Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Hala will be honored

According to Hala’s Family, Hala is going to be honored at this year’s LAU commencement with an honorary Masters degree in International Affairs.

Hala Haddad was my friend...

It is difficult for me to speak of Hala in the past tense as I believe her spirit lives on in our hearts. Hala’s smile and profound intellect are the characteristics that drew me to her the first time we met. But what drew me the most to her is her love for life. No matter how dark of a storm was looming on the horizon Hala’s smile always shone through like the light of a brilliant star in the clear heavenly skies. Stars, like our yellow sun are givers and takers of life. When a star reaches the end of her life she explodes in a luminous spectacle that lights up and warms up the darkness and coldness of the vast universe. Such an event is called a supernova. From such an occurrence, usually, a nebula is born, a cloud from which other stars are born. Such is the cycle of life in this awesome universe of ours.
Like a supernova, Hala Haddad, in life and beyond, has perpetuated a profound impact on our lives, especially for those of us whom were lucky enough to have known her.
I congratulate her life achievements and salute LAU’s attempt to honour her memory in this momentous manner. May the love of the universe be with her, and may her memory bring comfort to those she loved.

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A prayer for Saint Jude, Patron of the hopeless and lost causes.
“O, Saint Jude, you know the loneliness of our hearts since God took Hala to his eternal reward. Make us realize taking Hala from us was not for our harm, but that we might look for her always in your presence. AMEN.”

Walk with the glory of the universe, for one day we will meet again my friend.