Another Joy on Al’s Birthday, Along with the Remembrance of the Fortieth Anniversary in exile.

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Recently, I’ve been overwhelmed by memories and dreams that take me back to the past, recalling the unforgettable times when Al and I faced our ups and downs and challenging moments.

I avoid saying things like “happy heavenly birthday” because birthdays are truly earthly, not heavenly! In heaven, every day might be a birthday!
And I believe it’s simply a traditional custom to use these anniversaries as reminders. However, I remember Al daily and in everything I do, and I can’t help but think of him and his lessons.

One of these memories is our arrival in Germany after fleeing Iran, and this time, it feels somehow significant because it marked the fortieth anniversary. We arrived at Düsseldorf airport in the evening on October 19th.

Although we had a close friend in the city, we didn’t want to trouble him. We considered renting a hotel room, but it was too costly. An airport staff member overheard us and suggested, “Why not sleep on a couch at the airport for the night?” We appreciated the kind idea, and even if it wasn’t as comfortable as a hotel, it was free!

Before we carried out that experiment, we took a walk through the large airport. As I clearly remember, in the department where packages are received, two older women were trying to manoeuvre their luggage onto a trolley, although the suitcases seemed too heavy for them.
Al reacted quickly and helped them load the items onto the trolley. One of the women, thankfully, took some coins from her purse and offered them to Al, but he refused immediately and turned away. They were quite surprised, and I later learned that such acts are common in Germany, although Al felt a bit offended. Honestly, that money could have been useful to us, but Al was very proud, and it didn’t suit his class!

Anyway, that was a remarkable memory of that period, and I thought I would share it here, on his seventy-third earthly birthday. Yes, as I might repeat, every day is a birthday in heaven, as well as Christmas!

Happy Birthday, Al, my beloved brother. 💖

15 thoughts on “Another Joy on Al’s Birthday, Along with the Remembrance of the Fortieth Anniversary in exile.”

  5. I totally agree re the birthday bit. In my heart is where I wish these to those who have gone. And you have done that with this post because you never forget him and you never will. every year you bring him back for us to see the kind of person he was. And you have done it again with these wonderful stories.

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