For M, a Cherished Friend

M, being the usual kickass and thoughtful person that he is, sent me a list of Turkish songs and musicians a while back,  complete with YouTube links. Whereas some were of musicians that I already knew and loved--Mor ve Otesi, Pinhani, Portecho, Sezen Aksu, Enbe Orchestra, Teoman--some were hidden gems that made me smile like a kid on Christmas morning while I listened to them. M not only compiled a list of modern pop/rock/dance musicians, but traditional ones as well. 

Today  as I was listening to Pinhani's Istanbul'da , I was struck again by how nice M was to do this. M's is a very busy person whose work demands a lot of time and brain power, but M still managed to carve out some time to look up these songs and E-mail them to me. More than expensive presents on special occasions, it is the little unexpected presents--random acts of kindness, unexpected gestures of thoughtfulness--that I cherish the most. What makes me even more grateful is that this list of Turkish music was sent to me on an ordinary day. I had a rough day, actually, which became extraordinary because of this little present via E-mail. It is in these little details that I realize how lucky I am to have such amazing family and friends. 

So for my favourite Turk who doesn't celebrate Christmas, I dedicate these songs:

The hunger for humanity can sometimes be the sharpest pang