Ronal Victor Courney (R.V.C) Bodley who is a distinguished personality in the 1900s, is the founder of Boldeian Library, Oxford author of “Wind in the Sahara”, “Messenger‘ and a number of volumes. He was born in Paris in 1892, then, he moved to United States after 9 years. He studied in Eton College and at the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. He will be remembered in history for his resilience and philosophic works.
He faught in the First World War. At the end of the war, he thought that the World War was going to end. However, he could perceive the stark reality at Paris Peace Conference where the seed of Second World War was being planned. He got restless with many unslept nights, sick of war, sick of society. Faced with such dilemma, he thought of joining civilian jobs from one of his mate. The economy at that time was just nothing but financial depression, filled with unemployed workers. So, this decision went against him.
Change of wind came when he met the Ted Lawrenence, widely known as “Lawrence of Arabia“. Just after minutes of discussion, he made his mind that he would go to live with Arabs in the Sahara Desert. Being a non Muslem, he found that they are “fatalists” which means they believe whatever happens it is written before and you cannot change the fate. Initially, he may have considered them simple nomads. However, his life philosophy is about to change in the following 7 years with the Arabs. I am providing you two instances of such incidents.
1. The Sirocco
In one sunny mornining, Sahara desert awake and Sirocco swept across Arab desert till the Rhone Valley in France. It was such a vigorous and hot wind, it scorched off his heard, burned his eyes…it was like as he mentioned “standing infront of a furnace of glass factory”. As soon as the storm was over, the Arabs slaughtered the lambs, saved the mother sheep and sent the flocks of sheeps to water. In response, the Arabs said, ” Mektoub” which means it is already written. We have 40 percent lambs left, it could have been worst. So, they looked at the silver lining.
2. A Motor Tour in the Desert
In another occasion, the author went in a motor trip with the Arabs. In the middle of the trip, tyre blew out in the middle of the desert. The author was anxious as well as angry, however, the reaction of Arab Chief was “Mektoub-it was already written.” The car went on with 3 tyres. Moreover, the petrol went out. Now, they should have been frustrated with the driver. Instead, the Chief said that let us be calm. There is no point of frustration, be calm. They walked the rest of the tour singing and praising Allah.
Mr. Bodley now realized the hurriedness, restlessness, neurotics, right now attitude made the western civilization impatient. He learned an importnat lesson that whatever destruction, disaster, ordeal may occur at that time, we have to remain calm and after the bad time is over, we have to pick up yourself and do whatever is necessary to keep your life in balance.
Adapted from the “I lived in the Garden of Allah by R.V.C Bodley.
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