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Published: Fri 25 Jul 2014, 8:24 PM

Updated: Tue 7 Apr 2015, 10:48 PM

Best Letter

Cheers, kind souls

The article, The Kindness of Strangers (Jul 18), resonated so well with my collective experiences in the UAE, that I felt I had to pen down something regarding it — as a gesture of gratitude to the many strangers who have helped us out here. We have recently shifted to the UAE and are still coming to grips with living in a new city, replete with strangers and uncomfortably aware how without a support system we are at the moment. It is the kindness of the residents of this beautiful country that has made our transition smoother.

Without a vehicle of our own, we are regular commuters on the taxi and bus network and we have many anecdotes on how helpful people here have been when we miss our bus, take the wrong one or get off at the wrong place — all of which happen with striking regularity! Even more forthcoming have been the taxi drivers, many of who have gone out of their way to help us reach our destinations. Most remarkably, we’ve received assistance at the time of Maghrib, when people would understandably be eager to get to Iftar.

The stunning diversity of people here makes it all the more praiseworthy — it is reassuring how people across cultures and faiths reach out to strangers in need.

I, for one, would love to be part of more ‘melting pot’ experiences. I wish for more open house art festivals and music concerts promoting local talent as well as that of the various communities living here. All this would truly be keeping with the spirit here.

Please keep bringing us these refreshing articles. And may we all experience ever more kindness from strangers!


Time out!

The article No Work, No Worry (July 18) was an eye-opener, especially for the workaholic who always boasts that his job is his first wife. People working for a year also need to ‘switch off’ for a month, which is why international labour laws stipulate a paid-leave of two-and-a-half days per month. But some employees do not avail their vacation and opt to encash the leave and air fares from their companies instead.

But regular newspaper readers will not have forgotten the report about an American workaholic who died of heart attack on his office table on a Friday evening a few years ago. When he was found sitting on his chair, leaning over the table, late in the evening, everyone thought he was still working, as he used to leave the office last every day. It was only the following Monday morning, when the office boy noticed the man in the same leaning position and alerted the police, that they discovered he had died more than 60 hours before, i.e., before finishing his work on Friday. So beware, oh, workaholics and holiday-skippers!

Rasheed Iqbal, Chennai


Slippery slopes

This is regarding The Oily Truth (July 18). It was not long ago that we read about coconut oil being the cause for high cholesterol and what have you. The same was said about ghee (clarified butter) though Ayurvedic doctors always 
insisted it was good for health. These conflicting researches are not just limited to oil but to other foodstuffs too (eggs, for instance). All these health articles only seem to confuse the already confused layman who is ready to try anything to gain a healthy mind and body, despite the stressful, sedentary lifestyle he leads. I, for one, have come up with a thumb rule to beat this: eat everything in moderation, so that the variety gives you all the nutrients required and the moderation keeps you from going overboard.

Shamim Mir, by email


Loving it live

The adrenaline rush of watching your idol live in an arena, rubbing shoulders with like-minded fans, shedding tears of joy, and perhaps even posing for an autographed picture afterwards are all memories to cherish for a lifetime (Live & Kicking, July 18). It’s why I will never regret the impulse purchase of a ticket to Paris in June 1993 to watch the finals of the French Open between the then-reigning champion, Pete Sampras, and upcoming Spanish star, Sergi Bruguera. The emotion that filled the stands was contagious; the thrills that ran through me that day are difficult to describe. I have religiously followed tennis championships ever since, but the excitement I experienced on the mud courts that year is incomparable. Those of you who have just returned from the exuberance of the World Cup in Brazil will understand when I say I will forever treasure my ticket stub and signed photograph with the jubilant Bruguera much more than watching a match in a roomful of cheering fans in front of a curved LED screen!

Francisco E, by email



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