The Emperor's New Clothes
Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
Powell's Books
One of the headlines in the July 10th issue of the Jordanian English-language daily newspaper is "No legal exemptions for 'honour crimes'." Of course, news like that is going to get my attention.
There have been whispers that the Jordanian Parliament is reviewing the laws impacting the penalties for these crimes. Parliament has done so on a number of occasions over the past decade but, to date, there has been no meaningful change in the laws. I thought, perhaps, Inshallah, the headline meant material change.
No such luck. The Minister of Justice simply declared that "all people are equal under the law" (no, they aren't) and that, in Jordan, "perpetrators [of dishonor killings] get no legal exemption" (bull$hit!).
Just hours after these pronouncements were made, two more dishonor killings were reported in the country. A 24-year-old man stabbed his 27-year-old sister 10 times. She was with child, so the fetus was a casualty, too. Details of the second murder have not yet been released.* So I guess the words of the Minister of Justice aren't motivating anyone to be more circumspect, probably because the laws that offer leniency are still on the books. Saying something doesn't make it so.
I'm not banging on the Minister because, for all I know, he really does wish these crimes would receive the same sentences as other murders. Many people in Jordan do, and he is probably under pressure from the regime and from the country's donors to crack down. That appears to be the case in neighboring Syria, too. But talk means nothing if it isn't supported by applicable law.
Women are still subjected to dishonor killings, and family members can drop charges against defendants, resulting in reduced penalties. It happened last week, when a court cut in half the penalty for a 29-year-old man who put 12 bullets through his raped sister. Yes, you read that right. He killed her because she'd been raped.
The emperor is naked.
I fear the international media will pick up on these headlines and, as the BBC did last week, inadvertently perpetuate this propaganda. I also fear that this article is an indication that, once again, the Jordanian Parliament has let down all people with scruples by failing to scrap the relevant penal code articles.
* July 11, 2009 Update: A 20-year-old man stabbed his sister with a kitchen knife 20 times, then smashed her head with a rock, leaving behind one motherless child.
- Login Or register To Post Comments
- Send To A Friend
- Share With:
Jodi Thompson says:
As you well know, there is
As you well know, there is no honor in murder. I do hope the Jordanian Parliament isn't able to hide behind such headlines and is forced to honor women as equals. Thank you for bringing this to light.
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
Thanks for registering your
Thanks for registering your thoughts, Jodi.
I think people within Jordan are accustomed to having to read between the lines to suss out what is really going on, for they are well aware their media is state controlled and, thus, mostly a propaganda vehicle for the regime.
But I don't know how many people in the West know how to do it well and, too often, Western media pick up on these things and present them as though they actually represent a step toward democratization. And then it takes on a life of its own, and the global masses no longer realize how oppressive some of these regimes really are.
And that is a huge disservice to the victims and the at-risk people, as well as anyone who truly strives to understand the Middle East and why it is the way it is.
Mary Wilkinson says:
The emperor should be
The emperor should be skinned.
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
Amen.
Amen.
Oswald Pereira says:
Jolly Jordanian
About 16 years ago, when I worked in Muscat for a newspaper, I used to meet a jolly Jordanian journalist. He kept joking about how he liked to work hard and earn a lot, while his wife loved to spend all that he earned. I can still picture him laughing at his own joke. I would have then never imagined that this man belonged to a country where such brutal acts were committed against women.
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
Oswald, maybe he was jolly
Oswald, maybe he was jolly because he'd gotten out and landed in a wealthy Gulf country, where his salary allowed him to live well. :-)
Farzana Versey says:
Ellen, are the laws also
Ellen, are the laws also more stringently applied where the non-elite are concerned? For, often the rich can bribe their way...it makes me wonder whether the wealthy have more 'moral' problems with such 'honour'. As for being murdered for being raped, to this day in many countries, including my own, they ask what the woman was wearing and how provocative she was. And this is in the law courts.
~F
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
In general, yes, it does
In general, yes, it does seem the laws apply more strictly to the poor in Jordan. The wealthy can and do use wasta (influence) to get themselves out of their pickles, and members of the royal family can act with impunity. In the specific case of dishonor killings, it's hard to tell. Anecdotally, it seems any male can wriggle his way out of any major legal consequence.
