It was 4 in the morning and I was still awake since I was forced to bed by my grandmother at 1, I couldn’t sleep from the excitement, I was pretending asleep next to my grandmother when she woke up for Fajr prayer, it was so quiet except the sound of the golden clock ticking and the whispering prayers of my grandmother, is it 5:30 yet? I was wondering while watching my hanged thoub and white “ghetra” as I would be wearing it for the first time this Eid. During that Ramadan was the first time for me to stay all night awake until sunrise, and my sister and I used to get so excited to watch the sunrise while we were still awake, we have been always waiting for that moment with full excitement!
I didn’t want to leave bed yet to avoid being shouted at, until I heard the sound of my grandfather chatting with my grandmother, I got the courage to wake up and walk to them, he was getting ready for Eid prayers with a cup of tea, I was so excited for Eid that I got dressed before having shower, assuming that I had shower the night before after I got back from the barber, but my grandma insisted to shower me again because she thought showering on Eid day is a must! Which made me miss the Eid prayer with my grandfather who had promised me to take me with.
The excitement of Eid is all about family gatherings, kids getting “eidiyah” from relatives, elder people and parents, visiting relatives and wherever we go we get served lots of cookies, candy and nuts, and of course, Eidiyah is a must on top of all! In General Eid is considered as the happiest occasion in Arab/Muslim world that a lot of people wouldn’t miss spending it in their countries, and all my childhood memories with Eid were mostly at grandparent’s house where I had the happiest moment of that occasion.
Years after years, my grandmother has passed away and she has taken that spirit of Eid with her, which made me feel there was a blessing going on whenever she was around, even though my grandfather lived many years after her death, but it was never the same, until I got my scholarship to study abroad and spending years between Germany and London, I got back and since then, I was never enjoying Eid in Doha, I was looking for any excuse to travel considering Eid is a holiday that worths to spend abroad rather than staying home and I continued on until I got obsessed with motorcycling.
Since 2015 I never spent any Eid day in Qatar as I was always roaming around on the bike until I completely lost the value of that day and to me had no meaning considering it just another normal day with a silly celebration, we take the opportunity to wear new clothes and donate money here and there! But, only this year, I have decided to stay in Doha and to live the experience again of celebrating Eid with my parents and kids!
As I woke up on the sound of the prayers, I got my mixed feelings and emotions, remembering the moment when I was tucked in my grandmothers bed hesitating whether I wake up or pretend asleep, I stared at my hanging thoub and it was also on my left side which gave me a goosebumps, that feeling brought back my childhood excitement to get dressed and run to my father who would be probably at the family Majlis alone, and for sure he would need one of his sons around, by 6:00 I was next to him greeting family members and for the first time since years, I was enjoying every second of that Eid day, I felt proud seeing my girls dressed up as I suddenly noticed them grown up young ladies, I went back home full of memories and mixed feelings!
Normally on Eid’s day, everybody passes out after lunch especially after a whole month of Ramadan which brings a different lifestyle such is heavy meals before bed, lack of sleep and the whole schedule changes, I woke up nearly dark and started watching TV in bed, which played all vintage Eid songs, memories of the 80’s and videos shot back then that reminded me of my childhood, I spent the whole evening tearing up and regretting those years that I didn’t spend Eid in Qatar with the family, for sure my father would want me always to be next to him, taking him around for the family round visits, greeting visitors, my mom would want me to be around her, and my girls too.
I felt isolated in the Majlis observing everybody who were just few years ago kids, and now all grown up everybody knowing each other and I felt like this “uncle” who disappeared years ago and suddenly decided to show up, and those who spoke to me told they knew me from social media and asked about my motorcycling tours!
Around couple of days later, I had an interview with Qatar Radio and one of the questions I was asked: where would you prefer to spend Eid since you have been to all around the world? I got into this emotional moment and said Qatar, Qatar and Qatar, there no place in the whole world anyone would feel the spirit of Eid than Qatar, I strongly recommend everybody not to miss this day abroad, I regret and would never do it again. Now people who we love are around us, let us share the happiness with them, before they are gone and we regret it forever! As I was speaking, my voice was partially fading as I started tearing up.
Thanks God my parents are still alive and after spending Eid this time in Doha, I promised myself not to ever miss this day away from them.