Oldest and Closest Friends - Essay Example

My friend Hassan In the journey of our lives, we come across different people and while some just come and go without making much of an impact, there are those that profoundly influence and impress us with the depth of their character and devotion of their friendship. Hassan, one of my oldest and closest friends, is one person with such a character. Aged 23, he is a striking guy, no doubt about it since the first thing you notice about him is his immense size. He stands at six feet four and he has the build of an athlete with long powerful muscular arms and a set of bulging biceps which he makes litter effort at hiding by almost always being in tight t-shirts. Despite his size, I doubt I could ever describe him as intimidating because he smiles with such warmth and childlike sincerity that one immediately feels at ease in his presence. The eyes are the windows to the soul, if that is true, then Hassan's eyes provide a view to an intelligent, trustworthy and infinitely sincere soul. They are intense, dark brown eyes reflecting thoughtfulness and so captivating that one can easily lose themselves in his unfaltering, yet friendly gaze. Currently, Hassan who is a Saudi Arabian is pursuing a degree in medicine at the Dammam University, he takes his studies seriously and his passion for medicine is simply incredible. Unlike most people I know, he does not study for the extrinsic benefits of a good job to earn a stable income and the prospects of a comfortable life. Hassan’s interest in medicine is inherent, borne of his compassionate and kind natures which make him want to help anyone in need, without thinking about what rewards he may get out of it. His religious beliefs are profound and meaningful and he is one of the few who walks the talk in as far as showing love and compassion for fellow men are concerned, he carries himself with the innocence of a child and an insight of a prophet. Hassan seems to possess unlimited reserves of patience and sympathy for everyone and never judges or condemns no matter the circumstances. Another interesting thing about him is his propensity to acquiesce to virtually every request his friends, family and sometimes even strangers make to him. I once asked him how he can manage to say yes to everyone and he replied with a smile that belied the seriousness of how much he believed what he was saying. "It's not me, its Allah who is going to provide for all". He continued, "We do not end, we are just means through which ‘His' name is going to become ephemeral in this world." How could I argue with such insightful and optimistic not to mention spiritual logic? Despite his wealth of education and sophistication, Hassan is at heart a simple, personal and he derives immense pleasure from the ordinary thing that the rest of us are too busy chasing illusions of happiness to notice. The chirping of birds or even drops of water on a window pane are sufficient to make him smile, he is also a great footballer and athlete. I used to doubt the extent of his altruism and compassion until I witnessed an incident that proved to me and everyone else that Hassan is indeed a true embodiment of the dictates of the Koran on kindness and self-sacrifice. It was on the eve of his ring ceremony where he would present the engagement ring to his high school sweetheart, a girl he had loved more than life itself.He received a call from a classmate notifying him that he could not attend the party; apparently, an epidemic had broken out in in the location where he was stationed as an intern and most of the doctors and trainees were being recalled to the field. Although Hassan had not been called in, he immediately got on the phone with his fiancée and asked her, "Do you love me, honey, if yes then you will have to wait for my next call until I return". And without telling her anything further, he hangs up, got into his car and reported to the medical aid team. He spent a month working in the extreme conditions perpetually exposed to infection and hardly getting a decent meal or even enough water on a regular basis. When the emergency had been dealt with and Hassan went back home, he was hardly recognizable, his normally smooth face was covered with a month old beard and he had lost so much weight his clothes hardly fit him. It took a whole month for him to recover from the fatigue of the experience and return to his normal self, it was only then that he held the long overdue ring ceremony and finally confirmed his engagement. The experience made me appreciate and respect him even more and since then whenever I am faced with the moral dilemma, I ask myself what Hassan do, and I have found him to be avery useful inspiration and role model in my life. Hassan and I make an unusual pair since we are so different, I have been described as loud vibrant outspoken and I tend to believe I have my fair share of rough edges, to some, I appear unrefined and even possibly rude. For that reason, when I first met Hassan I would never have imagined that we could ever get close to unlike me he is quiet, polite and very refined in his manners and actions. In addition, he is something of a perfectionist with an artist's eye for details and an architect's sense of proportion and balance. This sharply contrasts with my “elephant in china shop” approach to some issues.Nevertheless, despite the radical personality differences, we have remained close since he does not overtly try to influence or judge me and that, ironically, is what makes him most influential to me. Any refinement or solemnity in my character can be directly attributed to him since he sets an example anyone would love to emulate and I often find myself trying to be like him in more ways than one. At the end of the day, Hassan is an all-around wonderful person, doctor, boyfriend, and friend with the sensitivity of a hallowed saint and the indomitable spirit of the unicorn. I consider myself tremendously lucky to have such a dependable and kind friend whom I know I can fall back on in times of trouble and he will be there for me irrespective of the circumstances. Read More