Running backward

Sitting here at my desk, I'm hearing the dreamy voice of Mohamad Nouri, a famous, old, pop vocalist in Iran, who is singing about our motherland. Words are pouring out of his mouth & surrounding me like all those memories I've had in this country. All those beautiful scenes I've seen while walking in very ordinary but warm & unforgettable streets of it.

My country isn't in a good mood these days. Not only has our life been shadowed by dark clouds of war, but it also has some other unpleasant sides. The worst one is the lack of hope, I think. Hope to change, hope to see a better situation, hope to live in a better society, in a calmer mood. In spite of all social, cultural & even political reforms we are trying to make, there are lots of people who feel tired. Even lots of our social activists! That is the Achilles' heel of our reformative movements, in my opinion. Not being patient enough to stay and see the result of the ongoing match, lots of my friends are planning to leave the game! Considering the developing market of the English (and other foreign languages) training institutes in these years, we will find out how the dream of living somewhere other than their own country, has been popular among our compatriots. The more educated, young & fresh you are, the more tempted you will get to face leaving! It seems to be ironic that those who can be the only sources of change & reform, are the desperate ones, running away from the deteriorating situation of their country!

As the song is describing the sunrise & the sunset, the rain & the snow, the spring & the autumn of our beloved land, I'm thinking about my friends. Are they happy in their new homes? Haven't they missed any thing in their lives? Haven't been lost in a foreign culture? Hope not!