麻豆社

From Sarah Joseph, Editor of a Muslim lifestyle magazine:

听

For obvious reasons Chris I鈥檝e been thinking about goodbyes. This is my last Pause for Thought with you, and I confess to being really rather sad! It seems but yesterday, I came here to meet you for the very first time. I鈥檝e a vivid memory of the studio speakers 鈥� which were set to face outward towards me鈥� and they were extraordinarily, and quite terrifyingly, loud. I wondered at the time if that was some kind of initiation test 鈥� but if it was, it would seem that I passed, as I have been here, Pausing, ever since. 听

Indeed, I鈥檝e been Pausing since the late, great, Sir Terry鈥檚 days. I can鈥檛 work out if this means I鈥檓 consistent鈥� or a woman resistant to change, 鈥� but it鈥檚 probably best not to analyse this live on air!

I do know, however, that if there is one certainty in life, it鈥檚 that change will come. Whether we like it or not, whether it comes fast or slow, planned or unplanned 鈥� times they are always a-changin鈥�, and it鈥檚 not just Bob Dylan who says so! Scientists explain that it鈥檚 happening to us at a cellular level, every second of every day.

Some changes bring great joy, excitement, and happiness; others great sadness, and even great pain.

But this truly is the reality of life. Rather like light and dark, up and down, everything has its opposite, or its balance.

For me, much of my life has been about achieving balance, or perhaps more accurately 鈥� 鈥榤anaging chaos鈥�. In such circumstances, the familiar pattern 鈥� even if imperfect鈥攃an bring relief.

However, I reckon sometimes resistance to change can be dangerous. Believing there will always be enough time, can be a risky strategy in the pursuit of our dreams and ambitions - we can get stuck with how things are, rather than taking the risk to make them how we want them to be.
But without endings, we can鈥檛 have beginnings, and so the time really has come to wish you every good wish for your new beginnings Chris, and for that I shall turn to a traditional Arabic way of parting, 鈥淔i鈥橝manillah鈥� which means 鈥淕od be with you鈥�

And 鈥淕od be with you鈥�, rather interestingly, is the phrase which was shortened many centuries ago to: 鈥淕oodbye鈥�.

听