Gebrayel

The sun is rising from the shoulder of that northern hill that we call in our slang “el2irss” landing its light on the trees and gently caressing the wet leaves like a mother trying to waken her baby, its warmth sending signals for the domestic birds to start their morning enchantment. Couple of minutes later, that enchantment gets interrupted by an old man’s coughs and the noises of women moving in their kitchens with those noisy tools. But the melody won’t be completed without the loud voice of a villager saluting his neighbor with a robust tone that wakens the late sleepers, and the response back makes it even worst for those poor fellows. And the morning ritual starts with the invitation over a cup of Turkish coffee made in Brazil accompanied with loads of gossips and Byzantium disputes to solve the world’s issues with few interrupting lines by the housewife asking the visitor about the health of his family and indirect requests for some personal debriefings. All of a sudden a honk of the school bus passing by to pick up the neighborhood kids reminds the villagers that they live in the 21st century.

And the life starts to flow in veins of this peaceful village that is spreading its arms on two opposite hills split by a summer dry river. And for a first time visitor this river is the only sign that there is another world outside this village since it’s surrounded by hills from all sides and occupied by pin forests that look like proud soldiers protecting it from the unknown. And as the sun hits the roofs of its old houses you would see amazingly portrayed rays coming up from the elevated windows as if the souls of our ancestors are coming out to join their descendents.

Moments pass with absolute tranquility; everything seems in perfect harmony with the nature that is happily embracing its acquaintances. You would feel like time has stopped ages ago and people live in no-time dimension zone, history and present are unified in Gebrayel. Everything around you has a story that goes back in history for hundreds of years and people live those years through the stories that have been passed from generation to generation. You would hear a 10 years boy telling you the tales of the “Church Tree” and the “king’s rock” as if he has reincarnated from the18th century. However, the tale takes a spiritual form when it’s related to the St. Marry church or St. Elias monastery, you would hear the tone of the teller suddenly volumed down and in a very heartfelt voice start to talk about the miraculous stories related to these two guardians. And the stories are endless.

For the observer Gebrayel looks like a tiny village located in nowhere but for us it has thousands of worlds within its walls. A world that can be as small as a common 6x6 meters playing ground for the neighborhood kids but it was big enough to set us free and let our spirits roam the whole universe filling it with laughter and joy.