January 16

Day 364

It’s been a year since I’ve been home. Since I’ve felt the cool autumn air, or seen the rich yellow and orange leaves dangling from the deciduous trees. It’s been even longer since I last saw my son in person, and not through a computer screen. He just turned one a couple months back, and not seeing him on that special day causes me an indescribable pain that I can’t endure. And I’m a fully trained marine that’s capable of withstanding a damn bullet. The only thing that helps me cope, is that I’m making a difference somewhere in the world.

I’ve been deployed here in Afghanistan for a while so I’ve gotten use to the extroushiating heat and the very limited supply of food and water. I’ve been camped out near this small village for the last week of so. But everyday is the same, I patrol the town, report back to base, and repeat the next day. But everyday I’m carefully watched but avoided by all of the towns people. I’m guessing out of fear, but what they don’t know is that we are here to help. Not knowing the language they speak here really creates a distinct barrier. I guess also being the first white man they’ve seen has some kind of affect to.

Months go by, still nothing has changed. But finally I’ve been granted permission to go back home and see my family. As I’m packing everything from clothes to my football, I am ecstatic to get back. As I continue to pack I start to see visions. Maybe from the heat but I start to see my family in the village. I see the emotions these people feel through the embodiment of my wife and son. Standing their heart broken, I start to lose breath as this is no life for anyone.

I then decide to make what little difference I can by giving away all my belongings to each person in the town. As I did not bring much I fall short and see a father and a son standing there in disbelief. I then walk over and start to see my son in his arms. I reach in my pack and give him what little water I had as a gesture, in case they ever need it. I established a viewpoint on this world that although we may look different, we are all the same. And that we should look out for any person in need or not.

Category: Kamal | 3 Comments on Day 364
November 24

Magic is my LIGHT

Harry Potter! Where do I even begin? The captivating series of man vs. man, as Harry Potter fights for himself, others, and the safety of his world, in a place surrounded with magic, spells, potions, and enchantments captured my attention ever since I started reading the series at the age of 10.

   The Harry Potter series have not only been able to lure me into it’s trap of pure joy and happiness, but have also captured the hearts of many other readers. This series have not only made the best sellers charts but because it became so popular, Harry Potter became a movie series as well as become entertainment pieces for many and different ways such as a musical, amusement park, stores, and much more.

  My soul, heart, and mind has been enticed into these series from a very young age and I could not be more grateful than I am now, for what Harry Potter has done to me as well as how it played a huge role in my life. Many people think that Harry Potter is just some other book that, when you’re bored, you read it as a way to pass time. But for me? It’s a whole completely different story. Because I fell in love with the series at a young age, I always thought that when I would become 11 years old, that I, myself, would get a letter from Professor McGonagall inviting me to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I would expect that this was also the dream of every other 11 year old child who read the Harry Potter series. Though it is relatable to mostly everyone, it was different for me. My belief in this magical world and the people of the wizarding world was so immense, that I would regularly tell my parents that I would be going to Hogwarts soon so there’s not point in going to school in Canada, as well as not to miss me too much because I’ll be back home during Christmas and Easter Break. Once I turned eleven, on that very same day, I opened up my front door and stood outside on the sidewalk waiting for and owl to come swooping by to give me my letter. Clearly that did not happen, other wise I would be in Hogwarts right now graduating my last year. My belief, however; did not waver. I began to believe that maybe Hogwarts had a different system and the students attended the school at age 12.

Then I turned 12, and my letter still had not arrived. Every time this happened, I kept believing that Hogwarts would accept students with an older age, but if that were true, I would be in Hogwarts. Though this is the heartbreaking tragedy of a young girl wanting to go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, it never really was a unhappy ending. Because of all this, I am the person I am today. These childhood experiences were one of the main aspects that shaped me into the person I am today. These are one of the main reasons why, till this day, I still have a tremendous love for Harry Potter. Not only the fact of letting the idea of magic, and creating miraculous experiences made my heart grow through the aspects of experiencing a whole new world, but the fact that I carried a part of childhood with me to this day and how I will never forget to live because of these childhood fantasies, it makes my love for the Harry Potter series pure and wholesome.

   Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore once said, ” Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on the light.”

The ultimate quote…. in my opinion. This phrase has been scribbled, and etched into my heart. It is something that will and can never be forgotten. Harry Potter is not just my escape, or childhood, but in a way, and unintentional guide. The words, the beliefs, and the values that most of the people have in these series have not only built new beliefs of mine but have also further developed already existing beliefs.

Harry Potter has become and always will be a part of my life. It was a way of keeping my childhood with me, but also has always been a source of happiness of mine. I constantly surround myself with concepts, aspects, and beliefs intertwined with these series.