When I looked at these crimes empirically, I didn't find any statistically significant correlation between income and attitudes. The only correlates I found were age, education, and employment status (not gender!). Older, less educated, unemployed, and retired people were the ones most likely to believe in these crimes as a way of restoring family honor.
I think rape victims everywhere have it tough. Even if the courts don't allow lines of questioning that imply cooperation or even instigation, there are always those people watching from the sidelines who will whisper that, somehow, the victim deserved it. This is probably even more the case in instances of acquaintance or date rape.
Oswald Pereira says:
The law favours the rapist
About 20 years ago, I wrote an article in "Femina" that was titled, "The Law Favours the Rapist." The article quoted criminal lawyers, police officials and forensic experts who agreed with this view. Things haven't changed since then.
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
Interesting. Were you just
Interesting. Were you just looking at the case of India, Oswald, or did you come to that conclusion after looking at a wide range of countries?
Oswald Pereira says:
Ellen, the article only referred to India
Ellen, the article only referred to India. But it would be interesting to research how the law on rape works in different countries, though that would be a massive exercise.
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
It'd make a good Ph.D.
It'd make a good Ph.D. dissertation.
Luciana Lhullier says:
Just like the Catholic
Just like the Catholic church, that condemns abortion and excommunicates whoever performs that, but doesn´t say anything about rape and pedophilia.
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
Yes, they condemn suicide
Yes, they condemn suicide and divorce and premarital sex, while having a shameful record of deeds far worse.
The difference, as I see it, is that the state will still support abortionists if abortion is legal, and this separation is a very good thing. The church can do whatever it wants to a person, but that person will retain his/her basic human and civil rights.
Keiko Amano says:
Ellen, Women in that region
Ellen,
Women in that region seem to me assertive, but they suffer so much. We need more female novelists from that region. My shoulders get stiff whenever I read such news. I can’t believe it.
Thank you for keeping up with this important news.
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
Good observation, Keiko.
Good observation, Keiko. My friends and I have been discussing this very topic quite recently.
Creativity in the region seems so stifled to me. The school systems in the region tend to focus on memorization and obeisance, and the Ministries of Education are quite inflexible and rigid, although at least Jordan has a high literacy rate. One of the larger mistakes made by the late King Hussein of Jordan was to turn over that ministry to the Islamists, making it difficult for even the most progressive private schools in the country to move forward as they'd like. I suppose it isn't necessarily a good thing for a dictator to rule over a lot of free-thinking, creative, outside-the-box, make-it-happen types, but this is partly what is keeping the people down.
What I noticed while living in the region was a relative lack of critical thinking skills, deductive and inductive logic, entrepreneurship, literature, art, film, music, etc. It's not that there isn't any. . .some are trying. But it's not yet very developed or widely appreciated.
An oft-repeated comment I heard was that the average Jordanian spends something like only four minutes a year reading. One Ph.D. in economics even told me that, in Jordan, reading is public enemy #1. I noticed that some of the glossy magazines in Jordan have very little copy. . .just photo after photo of Jordanians at various events. I'm told these magazines sell quite well. . .people love to look at themselves.
I suspect these are some of the reasons why we don't see much writing coming out of the region. Until the next Middle East renaissance, I'd like to see more translations of older Arabic-language works.
Keiko Amano says:
Ellen, That sounds
Ellen,
That sounds similar to the Meiji period in Japan. I bet they have good female writers and artist. They are probably hiding. Sometimes I watch an Arabian language lesson on television. Two female Arabian teachers show up and their students are the sons of a famous Japanese actor and comedian. The Arabian women are young and able teachers. I hope more women in that region enjoy the similar freedom as them.
I'd also like to see older Arabic-language works. I wonder if women in the past enjoyed more freedom than today.
Keiko Amano
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
Good point, Keiko. . .it
Good point, Keiko. . .it could be that the best are keeping their talents in check, waiting for the day when they can more freely express them.
I neglected to mention earlier that it's not just the regime that keeps people down, but also cultural constraints and peer pressure. Individuality isn't much appreciated in Jordan, so there is a lot of group think, even if it is entirely wrong headed. Even the long-term expats do it, so the pressure to conform must be great.
