From time to time, my parents look at my siblings and I and comment how easy our lives are compared with when they were our age.
They explain to us how easy it is for our generation to hop on a plane and go somewhere for the weekend when we feel like it, when it used to take months of planning. They then open the social-media subject and say that we’re lucky to be able to stay in touch with people and make friends so easily.
Hearing them say that makes it seem like we live in Utopia and we have it all figured out. It’s true: we’re blessed and spoilt to an extent, but that’s not the same talk that comes out of my girlfriends’ mouths. They wish that they’d lived in our parents’ times, for people were simpler then.
One of the topics of discussion that my girlfriends and I engaged in a while back was how hard it is for people to hang on to people anymore and how easy it is for some to dispose of others.
An acquaintance recently met a young man who admired her personality, her spirit and wanted to propose to her parents for marriage. We were over the moon for her and thought that he was a perfect match. She was all smiles as well. We even discussed wedding venues and honeymoon destinations.
But that whole story took an interesting turn a week later. My acquaintance called me and told me that she refused the young man’s proposal because he was overly attentive and caring.
“But that’s a good thing, no?” I was confused. She agreed that it was, but quickly added that he was only 90 per cent perfect and that others will always come along.
Are we an overly complicated generation? Or is this how we should pick our spouses and friends, making sure that they are 200 per cent perfect and fit the criteria?
I would go with the first one. Perhaps we are spoilt too much; provided with so many options that we do not know what to pick anymore.
Take shopping, for instance. We have too many options. We can do it over the internet, via the phone or in person, when we have the energy. We then have way too many products to choose from ranging from high-end to high street. And if we don’t like what we receive, we can return or exchange it. It’s never been easier.
Banks, shopping destinations and hotels all assure us that if our products or experiences are anything less than perfect, then it will be replaced or we will be compensated. Perhaps we have heard this message so many times that it’s affected our judgement of people.
Some people will continue to complain when they don’t have someone in their lives and complain even more when they do.
Some of our generation need to re-evaluate matters. No one is 100 per cent perfect. Maybe it was easier in our parents’ times, but that’s only because they were raised to look beyond the imperfections and at the brighter side of things.
On our journey to explore more options, we could lose one of the best things that our lives could ever be blessed with.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer. Follow her blog at www.manaralhinai.com and Twitter @manar_alhinai
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Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The Kites
Romain Gary
Penguin Modern Classics
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The%20specs
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
