"an impressive and beautiful edifice, the Dome of the Rock..." Photo Elroyie David

For those who might read my first letter in the series getting out of Gaza, and start to think that I am over reacting to a trip that takes two hours approximately, I would say to them that for me and for many other Palestinians in Gaza, it was not only a trip of a two hours period, it was a life time trip, a window that opened suddenly and allowed the fresh air to come in with the essence of joyful times that I might not have the chance to experience again.

Life is never fair, for some people things are so easy and available, while for others, it is only a dream, a far away dream that can not come true so easily, and this was the case with me. To investigate the reason behind not applying for a permit before to leave Gaza, I can not find a direct answer, all I can say that the life in Gaza sometimes suffocated you, to the extent that it drained all the feelings of being a live, all the feelings of tasting and experiencing any source of joy, so why to try…… I wonder

After I reached the office in Jerusalem where I finally met with my colleagues whom I never saw before, and whom I knew through the phone, they decided to take me in a quick tour around, I felt so overwhelmed with excitement and anxiety, I refused to take a break or to rest especially I am an eight months pregnant, however, I did not feel the same feeling of tiredness as I used to feel in Gaza as if the air outside the borders of Gaza is a healthy fresh air that energizes you, provide you with an endless power.

We took the car, went around in East Jerusalem. The surprise that I found my self standing at the olives mountain, in front of my eyes was an endless scenes of beautiful landscape, trees, and out their it was standing, so old and new, so honorable and humble, an impressive and beautiful edifice, the Dome of the Rock, am I dreaming, is this all true, how hard it was for me, for the first time I can see this holy place on reality not only through the photos and tales of people who visited it before.

The experience was so hard on me that I suddenly broke into tears; I felt that I finally found my inner peace; the holiness of the place affected me entirely, captured my body and soul, I felt so weak and irresistible, I was crying like a baby who finally found what he lost since a long time. The mosque is out their standing in front of my eyes, with all its holiness, mystery and secrets, something unique, and a wonder to the world in its carvings, designs, and architecture.

The golden coverings of the Dome was glittering, as if it challenges all the attacks against it, and calls its people to come and pay it a visit, an attention. The glittering of the Domes’ exterior was so strong that no eye could look straight to it, it was so beautiful, I wanted to watch and watch, as if I got hypnotized by the holiness of the place, I felt that I am so attached to this place, and I don’t want to leave it or to see any other place. My heart was beating so hard, terrified, from the idea that this will be my first and last time to see it, and that I have to record every single tiny details so I can remember it, and recall it again. I was so scared to miss something that I should not miss, it is so strange this feeling that capture you, paralyzed you whenever you see a holy, old, majestic, and a mysterious thing.

I wanted to fly over the place, and to see every corner, to touch every stone, to listen to every whisper that the walls, the alleyways, the stones can tell or say, but I know that I need ages to understand the whole mystery about this holy place.

Knowing that I can not go so close as I was in a quick look at the city, but I can’t keep the feelings of excitement to crushed me until Friday come, so I go and pray at the Dome of the rock, my precious place.

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July 20, 2008 By Najwa Sheikh, in Gaza. Najwa Sheikh's blog: http://www.najwa.tk/