thinking them the reason behind their suffering, then they found out they were wrong? He answered: I think they are many! And let me tell you the truth; I am one of those many! I have always thought that things in school or work would be better at the disappearance of certain people from the scene, or from the place.
I asked him: And what have you found?! He answered: To be honest, when my wish was realized, things did not change as much as I thought, but sometimes they got worse!
His words urged me to ask him: How so?! He replied: I remember when I was a high school student, every student tried to do his best to follow up with his lessons and achieve excellence, in a fierce competition between us. However, a colleague of ours was distinguished by his excellence and achieving the best grades, he was admired by all the students and teachers, but at the same time he has a modest spirit, supporting everyone who may be in need to understand difficult subjects, to have an advice regarding the method of studying, or to be encouraged. He was wonderful by all means. I had the thought that as soon as he would leave, I would have a better position and would get a greater attention than those around me, as I was the excellent one following him. One day, my wish came true after our colleague’s family moved to another city, and he moved to another school.
I wondered: And what happened?! He said: What I expected didn’t happen! The competition between us disappeared; I thought I would achieve excellence with no effort; the result was that I abandoned studying my lessons, I lost my excellence to come up with my worst results! Frankly, I missed that person a lot too! I lacked his encouragement, his help, and his presence, which positively motivated everyone around him. Here I smiled, saying: “Life, my friend, is a journey that we must realize it would be better and safer if we walk through it together, supporting each other like a floating boat: the more everyone learns to row together, the easier and happier their journey will be.
He paused for minutes, then said: you have mentioned that humanity is closely linked to the love man bears in his depths, what do you mean?! I found my thoughts, with the echo of his words, travelling in a vast space, moving between scenes and situations I had lived or read about, to stop with all reverence before people who had hearts full of love, which glowed in the lives of others to give them happiness. Then I gathered my letters and words, saying: Yes, God’s greatest gift to humanity is love derived from His Holy Entity, love featured with cleanness and purity, love that feels the pain and sorrows of others and shares them their joy, love that finds its way through works of mercy and making every man happy, even if his life are few days! I paused for a little, before saying: …To be continued.
General Bishop
Head of Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
