My final memory from level 28 was the view looking out towards Al Maryah Island and the edges of Al Reem Island. It is easy to see the edges of what each was originally: sandy islands with shorelines that gently faded into the shallow coastal waters. Two decades ago, the local leadership had a dream. Two years ago, they announced that the dream for Al Maryah had grown. It now would include Al Reem, roughly 10 times in size. I can see the plots and lines on Al Maryah. If one were able to see to the right beyond the edges of the photograph, one would discover earth-moving equipment, bridges, and roads, all changing the landscape with a plan in mind.
The investment, and all it represents, is not for someone’s ego or amusement. It is an investment in a belief of what Abu Dhabi can and will be. The vision is extraordinary in this age. Population growth, local and expat. Business growth, local, regional, and global. Arts, religion, and other key components to a thriving community are either already here or on the drawing boards. Museums, faith houses, sporting arenas, shopping, and restaurants are on the scene and expanding. This is a serious commitment to the people of Abu Dhabi and the generations to come.
What the leadership is doing follows a Divine model. Hope, restoration, and recreation are essential elements to a people who can, and often do, fail. Divinity understood the value of working for a better future. Divinity knew our experience with compassion and forgiveness could be essential to informing one’s belief in care, kindness, and love.
When considering the efforts going into this, I see hearts and souls focused on family. There is no immediate payoff except for hard work. Following the example one author noted centuries ago, “It’s obvious, of course, that he [Divinity] didn’t go to all this trouble for angels. It was for people like us, children of Abraham.” (Hebrews 2.16). Today, I will continue building my edifice. May what I do always reflect Divinity’s love for us.
