As I received a message reading “Notre-Dame is burning”, at first, I felt numb. How many times has my heart skipped a beat and burnt for painful reasons, reading the news and watching the heritage of my Home country fading into ashes, away. I want to tell you about how it feels to watch artefacts,… Read More It hit Home, twice.
While most of the world’s population had barely any idea about the existence of Syria, 7 years ago, and can hardly to this day, point it on a map, this soil has seen us Syrians, live, it has seen us love, it has seen us grow. Just another piece of land to some, to us,… Read More The light of existence
In the past few days, my mind has been a battlefield. Thoughts slamming around, wrenching the bits of sanity left in me. And one question hits the hardest. Where were you? Almost 6 six years of war, and never have I ever seen the name of my city, the name of Aleppo, printed, typed, written… Read More Where were you?
Words are battling in my head and I cannot truly form a sentence empty of frustration. The phone is barely ringing to Aleppo. And, when they finally pick up, no word is discernible. The internet connection is cut. There’s no actual way of reaching anyone, to make sure your loved ones are safe. This is… Read More Deliberately forgotten.
The roots of my soul. The source of my blood flow. The heartache I retain, sheltered in sorrow. The blooming love, exalted through the singing heartbeats composing the sense of Home we carry within. Waking up, early in the morning, to the salesman riding his carriage and yelling the prices of the watermelons over the… Read More What is Aleppo?
Aleppo, Hearing your name used to be like hearing the name of a lover, propagating butterflies in my stomach, bringing joy and laughter. I grew up in your arms, feeling invincible every time I walked your streets. You were looking after me. You were the light at the end of every tunnel I crossed, the… Read More The sun that filled the cracks of my being.
We all hurt. We all are hurting. The circumstances have brought our hearts to crush. However, we shouldn’t be hurting each other. Yes. War is conflict. It’s death. It’s blood. It’s destruction. But, it should never become ordinary and I don’t want to understand how it’s lasting. We loved each other. We were one people.… Read More We can heal.
5 years. I’m not sure of how long it takes for a human to accommodate to the pain of loss, the pain of war. I’m not sure it ever happens. 5 years, and my throat tightens as much as when I first realized that it was war in Syria. But, when you hear the word… Read More 5 years.
I once woke up in a city full of love, full of hope, full of dreams. Dazzled by the sun during the day and illuminated through the windows of the lively homes when the night came. It was crowded with its people, drawing a melody with their laughter, swaying a helping hand without expecting anything… Read More I once recognized my city
After a little walk in the Christmas spirit of the city with family, I went and got the bread for Christmas Eve. On my way back home, in the tramway, I started looking at people around me and wondered what plans they had for the night. This, without a doubt, brought my thoughts to those… Read More The memory of a once upon a time unity
Woman of the Orient 