Many of the older Jordanians I met told me I should've been there in the 1960s and 1970s, when the situation for women in the country was better, freer. I've seen many photographs from that period. One was of some kind of assembly/march drawing many women. And all of them were dressed like my mother dressed during that period. . .sleeveless or short-sleeved shifts, hair uncovered and nicely styled, legs exposed. Even in the largest city, these days you would never be able to capture a photo like that. Women--even young women--are more apt to cover. Even I never wore sleeveless clothes, no matter how hot it got. The impression among those who've lived there a long time is that the country has become more conservative in some respects, and the current king has reined in some of the gains of the past.
Keiko Amano says:
Ellen, Your second
Ellen,
Your second paragraph tells so much. I can use it to describe our culture also.
I read that in the Meiji Period, at first people were quite free, but later on, they went backward. It's interesting. I see the change by following the women's novels.
Maybe, other countries can provide literary awards to the women in the region. That might help female writers express themselves. I've written the following in my blog somewhere, but I'll write it again just in case.
Ms. Shirin Nezammafi, a native of Iran, wrote a novel and won a prestigious literary award in Japan. The story is about young Iranians in Iran and Iraq Wars.
http://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/info/topics/t2009_04_22_01.htm
We need more women like her, and they don't have to write in Japanese.
Keiko Amano
Michael Warby says:
Backwards and forwards
Keiko, the history of women in Western history is very much one of movements backwards and forwards. For example, the legal status of women in Anglo-Saxon England was much better than it was in C18th England. <a href="http://www.medieval.com.au/">My company</a> has a "Role of Women" presentation where we take students through this up-and-down movement across Western history, trying to get them away from a simple "linear" view of history.
Keiko Amano says:
Michael, Yes, many
Michael,
Yes, many matters go backward sometimes. According to a Japanese Wikipedia site, in 1880, Japanese women who were the head of household gained a right to vote. It said this was one of very few such examples in the world then. But four years later, it was taken away from them. After that, the laws liming women's right such as prohibiting practically all political activities went into effect. Talking of backward and forward, it was like a jet coaster's ride.
About "The legal status of women in Anglo-Saxon England was much better than it was in C18th England," what century are you comparing with the 18th century? And what made it go backward?
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
One of the challenges
One of the challenges for writers in the region is that there is no freedom of press. To get a book published in Jordan, for example, one must get state approval. Because I wanted to publish my book there, I had to jump through bureaucratic hoops. Knowing that government censors have that kind of power results in a lot of self censorship and generally discourages people from writing.
I suppose writers could publish their works outside the country, but then they would still be subject to government sanctions/harassment within their own countries.
It's a tough situation. Makes me appreciate all my freedoms, though.
Sumathi Mohan says:
I dread reading honour killilng
Dear Ellen, It took me two days to make up my mind to read you. I dread reading all about honour killing; it disturbs me, that is the truth. I was wondering all the while what would the mental condition of people in general there. They must be so disturbed that, it must be difficult for them to think between right and wrong, and must be acting on instincts. A place where no reading is happening means no thinking is happening. Its the power of the muscle ruling over the weak in the case of killings in the name of honour! A shame indeed. When the mind is taken into consideration, then a woman gets a chance to talk of equality.
I have noticed in northern India, Islamist private schools concentrating on memorisation and obeisance. Day after day I have observed the children learn Urdu verses byheart, without knowing what they were learning and why they were learning. There was no question of free thinking or questioning involved in their learning.
So much to discuss Ellen...but I leave it here for now.
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
Dear Sumathi, well, thank
Dear Sumathi, well, thank you for choosing to read my blog. I'm sorry this upsets you. . .it does me, too, as it should any thinking, feeling person.
From your work, you are probably already well versed in these issues, so there may not be much to learn from the likes of moi.
