Faith

By Nuha Dadesh

I was feeling conflicted and torn.
"Why am I here ?" "Why was I even born?" 
Pessimistic thoughts were taking over once again;
Life was getting boring and mundane!

But a hopeful thought started to flicker around
And I started to feel safe & sound.
Remembrance of my lord
That's what moved toward
Utter enchantment
Tranquility and contentment.
Relying on Him makes me secure
And my faith is what lets me endure
Whatever calamity comes my way!
And what a grace it is to pray
To the Creator of it all:
The skies, mountains & each rainfall

Power is Out. AGAIN!

By Nuha Dadesh
     A simple switch off could have the power to control an entire nation.
     As soon as I set foot in the, now destroyed, airport, I was welcomed with a power outage. And that was how my story with Libya’s infamous power cuts started!
     A baker making bread, a professor giving a lecture, a mom ironing clothes, a girl straightening her hair for a party, or a student having a late night studying session: they all come to a halt as the provision of electricity does too.
     Because life must go on, resolutions emerged. A prominent one is the power generators, and it didn’t take long for them to become widespread. However, their disadvantages led to further problems rather than a resolution. Firstly, their prices, never mind the need for benzene to fuel them, are absurdly costly. Moreover, a pounding stress results from the responsibility of maintaining them. In addition, they are an alarming hazard to the environment and dangerous. For instance, a man once lost a finger or two while trying to operate on one. Furthermore, a house burned down recently due to a power generator malfunction. Conclusively, Libyans have this thing where they don’t solve a problem from its roots; rather, they come up with solutions that center the problem without ever really eradicating it.
     Nevertheless, those with power generators are considered the “lucky” ones. When the blackout hits, the unlucky folks get to inhale the toxic air from the neighboring obnoxiously sputtering generators. The amount of hours that need to be endured without electricity usually coincides with the extent of dependency on it. For example, if it’s humid outside and an air conditioner is a desperate need, then there will be a power cut with a duration of eight hours or more. On more than one occasion, families had to deal with no longer functioning house appliances because a moron enjoyed pressing the switch on and off over and over again. Moreover, numerous businesses collapsed and others shut down. Ultimately, the power cuts’ torturing impacts exclude nobody dwelling in this North African land.
     The effects of the immense power cuts are endless. One of the incredibly frustrating consequences is the tedious Internet connection. Furthermore, countless homes end up with another shortage: water shortage. As for students, the will and zest to study diminishes as soon as the power goes out.
     The power cuts’ crucial timings and settings left the nation feeling cynical. There are areas that barely get to experience the misery of prolonged power cuts. But then again, how would a country indulge in a civil war if there wasn’t something vital for a living to skirmish over? No one genuinely knows the reason of the outrageous power cuts, but maybe it’s as one woman put it, “Our ticket for overthrowing Gaddafi.”
     “Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” Every family has become accustomed to a solution or a routine for the inevitable power outages. Oddly enough, the antipathy and the bitterness turns into radiating energy as each house gets its lights back on.