Feeling Pensive and Reflective

     It's cold in Morocco! I mean it, it is really cold, as in 34 degrees Fahrenheit cold. This is Africa for crying out loud, the land of leopard skin togas and bare feet, but here I am sitting a foot away from a portable heater while wrapped in thermal leggings and a wool coat! Where can I speak to someone about false advertising???
     All kidding aside, I'm serious about the cold here, and I'm serious when I say I wasn't expecting it. But this got me thinking about some of my other misconceptions about this remarkable country, misconceptions that were my reality until I was blessed enough to partake in this adventure. I am an educated woman, and I was fairly well-traveled before I ever moved here nearly two years ago, but I still had preconceived notions of what it was going to be like, and thankfully most of those have been blown right out of the water.
     I remember interviewing for the teaching job and speaking to the director. I told her that my biggest concern was that I wouldn't be able to be loud. I had it in my mind that all Muslim women behaved and represented themselves in a quiet and subservient manner, and well... I just couldn't take that! She laughed at me, and though she didn't get into specifics, she assured me that I would have no problem with my volume.
     I was also terribly nervous about the fact that my son is left handed. How would he eat? Would they scold him, or kick us all out of restaurants? Would he be ostracized? Now, reading these words, I roll my eyes at my ignorance and my ridiculousness. The fact of the matter is, however, how was I to know?
     As I look on at the problems and issues in the world, it has become completely apparent that they almost always stem from fear of the unknown. I am not the first to make that claim, nor will I be the last, but I see its relevance and truth now more than ever. Luckily, I was not afraid to move to Morocco. Luckily, I was not afraid of what I did not know... nervous, sure, but not afraid. Had I been, I doubt I would have experienced all of the incredible people and places I've been fortunate enough to witness.
     It is my belief that fear often breeds hate and hate almost always breeds pain. There is such pain in the world, and I  know there always has been, but I suppose with technology and media, it is easier to see and feel these days, and I just wish people would choose to learn about what they don't know. I honestly believe that if you truly take the time to learn about something, your fear dissipates and empathy and understanding take its place.
     Here is an example some of you may be able to relate to: I am terrified of math and spiders, and yes, I HATE them both. I have a delightful math teacher as my next door neighbor, and he is a lovely man, but the minute he brings up an algebraic equation, I shut down and glare in horror. As for spiders, I do not think that ANY creature has the right to possess eight of anything, and their mere presence sends me into fits of panic. My son, however, loves them both. He finds math compelling and challenging, and he is intrigued by the ability and strength of my 8-legged foe. He learns about them both in school, and he has an increasing understanding of each, which in turn, brings me to my point... I hate both of those things, because I do not understand them, and that misunderstanding is the cause of my fear.
     Now I realize the world's problems are far more complex than the childish trepidation of an academic subject and disgusting bug, but the philosophy behind it is the same. I know that if I learned a little bit more about those two things, I would understand them better, and though I may not ever LOVE them, I doubt I would hate them as much as I do. I think it is the same thing with people and with the cultures and religions of the world.
     Perhaps this is too simple of a theory, maybe, but I will tell you this... Morocco is nothing like I thought it would be. The women are LOUD and boisterous, and the people couldn't care less if my son eats with his left hand, and they laugh and smile at silly jokes and sarcasm, and we all love a good coffee. There are several things that still don't make sense to me, but at least I understand that the majority of the people I've met are kind, loving, and exceptionally welcoming. I'm so thankful that I did not allow the fear of the unknown to deter me from this gift, and I wish more people would make the choice to set aside fear and allow for humanity to take its place.

Excerpt from The Collection- My Newest Novel

               Sarah’s eyes were closed, but it was easy to see that they were moving violently from underneath their lids. Her breathing was staggered and frantic, and her legs had become completely entangled with the sheets on her bed. Her warm, soft comforter had been kicked to the ground, and Sarah was shivering in response to being fully exposed to the chill in the air. She reached her hand up to her neck and began to gasp, her eyes still shut. Her mouth opened, but there was no sound, just a deafening silence that permeated throughout her room.

                In a last ditch effort of survival, Sarah’s eyes snapped open and she sat up with her hands balled into tight fists. She kicked her legs viciously, trying desperately to free them from their restraints. She could not die this way. She could not allow the shadow to force her into an eternal sleep. She fought and fought, striking her fists into the air, missing her target over and over again, until she could do nothing but peer into the darkness and collapse into tormented tears. She sobbed and pleaded for her life, but the shadow remained vigilant in his oppression, and as the darkness covered her eyes once more, she finally released a scream.