Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Run, Run, Run, Run

I just discovered this comment posted here yesterday. http://labor2beardown.blogspot.com/2013/10/teaching-34-days-in.html  My great and wonderful friend Jiji wrote it.  She said that she meant to make it a post, but didn't know how, so she was leaving it as a comment. But I will make it a post now, so that many more people can read what she has written.

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This is my problem: I have become a machine. I do not have time for anything. I cannot talk with my mother as long as I want. I do not have time to discuss the things I used to discuss with my brothers at length. I cannot do the cultural and sport activities I want to do. I have gained weight because I do not have time for exercise. I could not even find time to support one of my best friends when she launched a very interesting blog. I feel guilty because I have not contributed to it yet. It has been almost a year since she started it and till now I am running: it’s either homework, or readings, or weekly assignments, or long papers, or long books, or visa applications, or moving from one place to another, or from one country to another or from one house to another, or trying to find a job to make some money, or, or, or, or. Sometimes, I wonder where this life is taking us. Run, run, run, run. This is the new life slogan under this capitalist system that make us run till we retire. We lose out health, youth and happiness running so that we get diplomas, so that we find jobs, do that we get promotions, so that and so that and so that. I am in my late twenties and I can already foresee my fifties: a continuous race, running, running, running. I can predict that I will lose the coming years running to finish the Ph.D, running to get published, running to get hired, running to keep my job and never finding time for myself, my family, my friends and the people I love expect from the few moments I will steal from the life race time. I miss my mum, my two brothers, Asma, Naziha and Lucy. 
Written by a machine-like runner

2 comments :

  1. Hi my friend, I responded over where you initially posted this, but I'll respond here now. As I said there: no guilt! We have enough to run us ragged and run us down without then adding onto it with heavy loads of guilt. You're right that the pressure and relentlessness of the pace can get to be too much. For you, it's especially hard - so much to deal with in so many ways. Take care of yourself as best as you can. I miss you, too.

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  2. ugh!! that's exactly how I feel!! lol

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