“the opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.” so, i supposed the opposite of war is not peace. it's indifference.

 In lieu of those thousand pictures..

         There's an old Arab proverb that tells you to trust in Allah, but tie your camel.  One of my favorite authors, Hunter S Thompson, says to call on God, but row away from the rocks.  These notions of doing rather than being plagued me throughout the drive to Basra International Airport. With eyes fixed on the town that welcomed me with a holster and a gun, I drowned in my own river of desires. I wish it was all better. 

         The words that poured so easily out of my heart upon my last goodbye in '09 seem to be lost in my own mental maze of ideas and schemes this time around. I want to leave you with words, anecdotes, and observations. I want to sum up the last few weeks of the beautiful and painful things that I experienced. I would love to deeply imbue you with profound thoughts in this last post. But, I can't. Ladies and gentleman, I have nothing to say. Maybe it's time to stop saying and start doing? On that note, goodbye for now. I have to go find a post to tie my camel to.

Xx,

Layla Karim Shaikley