The forbidden fruit

10/2006 - The tremendous honor of being granted a private meeting with His Excellency President Hamid Karzai brought yet another dimension to our journey of hope for Afghanistan, as our footsteps for peace took us through The Palace gates in Kabul. A majestic fortress protected this great President who emanates grace, intelligence and courage as he wakes each morning seeking to bring a brighter new day to the deserving people of Afghanistan.

Pioneering the seeds of democracy on his war torn homeland amidst daily suicide car bombings and NATO forces requires vigilance and great leadership, yet his chiseled face represents a deep sense of peace and grounded confidence. Shamim and I were most humbled to receive this private meeting with President Karzai during this critical “window of time” in Afghan history.

Driving in our bullet proof car through the gates of The Palace immediately elevated our senses. Great beauty amidst great security. Barbed wires arched in endless circles decorated the ancient architectural walls in a haunting beauty. And, majestic pine trees lined the long roadway with snipers rather than birds perched on branches protecting the entrance to this commanding royal structure. Cement barriers filled with bright red geraniums reflected the juxtaposition of war-time culture.

One could only dream of former times and imagine these great Palace grounds which proudly represented the cultural history which extended outside of these gates to this exotic country of Afghanistan. Shamim quietly whispered that all of Kabul once looked like the palace gardens before the invasion of the Soviets and Taliban—this was the place of her dreams. Palace guards stood tall with machine guns strapped to their ceremonial military attire.

Our “gift” to President Karzai was a simple carton of fresh grapes and pomegranates harvested on former minefields, and this forbidden fruit was carefully examined at every single checkpoint.