Breakup of Friendship and how we deal with it

One day I had a gathering of friends from a neighboring city, I had prepared Rice, Grilled fish, Kebabs, stew, an Arabic sweet that I had learnt from another friend.  I also made special Turkish tea and was anticipating a great night with lovely discussions and lots of useful information.  The group were late in arriving as they lost their way. Well of course people will lose their way in Dubai as each day sees a new interchange, or a new road or a new colony of houses that springs about without us noticing them.  Us who live in the area are almost used to it, and never actually complain, we like to be part of the hourly change in Dubai, we feel it is the reason most of those that live in Dubai have a mind that has lots of boxes and lots of ideas. I once went to one of the northern emirates for a meeting, and after work I wondered around it for an hour; then I was invited to speak in one of the colleges again about two years later, I was startled as it was exactly the same. In actual fact it was as if the time stopped since my visit!! I wonder how people like it? Oh well, I went to Iraq after about 33 years and it was the same, but older and more damaged of course. Even how people dress was the same as that of 33 years ago.

Anyway, I could feel a little bit of tension going on in my friends' faces, didnt want to say anything, and suddenly one of them was asking me to provide direction to a person on the other side of the line, I did and then asked her why is she leaving so hastily, she said she had work, I accompanied her to hte door, but my heart was full of questions, and didnt want to say anything to her as it may not be appropriate; if I was invited to another place I will not have work come in between. As soon as she left, I asked the other group: Why did she leave? I opened a can of worms. 

Apparently there was a scuffle in the car about which way to turn, normal? of course, everyone has an opinion when it comes to the best way or the shortest way or the easiest way. My daughter and I always quarrel in the car, I will not mention what happens when I drive and my husband lead, or when my son drives and I try to give direction.  Everyone in the car is a passive passenger, but for my friends it was not normal, it was a stiff fight. during the gathering I could see that they are not looking eye to eye, it was as if they had hit each other with hammers and sticks.  Traffic fights I call them, or road maps debates! I bet you all have a story to share about road map debates, you see it in movies and you hear it from friends, relatives, family. one day my own son and daughter had a road map debate while they were each in their own car! oh well, that story is sore in my mind as both of them didnt talk for like a year or so. 

Why? is this people's nature? is that why we do not like to discuss religion or politics? or money for example? I am having the latter debate now with my sister, who thinks that we could have sold our flat for more in 2008 and thinks that she actually brough a buyer!!  that mysterious buyer will haunt us for ever, why? because we will never get that high price again, those days are gone, and property prices behave naturally now. I wonder what happens in closed doors of parliaments and government departments? do they also fight about what fiscal rules they are going to introduce?

I think having another opinion is good, we must have another opinion, it is healthy to have another opinion, and it is health to debate your opinion and prove that it is more valid, but why fight and be upset about it?  We can have two or three valid opinions, as each one will be correct if all factors do not change.  Life itself cannot stand still, and you will be sick of food if you have the same food everyday.  Even the birds, they migrate in order to eat different types of food (or insects in their case).

Human beings are a different breed I guess, Even God had to cancel some verses of the Quran because another situation had cropt up, which means that somebody had a fight over what was said before so a new verse came by.

Please guys, we are in an age where a lot of more important stuff are happening, road debates are not as important, and they are best to be taken with a pinch of salt, and be forgotten as soon as we leave the vehicle;  If I can do that, so can you.

To my friend who had the incident, call your friend and have a great cup of coffee, just remember, next time you come to my house for scones, cream, honey, and other morning goodies nicely prepared for you, please come in different cars, and give each of them a map. I like to see your real bright and pretty face, not the one that became upset because of that incident.