A liberal summer

Does freedom take you to those times when you debated with your parents to let you go out with your friends just like any "normal" teenager would go? Or does freedom remind you of the usual caption on every other post: "Free Palestine"? 

Were you not a normal teenager if you didn't go out on your own? Is this comparable to the Palestinians? Many of us hear the word "Palestine" and think it is a situation not in reach. Either we stay and look or we move on with our lives. That's pretty much it. I, writing about this will do probably nothing, but let's see how much at liberty I am to write. (Life is real so we will not censor anything.)

So, more than 1000 days ago, your fridge starts to get empty, you hear gunshots approaching from a distance when you sleep at night, your skincare starts running out but you cannot restock anytime soon and you do not know when is the next time you go to school, let alone go anywhere. This is the reality of the Palestine bound by weapons directly pointed at them at any given time. In fact, it has gotten worse over the days: constant displacement, lack of basic necessities, and literal unaliving. But what do they do? They bear and hope.

Reflect on that one time your stomach dropped and your breathing hitched. You realized, "Oh snap, is this really happening?" For me it was turbulence. Yes, cliche, but imagine that happens everyday. You would NOT stay sane.

Each day, I happily check off the work I was eager to once complete, while others cannot even fathom starting. As an 18-year-old, I have so many goals and dreams. I cannot imagine leaving without fulfilling them to my heart's content. I cannot imagine leaving without having perfected my life—and neither can you.

The ultimate goal should be to support not just yourself, but also those who cannot. Not everyone has it easy. So, the next time you don't get what you wanted, think about others; think about how it is not that deep. Know that it happened for the right reasons. Know that you are at an appropriate pace and you are free. 

In conclusion, every step is an opportunity, so talk about Palestine in gatherings, social media—everywhere. Have their back and start with this blog.