A few months ago, I was travelling by a taxi in Dubai, pregnant and accompanied by my three-year-old daughter.

As I usually do, that day too, I greeted the driver and engaged in casual chitchat. Somehow, this makes me feel safe on taxi trips.

He was a Pakistani expatriate who looked 55 to 60 years old. I asked him about his family back in Pakistan and inquired if they were safe after an earthquake that had struck the region a few days ago. He said: “By the grace of Allah, they are safe.” He then talked about his family and told me how much he missed his children.

He asked, “Where are you from Madam?” I told him that I was from Kerala in India. He told me about his friends from the same place and talked about how he found them to be kind and helpful people. He had heard a lot about Kerala and wished to visit. But, he sighed as he said: “It’s difficult for us, Pakistanis to get an Indian visa.” I didn’t know what to tell him, I had almost reached my destination. He wished me good luck and said: “May Allah bless you with a healthy baby. It was nice talking to you, you reminded me of my daughter, wish I could visit your country someday. God gave us one beautiful land, we made boundaries here.”

I recall his words ever so often. God, regardless of our faith, gave us this beautiful land, and whatever differences we see now are all man-made.

In the UAE, I have always seen warmth and love towards every nationality. This country has expatriates from many nations - away from our homes and families, we are all working hard to make a living.

I have friends here, who come from different countries, but the love and concern I get from them is no different than I would get from an Indian friend.

I have mostly experienced this love and support during both my pregnancies, away from home, away from my people.

I remember a dear colleague, who brought me home-cooked food during my pregnancy, the cafeteria staff who kept food aside for me before I reached office, drivers who dropped me home safe, careful of speed breakers, delivery boys at a supermarket who helped me carry heavy bags and the cleaning staff in my building who cautioned me of the wet floor. So much kindness and they all belonged to different nationalities, different religions. However, they had one thing in common, love for each other.

Let’s hope for a better tomorrow, where no one faces discrimination, based on their religion or nationality. Let’s stop all the hatred and be happily united.

- The reader is a homemaker based in Dubai.