130 Year Old Haj

In an Arabic country, if you have traveled to Mecca for the spiritual pilgrimage, your name changes to Haj. Haj Abdullah went to Mecca ten years ago. He was 120.

I have spent many a wonderful afternoon with this man. He doesn't remember a lot, but if you ask him, he will start recounting all the Moroccan kings he has lived through ... seven of them, to be exact.

He has lived in Agdz most of his life, but in 1896, he walked, by foot from Agdz to Casablanca.

I don't think there is any way to verify the accuracy of these stories, but I really don't doubt its truth. Haj Abdullah spends most of his day drinking mint tea, praying with his prayer beads, and standing up and kneeling to pray in the direction of Mecca, with little assistance.

He is blind but can hear quite well ... for a man who is living in yet a third century.