Three Decades of Dreams

Yemenat

Bassam Al–Yad’ee

As my thirty-fifth year drew to a close, I sat in contemplation, reflecting upon the dreams I had realized throughout the bygone decades of my life.

Memories carried me back to the mountains where I tended sheep in my youth. How I adored them! I knew every contour of their terrain. I recall sitting on their cloud-embracing slopes, which inspired me to plunge into an ocean of dreams.

In the mornings, I would graze the sheep near the school so I could attend classes. My esteemed teachers, may God preserve those still living and grant mercy to those who have passed, were often vexed by my frequent departures from the classroom to check on my flock.

In the late afternoons, I would carry my schoolbooks to the mountain slopes to review the day’s lessons and complete my assignments. The sheep were merciful enough to allow me to immerse myself in the pages of my books.

Those lofty peaks that kissed the clouds and cradled the mist taught me to set my aspirations high. So I dreamed. I dreamed and dreamed again.

Among those dreams were the stately mansion I would build after completing university and the luxurious car I would acquire upon graduation. There were so many grand aspirations, each more distant and shining than the last.

Days passed, and my dreams grew with me. I remained devoted to my studies until I achieved, by God’s grace, first rank throughout my primary education and then second and third ranks in secondary school. My slight decline in secondary school was due to my concurrent enlistment in military service.

By God’s blessing, in 2009 I was able to enroll in university, reigniting my determination and passion for realizing my dreams. Among them was the pursuit of outstanding academic distinction. The first dream came to life when I graduated with first-class honors in my undergraduate studies.

In 2011, I began practicing my new profession, teaching English, while still in my third year of university. In 2015, I commenced my academic journey, moving between public and private universities, and in 2018, I enrolled in a graduate program to pursue a Master’s degree.

Now, after more than a decade of teaching and with the first half of my fourth decade already behind me, I have realized only one dream from all those aspirations that grayed my hair and whitened my beard before I could embrace them.