Since I Was a Child, I Used to Love Wandering in My Thoughts About Various Cultures And

SHORT STORY

BY

MAHA HAYEK

Since I was a child, I used to love wandering in my thoughts about various cultures and civilizations, and get to know about the problems that nations face. I wanted to know, whether I, as a Palestinian, was the only one who suffers and lives a tragedy. For this reason, I was motivated and encouraged to read numerous stories, such as “Series of Fire” and a “Journey to Johannesburg”, which deal with the issue of discrimination in South Africa. The author of these stories is called “Beverly Naido”, South African, who genuinely described the problem she lived - no one else can do that.

As I was reading the two stories, I was swallowing the lines and skimming over the pages searching for the end with a desiring heart. I lived the events and with the people involved, which left me with a weeping heart and miserable thoughts – happiness became absent from my life, to be replaced by tears. I was totally moved from my reality and flew to a very far place that I had never seen, except in my imaginations. But, I recognized the fact that it is basically fiction that touches the realities on the ground, since all the elements are similar and the issues are different. Both peoples are struggling to defend their right to live, with the same face of injustice and brutality – a film recorded here and there, showing miraculous resistance and persistence.

God damn all these violations committed against human rights that led to a series of problems in our lives….

God created them with black skin…did the people with white skin forget that nobody chooses the color of his skin? And that it is possible that God will create them with black complexion too?

It is a catastrophe to have dead feelings and become illogical. But, I do thank God that people are more aware and concerned with the problem, and all civilized nations call for the abolishment of Racial Discrimination. However, I do hope that this becomes applicable in our daily lives – not to be only ink on paper. All nations, regardless of their color, should practice their full rights, and their right to live.