If you drived along the main road in Istanbul (new) city, its impossible to miss a BIG poster of a mustached man with curly hair hanging from a building. The poster is a good five or four storey high and there is little words on it, just simply the man's face. I guess..before long,you too will realise that words are not necessary where this personality is concerned. Until today, they are still debating weather Turkey is Ibrahim or Ibrahim is Turkey!! Such is the influence that this man has on his country.
So..who is he? Ohh..he's just a singer and actor. Oopps..he is also an entrepreneur, a businessman and a would be politician. Would be because his dream of being a Politician was cut short by the latest event in his life.
You see...Ibrahim Tatlises has just got back from Germany after being there for couple of months. Why....you asked? Ohh..he underwent a rehabilitation treatment after being treated for a month in Istanbul's hospital. Well..you see...he just recovered from .....wait for it....an attempt on his life !! And that was .....not the first, neither second....attempt. That was a THIRD attempt on his life !! He had been shot, stabbed and other "too nasty to mention" provocations but he survived them all.
During the last attempt, they waited for him to leave his studio and while he was walking out from the building...they ambushed him from their car and pumped strays of bullets into him! He took in 2 number of bullets (out of eleven) in all, one lodging in his head. Understandably, he was in a coma and the media went into frenzy. I think everybody thought that he would not pull through this time. He needed a miracle,surely!
But pull through he did..and then flew in the government jet to Germany for a rehabilitation treatment. But the incident cut short his dream of running for election during the recent General Election. It's not known if he was attacked due to his political aspirations, crime of passion or business deal went sour.
Ibrahim is a Kurdish who made it BIG in Turkey and remain well known till today, thanks to his powerful rich tenor voice. People all over the world would come to Turkey just to listen him sing. Some people said that he was at the right time, right place...maybe, but he is an ICON in Turkey. However, success and popularity always come with a price, it seems...and Ibrahim is no exception. His crude and brash manner had angered many lovers, business acquaintances as well as friends and...people do not wonder anymore who or why some quarters are eager and willing to assassinate him.
You can read more on Ibrahim HERE, HERE and HERE and listen to his wonderful voice HERE and HERE, even if you can't understand what he is singing or saying about!! Enjoy !!
So...why am I writing about Ibo? Well...I'm getting to my point in a moment. Did you notice how adamant Ibo was? In fighting for his life? In wanting to continue with his life? In wanting to move on and not letting other people, events or circumstances to curtail his plans and aspirations? Noticed HOW MUCH he wants to LIVE? Maybe you'll say..it's because he has a LOT to live for, maybe! The keyword here is..wanting to live.
I had a very shocking,disturbing and heart-breaking news last week. So wrenched was I that I could not bring myself to write and think. So disturbed was i, that i had to block my mind and my heart from thinking further about the news. Now I am more stable and I must write and tell my story..before it gets blurred with other things.
My daughter's friend, in his very early 20s had just committed suicide. Now...I am sure, you'll be reeling with the same questions that I had for weeks....why?...why?..didn't he talk to someone...didn't he ask for help...didn't anybody noticed anything...surely it can't be all that bad....if only..if only...!! And can you imagine how devastated the family would be...for the rest of their life? And, I do sincerely feel their pain. It would have been different if he had been murdered or died out of illnesses, but this..? I do not know the exact reason, not that it matters anymore...but its shocking to me because this is the second suicide that my daughter told me of her friend. Last year, another student in Australia committed suicide due to problems with "love and studies".
What is happening to us? Are we too busy not to notice the crucial signs anymore? Are we too modern not to care for our neighbour's sufferings anymore? How are our youth coping with the stress of life and living? Theirs is a 'kiasu' and 'kiasi' and we tend to forget that not everybody can face up to the challenge and pressure they're facing. Our youths are ill-equipped to face the reality of life and that's why most of them resort to an easy way out. Its a tragedy that you wouldn't wish your enemy to face with. Please, do look out for each other. Lives, especially young lives.. are too precious to be lost in this manner.
To all those lost soul out there....hang in there, look at "Ibo"... fight for your life, even if you think it has very little to offer now, life IS worth living! Use "Ibo" as your inspiration when the going gets tough.Nothing last forever and your tears and sorrow would not be there forever, I can promise you that. Time will ALWAYS heal all wounds...and if necessary, it is always better to Let Go than to Hang On to something or someone who would not add value to your life.
Remember, even BLACK is the color of the rainbow. Talk..talk to anybody, even to strangers...you are NEVER alone. You are always LOVED and GOD loves you. Love God, Love Life and Love Yourself! If all else fails...you can talk to me. Or..you can listen to this great song CLICK HERE that I used when feeling low..when I was a student in cold, gloomy and wintry England. Nowadays...this sultry song CLICK HERE will soothe any blues that cloud your days sometimes......
Really...with all its shortcomings and faults....it really is a beautiful LIFE !!
