Monday Column: Let’s concentrate on Eid holidays not the war

We are in the last days of Ramadan and Eid is on the weekend but let us not allow the war spoil our celebrations because of the regional conflict.

It will be the most nervous holiday season in the modern history of the Gulf. People unfortunately will not travel for a quick break and many will restrict their movements in their own countries. Some of us may not even visit relatives for traditional gathering.

I also suspect, some people are silently grateful that the war will be saving them money by restricting their celebrations. Yes, the war is flexing its muscles and the media is putting the fear of God in us with all the bad news. I also suspect that some will be making money, a lot of it, this Eid, as well as losing it from their businesses.

Among the winners of the war are the food sellers. People are already in panic buying and stocking up food just in case there is a supply chain shortage to spoil their Eid holidays. What a sad picture.

But whatever the media says about the war, we should not let the fear get into the way of our celebrations in this blessed Eid. We can all complain as much as we like but nothing is going to change about what is going on out there. My wife and I going ahead with the same Eid routine we have been following for years, with a few exceptions.

Having said that, I hope many Omanis and expatriates will be sharing the same view of celebrations by being out there in the busy, brightly lit streets, looking into the shop windows to buy presents for their families for this coming Eid holiday.

As we mark the end of Ramadan, it is now time to relax in the many outdoor cafes with friends drinking coffee, minted tea or sharing good meals out in the open while the weather is still good.

After fasting the whole month of Ramadan and abstaining from doing things I should not do in the holy period, the last thing I need is restricting my well deserved holiday. The war will soon be contained like many of its kind before, thanks to the collected efforts of the governments of the world.  Like everything else in this world, whatever that started has an ending.

Having said all that, nothing is predictable but we should be grateful that so far, we are all safe and let us pray that it will continue for a very long time. It is also the time to reflect on those who have lost their lives, especially children. 

 
Until then, we have the Eid to celebrate which is gently opening its doors for us to enter with God’s blessings.  So, let’s enjoy it and take a nice break before we go back to the humdrum of the work routine. We should not let the war fears dampen our celebrations.