Carpet

A few years back I had the good fortune to be able to visit a beautiful city, full of delightful, tolerant friendly people. That city was Damascus. I visited there at the end of Ramadan one year. The Moslems were fasting, but were happy to allow the Christians the right to eat during the daylight hours. At Eid the Moslem stalls closed in the market. They reopened on Sunday when the Christian stalls were closed. People welcomed us to their city as though we were friends, not strangers. While there I bought this carpet. It is on my living room floor now and when I look at it, I remember the people of Syria and the tolerance and friendliness. I remember being in a minibus on the highway to Palmyra - stopping at a cafe on Route 66 :) I remember the driver, who did not speak English, playing Tom Jones songs on the sound system. I remember a lovely young girl suggesting that I go home to meet her brother, because he needed a wife, and she seemed to think I would make a good one. Remember Syria, remember Damascus, and let's convince the world to work for peace to reach them very soon.