In the midst of darkness, there's always light

By THERESA ATEYA

When I was young, I was fascinated by creative writing. I loved it as a fine art. One story I started writing was about an old man who lived by the seashore. I continued writing it for five years, during the time I moved from high school to college.

The story reflected my experiences and dreams. It was written in a style that expressed tenderness and power.

The two main characters were the old man and a young girl. Together, both characters played on the strings of a guitar – the experiences of the past and the aspirations of the future – creating a sweet melody full of life.

The old man lived in a small hut made of wild reeds on the seashore. The floor was covered with sand.

Although he could not see, he spent most of his time at the seashore, amazed at its power and serenity. He stored within himself all that he could feel and grasp from the resources around him for the benefit of those who might speak with him in the future.

God wanted to compensate this old man’s lack of vision by giving him a powerful and deeper sight that is rare to find.

The old man was able with his inner eye to examine the beauty of God’s creation. People who talked with him were filled with confidence and peace.

The young girl used to come to his hut every day after school. She would talk with him and spend time enjoying his simple, quiet life, looking at the waves and the sand or sunset or sunrise.

Sometimes, she accompanied her friends on those visits to chat and have fun with that wonderful old man. He told them about his experiences in life and shared with them his dreams and hopes.

None of those friends thought that the old man lacked the normal vision they all enjoyed. They were confident that he had an inner eye, rare to find, which made him see like they did and even greater.

With this great power of inner vision, the old man taught the young girl how to steer her boat in the sea of life.

The young girl was the physical eye for the old man. She spent a lot of time describing to him the colors, forms, sizes and shapes around them. Consequently, the old man would start sharing the description, and in his kind voice, he would build upon it, adding to the minute details, and so both would enjoy the moment.

There were many times when the girl wished to offer him one of her eyes as a symbol of love and appreciation.

I stopped writing this story years ago. Although the story is unfinished, the main theme remains unchanged. It is the story of humanity when we see it with our natural eyes. But, where is this inner vision that can pierce through the surface of things and perceive the bottom of the human psyche?

A surprise was in store for me. Such an eye is a reality that exists among us.

Dr. Nabil Solomon has been endowed with the grace of giving and the spirit of love. By career, he was a neurologist and a professor at a school of medicine in Florida. Then, he moved to California.

With the inner eye that God favored him, he used his talents in professional counseling. The combination of his academic background and his inner vision produced a distinguished personality able to examine people, not only clinically, but psychologically. He has a character that is rejuvenating continuously like the waves of the ocean.

Many people spoke with him about their experiences as he sailed far and wide, bringing out the wealth of their hidden lives. He would listen to their worries attentively. With his skills and talent, he would carry them to a safe haven.

His ability to grasp and absorb the details of people’s stories have made Solomon a powerful person in a positive way.

People got to know that at the end of the tunnel, there is always a ray of hope, even though mist and clouds hide light for a time.

Those were varied experiences of many people who dealt with him. I hope I was able to express some of those experiences to the best of my ability.

Dear Reader: If you are one of those people who love the ocean and its many gifts, or one who knows, or wishes to know, its power; and if you walked along the seashore, or imagined doing so, and if you were ever received by someone with a big smile that carried your hopes from sunset to sunrise; and if you dealt with someone who earned your respect and appreciation for his great deeds, then perhaps you have met the doctor with his modest attitude and power.

We wish him and his family a joyful life.

And what do we wish for ourselves? We wish the blessing of the inner eye.

This takes me back to a dialogue that ran between the old man and the young girl in my story.

In my story, the old man and the young girl talked from sunset through sunrise.

Then the girl stopped talking and the old man asked her, “Do you like the sunrise?” She answered, “Yes, but I have never seen one as beautiful as the one right now.”

The old man wondered why. She said: “Because today I see the beauty in your eyes. Because today I see it through your eyes.”



Theresa Ateya is a resident of Johnstown.