The mental condition of the people there. . .I do feel I have some qualifications for addressing it, as I have an undergraduate degree in psychology, I am published in that field, and I have worked as a counselor. There are less than 100 mental health workers in Jordan (i.e., as best I can recall, the figure is closer to 60). This includes psychiatrists, psychologists, people with master's degrees. The population of Jordan is around six million, including the recent Iraqi refugees, which number almost a million. So you can do the math. When you factor in the rough neighborhood, the political oppression, the waves of Palestinian refugees who've entered the country (they constitute about two-thirds of the non-Iraqi portion of the population), there are a lot of untreated traumatized people walking around. Then add in the cousin marriages and the genetic perpetuation of any mental anomalies as a result of a relatively undiversified gene pool. Also, there is that cultural/peer pressure that I wrote about above. With mental health issues, there isn't much empathy or tolerance. For the most part, they are swept under the rug. "I'm all right, Jack," is the attitude, even when it's obvious something is very wrong. But one wouldn't willingly admit to any weakness, lest the vultures circle.
I haven't been to all the countries of the world, but I've been to a lot of them. And Jordan is the least mentally healthy place I've ever been. It appeared to me that dysfunctions tend to be perpetuated there, rather than properly addressed. In this regard, the tribal mentality is not useful. For example, a family member who does something entirely out of bounds by the standards of most of us will be supported (in the bad way) by his/her family, extended family, and tribe. The wagons will be circled. . .it's us against them. The self-correcting mechanism of being told one's behavior is absolutely, 100% unacceptable, being taught to give a sincere apology that includes reparations for damages inflicted, and then paying the real consequences for it doesn't seem to happen with any regularity there. And so the people who misbehave don't seem to have to learn consequences or mediating skills or better ways of behaving. Surely this is part of the dishonor killings dynamic, but also of other abherrant behaviors.
It is rather hard to explain this fully, but having lived it, I did come away with an understanding of why the Middle East is in perpetual turmoil. There is a mental health crisis in the region that no one is addressing or taking into account. The people there have been through a lot, and the thinking isn't always clear, logical, reasonable. Many of the Israelis next door have survived the Holocaust or are descendents of survivors or have been displaced, so they, too, are traumatized. The two together don't mix very well. . .hence, the ongoing bloodshed, violence, hate.
Your point about no reading, no thinking is well taken. I would think it'd be a healthier escape than watching Al Jazeera and just might introduce new worlds, new ideas, new ways of thinking. The Jordanians I met who do read were easy to identify. Some of them even put me onto books I'd otherwise never have read (e.g., The Arab Mind by Raphael Patai).
Michael Warby says:
Striking point
A few years ago, an emigre Ukrainian mental health practitioner wrote a piece in the Australian conservative magazine Quadrant about the damage to mental health involved in living in a totalitarian society. But I do not remember this point being made in the context of the Middle East. I guess people find it hard to put it in a familiar "analytical box".
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
It really messes with the
It really messes with the head, Michael.
I guess I expected the long-term expats to be a bridge between cultures. Probably some of them are. But most of the ones I met had conformed their thinking and behaviors to local standards, and this was really discombobulating to me. I didn't see that in other cultures I've worked in. . .not in Samoa, not in Brazil, not in the former Soviet states. Expats there seemed more grounded, as though they'd found a happier balance between their own culture and their adopted one.
Keiko Amano says:
Ellen, Again your following
Ellen,
Again your following paragraph describes exactly what I want to say sometimes in my culture.
“There is that cultural/peer pressure that I wrote about above. With mental health issues, there isn't much empathy or tolerance. For the most part, they are swept under the rug. "I'm all right, Jack," is the attitude, even when it's obvious something is very wrong. But one wouldn't willingly admit to any weakness, lest the vultures circle.”
It seems some young Japanese women are speaking up nowadays, but I still encounter some women’s having mental-abuse problems. I encourage them to speak up, but they never do.
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
I must admit to not
I must admit to not understanding these taboos about mental health problems. We now know that so many of them are rooted in neurophysiological imbalances and malfunctions. We wouldn't tell people with high blood pressure or diabetes to sweep it under the rug, yet we continue to discriminate against a certain class of people with comparable medical conditions. It's horribly unkind.
Sumathi Mohan says:
Dear Ellen, You write a grim
Dear Ellen,
You write a grim situation, makes me sqirm in my chair. Thank you Ellen, for enlightening us on various issues. Will have to hunt that book down, hope I can find it.
Dear Keiko,Japanese women too......!? The list seems to add on...!
Courage is a big word and a bigger deed! Speaking up may alienate them, Fear engulfs even the mighty!
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
Well, I know you are a
Well, I know you are a sensitive soul, as are some others in the RR (e.g., Belle). This is a thoroughly grim subject, particularly since it is not a thing of the past (yet!).
