大象传媒

Abdul-Rehman Malik, journalist and broadcaster

Chris, I have to admit that there are some mornings I walk in here filled with gusto, confident that I will share something truly thoughtful with you and your devoted listeners. But, there are other mornings that I come in to this studio, and ask myself: do I really deserve to be here?听

Seeing the venerable Sir Tom Jones, Will Young and my folk hero Seasick Steve across from me, I can tell you, this is one of those mornings.

I鈥檝e always felt like I鈥檝e fallen into things accidentally. Driven more by passion than planning, I鈥檝e often just let my heart carry me on to life鈥檚 next big adventure. My students used to call me an accidental teacher. Some days, I think I鈥檓 something of an accidental journalist.

Almost 9 years ago, my wife decided to put an offer on a worse-for-wear ex-council flat in London鈥檚 East End without telling me, and before I knew it, I was an accidental Eastender.听听

But when we met our 86 year-old Jewish neighbour, I knew moving there was no accident. It was fate.

Betty was formidable. She still lived on her own, didn鈥檛 suffer fools and had the knack for saying the most outrageous things. In short, we loved her right away.

Betty had raised her daughter singlehandedly and then when the time came, took care of her mother till the end. She remembered our streets as part of the once vibrant Jewish East End. We learned where the kosher butchers used to be, the places she played as a young girl and the hall where she attended her first dance.

She wasn鈥檛 always happy about the way the neighbourhood changed, but she stayed 鈥� and I鈥檓 forever grateful. Since my son was born, she鈥檚 been our Grandma Betty, dispenser of chocolate and hugs and good advice.听

鈥淢ake peace with the universe,鈥� the 13th century mystic Rumi counselled, 鈥淭ake joy in it. It will turn to gold.鈥�

Sometimes, of course, accidents are just accidents. A few weeks ago Betty 鈥� now 93 鈥�

fell and broke her hip. She鈥檚 still struggling to recover. We miss her and I pray she comes home soon. She would probably tell me that it鈥檚 no accident I鈥檓 here. I hope she鈥檚 right. After all, we are not measured by the opportunities given to us, but what we make of them.

听