Lately I have been reading a blog about life as an Iraqi, in Iraq itself. It was written by this 15-year-old girl who writes maturely and dreams of being a engineer or pharmacist one day. She’s just like our local 15-year-olds who goes to school, surfs the net and… yeah she blogs too.
But she is different.
She wakes up to the sounds of gunshots, uses her computer only when there is electricity, and has to fix her doors and windows almost every month due to the frequent bombings.
Yet she tells her story of how fun it is to go fishing with her relatives, to be dancing in her friend’s birthday parties and to prepare klecha (an Iraqi dessert). I can’t say that she’s faking happiness ’cause I can feel her it in her words. But of course fear, terror and sadness accompany her most of the time.
Her life can go “I heard a bomb explode. I took cover behind a tree before making my way back.” or “suddenly we heard two gun-fire shots, it was a sniper”. Almost every one of her post contained either a mortar shell, glass shards or dead bodies. And life will continue as per normal for her. It will be as if no bullets have been loaded.
Death for her is possible anytime and anywhere. Even at her doorstep. Literally.
Her Hari Raya post is the one that made me tear. If I had known, I would not have read that in the office. It is such a stark contrast that it is an eye-opener for me. To think that I didn’t look forward to Hari Raya seemed all so foolish to me right now.
In Ramadan Muslims should NEVER fight, even if they were in a war, they should announce armistice or conciliating. (I mean the people who are real Muslims, not the pretenders).
Her blog - Days of My Life - couldn’t have been more appropriate. So is her blog URL.
Even more apt is the nickname of this wonderful girl…
Sunshine. 
No matter what happen to me in my way to school (the delay , mines , explosions, etc) I open the door with a big smile on my face, that makes my mom happy as well as my family , no one like to see a sulky face..
I made my decision that I should accept the reality I live in a war zone and I can’t change that , I didn’t choose to live in a war zone, I am not responsible for what is happening , I can choose whether I live optimistic or not.
Her optimistic approach to life has been an inspiration to me.
Go read it.
If you liked what I wrote, read these...
Hate me by fitree on December 19th, 2006
Love is a stand-up comedian of its own by fitree on February 19th, 2008
Jerseys as class tees serve as good memories by fitree on May 23rd, 2006
When boy meets girl by fitree on June 20th, 2006
Where is the light above me? by fitree on July 11th, 2006
wow, ive never seen so much optimism from someone who has to live in such a crestfallen, gloomy atmosphere. really, WE shud be thankful for everything that we have and not mope over stuff that happens to us, cos nothing we are gg through is as comparable to them… i mean, the only bomb that i have to worry about when i walk down the streets, under the trees, is the birdshits bomb, which, really, wont kill me.
and fit, head over to my blog and watch this video i am going to post on my blog. if you don’t see it uploaded on my blog later, then chances are im uploading the video tmr. so keep yourself update. it’s about who-else-but-the-all-important-but-ignorant-americans.
ciao.
November 21st, 2007