I'm kind of distressed, too, by Keiko's comments. I didn't realize the women of Japan have so much in common with their sisters in the Middle East.
Keiko Amano says:
Ellen,Please do not be
Ellen,
Please do not be distressed. Today, the lifespan of Japanese women are probably one of the longest in the world. And today, we have many women writers although their names are dropped from lists. Almost all the problems are complex.
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
Thanks, Keiko. Yes, I've
Thanks, Keiko.
Yes, I've read about the high rates of longevity in Japan and the pockets of people in certain parts of the country who live to be 100+. And it appears to be a very high quality of life at that age. . .not infirm and living in a home for the elderly. There is much to learn from those people.
Farzana Versey says:
Ellen and Sumathi
I have spoken out several times against what are termed Islamic practices, but I am afraid some clarifications are needed here.
Ellen: I understand what you say and have expressed myself quite clearly in your views. Why, then, were you surprised that something similar happens in Japan that Keiko mentioned? Why are you only allowing yourself to believe in one pattern of behaviour in one society?
Sumathi: You write, "I have noticed in northern India, Islamist private schools concentrating on memorisation and obeisance. Day after day I have observed the children learn Urdu verses byheart, without knowing what they were learning and why they were learning. There was no question of free thinking or questioning involved in their learning."
If there are Islamist private schools (madrassas), and there are some that concentrate on religious tutoring - it is Arabic, not Urdu verses because they are memorisng the Quran. Some are taught the meanings as well. Now, this applies to schools of different faiths. How many Hindus know the meanings of the sanskrit shlokas? I am sure you are aware that our rightwing party has tried to introduce such teachings and astrology in the mainstream syllabus. This is more alarming because we are a democracy.
I would appreciate it if you looked at it with an open mind and did not go along with the stereotypes so prevalent in the world today about Islam.
Even as non-practising Muslim, I am branded. I can imagine some poor kids who cannot afford fancy schools being tagged only because their education is relegated to religious institutions where, incidentally, there are computer classes, and maths, history, geography are also taught.
My intention is only to give another perspective and be honest about it.
~F
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
Why, then, were you
Why, then, were you surprised that something similar happens in Japan that Keiko mentioned?
Because I've never been to Japan, and none of the Japanese women I've known in my life--some quite well--have ever made the connection for me.
Why are you only allowing yourself to believe in one pattern of behaviour in one society?
I'm not.
Keiko Amano says:
Farzana, From your comments,
Farzana,
From your comments, I can see the difficult task ahead for the education in your culture. Japanese didn't have problems of leaving religions out of the education, but once, we almost went to romanize the Japanese language.
Sumathi Mohan says:
Farzana, I skipped
Farzana,
I skipped mentioning Madarasa and Quran in purpose, as I do not wish to hurt anybody's sentiment here. I am not biased about any religion, as I am a spiritualist and a non practising Hindu.
By the way, Hinduism is a way of life and not a religion by itself. Every coin has two sides.
I have learnt sanskrit in my school days as a subject, I do agree it makes no sense to us now,It is like Shakespear's english taught by force in ICSE syllabus. I teach Shakespeare and the kids ask me why are we learning it, when we do not use it? Well, it is there in the syllabus, and carries a 100 marks paper, they have to learn it, no choice left. Now, why are we learning Shakespeares english? when our own generation can write better. When every generation can write why is it that we learn a sixteenth century dramatists ?Questions sometimes make no sense to us, yet we practice. (I was just mentioning a practice in northern India, I have talked to those students, iv stayed with a muslim family and interacted closely with them, discussed openly, as they were my friends.) Sanskrit is a language we do not use anymore, but the Indian languages originated from it,(not the dialects) so it does have its value, you will see the connection quite deep. Sanskrit is confined to the slokas only, these days, that a few pujaris know, for the rest its Greek and Latin, I am afraid.
Again quoting your words......"I am sure you are aware that our rightwing party has tried to introduce such teachings and astrology in the mainstream syllabus. This is more alarming because we are a democracy."
Yes, tried to introduce......how long can it sustain? standfast?
We need a revolution in our stream of education, thats the call of the hour!!!
