publish time

19/05/2019

publish time

19/05/2019

Ahmad-Al-Sarraf

It may be a coincidence that I know a relatively large number of retired diplomats, or maybe that it seems to me. Most of them served their country with dedication and were the best protectors of the country in difficult times. All of them have suffered from a feeling of estrangement and did not have the opportunity to make a fortune during the financial boom that Kuwait experienced in the past 40 years unlike some of those who remained put in their homeland.

Some of these diplomats did not even have the idea of owning a house or saving to buy one. Days and years passed in their life of estrangement outside their homeland without paying attention to what the future holds for them. When it was time to retire, they found that many things had changed and how the bare-footed had become millionaires and the unknown had become outstanding political and social figures.

I remembered a very large number of these diplomats who suffered some kind of bad luck when I read the following rhyming lines – which I changed a little – and this does not mean that the cruelty of some of the lines necessarily applies to all of them, it gives only a picture of the suffering of a diplomat who is often a source of envy for some without realizing the suffering of some of them, and perhaps the writer of the following text was one of those diplomats who suffered:

“The diplomat’s family is scattered, forgotten locally and internationally dubious, people think he is rich and the truth is that he is lonely, emotionally and physically tired, dealing with relatives electronically and his age is robbed daily, but he gives hope to himself.”

He travels to his family once every year, and spends the holidays by telephone and participates in the weddings and sorrows through telegrams. He created a virtual world for himself, in which he smiles, laughs, hates and grieves.

“In short, his life is just a suitcase, a passport and ceaseless travel. He is supposed to have no opinion of him politically, and he must follow literal integrity and be impartial in profession but he remains mentally preoccupied, and his emotion is totally worn out. His problems are not felt by others and are linked exclusively to him.

“He is a lover of his country’s land voluntarily. He is educated vertically and horizontally. He always takes care of his country’s history and inspires it emotionally. He is keen about the interests of his state, and thus defers his own interests automatically, a traveler in the countries of the world with satisfaction, honest and holds responsibility. He does not ask for reward and is always thankful and grateful. He responds well and accepts the criticism and in the end ... no solace for anyone who was a diplomat.”

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By Ahmad alsarraf