In the waiting area ...

Traveling is always a source of interesting adventures and stories. I don't have many interesting traveling stories, however, because I am who I am, airports are always an inspiration to many stories and thoughts!!

One of the things that I like about international airports, aside that I get to see all those big birds, is people. People in airports are different. Airport is like a very representative sample of life. (The Terminal -- awesome movie) So, for all those faces, people with different stories behind them, I inquire my self in a bubble, psychologically of course, and just observe. A teacher in high school said that people who look at peoples faces all the time are SICK! I don't know about that. It is not like I stare at them; it is a glimpse of behaviors, facial expression, or attitudes, that make me wonder what life did they had that made them become the people they are!

So, I was in London on transient one time. Waiting for the plane to Amman. Setting in the airport I noticed this guy who has been in the same plane with me from the states. Very noticeable, his choice of clothing just couldn't be more "awkward," at least from my point of view. His clothes were clean, neat, and everything ... but let me put it this way, it was a failure clubbing outfit! Few minutes later, I found myself thinking of all those people I see in the states, coming dreaming about the American-Dream, and once they come they go all out!! Another few minutes, I found myself sort of resenting this guy. I looked at him as the guy who gives bad reputation to arabs and muslims out there. And, I just went on thinking, how those people never try to integrate, or understand the community they live in and deal with it. Rather, they chose to isolate themselves from it! I don't think we should dissolve in this culture, but at least understand it, and deal with it in the limits that we have as muslims. Anyways ... apparently I wasn't thinking about the guy anymore, but I just didn't like him!

huh .. Few minutes later, I fell down from that castle I built to myself and climbed willingly thinking that I'm better, to the bottom of a well. I felt so small, that I couldn't look at the guy's eyes. Yes, I didn't hurt him or anything, it was all in my brain. But still I felt sooooo small. What happened? The guy, practically slapped me in the face, and taught me a lesson that I will never forget! come on, wht did he do?
He pulled out a quran and started reading!

The reason I felt that small is that all my thoughts were trivial. All what matters is that at that specific moment, he packed on bunch ofhasanats, while I lost bunch!! That what matters ... and the rest was just B.S !

I used to somehow unconsciously believe that people can be categorized according to their behavioral patterns or other reasons, stereotyping that is! I thought that things come as packages. Like someone who does this thing, would never do that thing ... I never meant to think that way, but I was actually doing it ...
I knew the hadith about the guy who kept drinking and repenting, but he loves allah swt and the prophet pbuh. But the hadith didnt click. Now, thinking about it, humans are very complicated combinations of outputs that are the results of many factors surround them. Yes, similar surroundings can result in similar outputs, however, never ever there are the same exact environment, set aside the person's reaction to what ever he goes through.

May Allah forgive me for my thoughts, and give that guy a lot more hasanats!