I am not biased, but I do believe in progress and creative thinking and open discussions.
Keiko Amano says:
Sanskrit
Sumathi,
I understand why your students ask the question. I also felt the same way once when I studied Chinese Classics a few hours a week. But I'm very grateful for it now. Without that background, I wouldn't be able to appreciate enough what I've been reading. I'm not knowledgeable about it, but when I can decipher and understand even a few lines of an enormously rich but simple poem, I cannot possibly describe my excitement.
So I feel how lucky some of you have a chance to learn Sanskrit in school! I wish I had such a background. When I see Indian looking letters in temples, I am fascinated, and no matter how long I stare at them, I can't read. I feel tremendous respect to the history and poetry of the language. The ancient Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and others revered the Sanskrit documents like diamonds. So our language also has deep connections to it.
Tathatsu
(Thank you, Jitu. This is my first Sanskrit word!)
jitu rajgor says:
Keiko, it is 'tathastu'
Keiko, it is 'tathastu'
Tatha = that, it, this, related to an event or a thing,curse or blessing.
Astu= a wish, hope or order, that it will be so, in blessing form.
So, Tatha + Astu= TATHASTU . [while clubbing to sanskrit words if two 'A' comes togather, only one stands] This term is used by God, Guru or Elder in sanskrit. When they say 'Tathastu', It will happen- a non revercible process.
Keiko Amano says:
Tathastu
Jitu,
Thank you very much for taking time to explain about Tathastu. It is very interesting.
In the past, I wrote in my blogs about Genji Monogatari and its theme, mono-no-aware. The meaning of mono, I think, is the same definition as Tatha. I am pleasantly surprised. And Ta (他) in Japanese means others which I consider anything out of our control. The thinking behind the word makes sense to me which curse and blessing are not discriminated from each other. Both sides of a coin as Sumathi said. I agree. I don't know anything about Hindu, but Buddhism in essence is also not religion. And it shows through words.
Astu is also interesting. In Japanese, Asu (明日) is tomorrow. 明 means bright and日means day or the Sun. And Asuka is the name of the late 6th to 7th century in the Japanese history, and we write it as 飛鳥 (flying birds) or 明日香 （tomorrow's fragrance）. I can see why ancient Japanese named the period as Asuka. They did with much hope.
I want to go to India and learn Sanskrit.
jitu rajgor says:
Thanks Keiko,
Thanks Keiko,
'Astu' is something like 'aamin' in christianity. It is a concluding word too, for script, prose etc. sanskrit is a beautiful language with multiple meanings in it's pure form, and many words in other languages are derived from it.Some examples.
Matru= mother , Pitru= father, hridaya= heart,
Bhatru= brother, Mam= my, Aksha or Chakshu= eyes
Kak= crow, Danam= donation. Gyanm= knowledge,
Nasa= nose, Krur= cruel., shurveer= warrior, Nindra= nap-sleep
Nisha=NIGHT, Gachha= go, Rakt= red [ blood ]
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
You are so full of gyanm,
You are so full of gyanm, Dr. Jitu!!!
Keiko Amano says:
Enjoyed all the connection
Thank you, Ellen. I enjoyed the discussion so much.
Keiko Amano says:
My scroll
Thank you, Jitu.
I'll put a photo of my scroll in my blog. I believe it is in Sanskrit. Would you please let me know what it said?
jitu rajgor says:
will try.
will try.
Sumathi Mohan says:
A hundred plus! gosh!
Ellen dear,
I would not like to be a hundred plus, thats too much of living for me... I would get bored of living. lol!
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
Only if I were healthy and
Only if I were healthy and really enjoying life would I want to live to that age.
jitu rajgor says:
Ell, you are the right
Ell, you are the right person to achive that age, seeing the good things you are doing for women.
Tathastu. [It be so, in sanskrit]
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
You are too kind, Dr.
You are too kind, Dr. Jitu.
Although surely the thought has occurred to me, if ever I were infirm, I would want a doctor with your wisdom and bedside manner caring for me.
jitu rajgor says:
I hope
Ell,
I hope, wish and pray that you will never get ill.
Ellen R. Sheeley says:
From your lips to God's ear,
From your lips to God's ear, Dr. Jitu. . .a wish for all of us to have long, healthy lives.