Though it had become clear to me that my attendance at Hogwarts is unrealistic, their will always be a part of me that will never forgot and never stop believing in the magic, spells, potions, books, and charms. To me, there is magic in this world, and though it may not be evident at times, the happy moments that people share with themselves, others and society in general is what makes it magical. And hey! You never know if there really is world out there full of magic and wizardry. As for me, I know I will never stop believing this because all in all magic has become my light.

 

 

 

 

 

Sites:

What is your favorite Harry Potter wallpaper? from harrypotter

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheartmad.com%2Fwallpaper%2Fharry-potter-logo-wallpaper-hd-3%2F&psig=AOvVaw2cYqL1YH7rEfdrNkHOYodl&ust=1511589787646499

 

 

Category: Neha, Sept 2017 | LEAVE A COMMENT
November 20

Trapped

The idea of being trapped and being in a situation where we can’t change the outcome is a common theme in life. From growing up to death, there are many different things we can’t change and it will leave us feeling trapped. My parents divorced when I was about eight years old. I remember them fighting and my feeble mind could not comprehend why. It was something so foreign to me to watch my two idols in life have regular screaming matches. It was a enormous change from what was usual. I would wake up to my dad sleeping on the couch. At eight years old the idea of divorce was different to me and I could not figure out why. When my dad moved out I was devastated as two people I adored suddenly hated each other. I remember I questioned every aspect of my life to try and find an answer as to why. I blamed myself for a time and there was nothing I could do to bring these two people back together. Years later I have come to terms with the situation and understood the circumstances of the fight. Suddenly a huge burden on me felt lifted and I felt free of the chains the held me back. After a while the circumstances became very familiar to me and sadly it is very natural for me to switch parent’s houses. However, as I matured I began to recognize why it had to happened and stopped blaming myself. Maturity freed me from the cage that I trapped myself in. My youngest sibling was basically born into the situation while my sister is currently undergoing the process I did. The separation has led to my parents being seemingly happier and I am absolutely supportive of whatever decisions they make and in the end they support me through my problems. The hurricane of emotions I went through caused me to further see the benefits of their separation. This allowed for closure, and although it’s difficult leaving one parent for another and not seeing my siblings as much I see that this is better for them.

Category: Kamal | LEAVE A COMMENT
December 4

Remembering

The young soldier beside me reminds me so much of myself when I was his age. When he came up to me after the Remembrance Day ceremony and asked to talk with me, I was glad to do it. He pushed me in my wheelchair to the park bench in silence. I hate the damn chair, but my legs just don’t work the way they used too. As soon as we settle, we dive into conversation. We exchange stories of our experiences, not necessarily of battles, but of lighter topics, like why we joined the military and differences of the wars we fought in. He leans into the conversation, truly interested in what I have to say.

When I was a young man like him, World War II started and I found myself thrown into the turbulence of the war. I saw horrors no man should have to see in a life time in matter of months. But in the beginning I was excited, proud to be able to serve my country, much like the young man beside me. He has a long life ahead of him and many things he has not yet seen, but I can tell he is proud of what he is doing. Though the war I fought in was much different than the war he is fighting, there are still similarities in our experiences.

Our conversation takes a shift when he asks me if there was anything specifically in the war that had a big impact on me. Flashes of the battles ran through my head, of watching my friends die right before my eyes, the feeling of pure terror coursing through my veins when it looked like we were losing a battle. Then my mind settled on the image of concentration camps we liberated. I had never seen such horrific conditions for living, if you could call it that. The people that we found alive where ravished by hunger and bruises and disease, so weak they could barely even walk. There were even children among them, and you could see in their eyes the terror that had been their lives for so long. We gave them food upon our arrival and the children embraced us, calling us their heroes. Then we saw how the Nazi’s we killing them – there were the gas showers, the crematoriums that they would burn the corpses in, and the  trenches filled by hundreds of dead bodies. Though I had seen so much death before we made it there, this was different. These were civilians, innocent people, even children, slaughtered because of things about themselves they had no control over or couldn’t change. It made me sick to my stomach and I had to take a moment to compose myself. Never before had I seen such horrifying human suffering and those images have never left my mind…

I’m reluctant to bring this up to the young soldier. Until now our conversation had been light hearted and I don’t really want to talk about these horrors. I hadn’t talked about this in years, scared of the feeling it would bring back. But I must do this. I can see the curiosity in his expression, patiently waiting for my reply, and I realize that I need to get this story out to at least one soul, and who better to than a soldier who has seen horrors himself?

Category: Nicole R | LEAVE A COMMENT