A cup of tea awaits me!!

Maryam Ezzaldeen

I woke up today to the sound of a falling shell, and for the first time, I heard its whistle. It was very close… My mother, father, and sister were sitting in the courtyard drinking their morning tea while I was inside, watching them through the window… A moment of anxiety and confusion… Then another shell, closer this time… It’s like waiting for death to come upon you as you listen to its whistle… like a timer! Sssssiiiiiik boom! After that, you could be in pieces, or God might grant you the strength to pray for steadfastness and a good end.
I woke up and thought to myself, I don’t want to die in that state between wakefulness and dreams! I remembered the gym session we had planned to start this evening… Last night, the coach who used to train us in the camp visited our home, and we agreed to continue our training. Now, I expect everyone to be hesitant about gatherings, and our enthusiasm will turn cautious… I don’t know what will happen this evening!
Questions filled the neighbourhood streets… Among them was the voice of our neighbour, Haja Amina, who was far from feeling safe… What happened made her hysterical; she wanted to leave immediately. I could hear her anxious voice as she argued with her son. She said, “I can’t stay while I hear its whistle ringing in my ears!” She wanted to leave everything behind just because of the sound of a shell’s whistle… But where would you go, Haja Amina? At that moment, it felt like the whole neighbourhood was boiling! I was reminded of the verse in which God speaks clearly to us: “Say, the death you are fleeing from will surely meet you.”
One step could save you, and another could be the one written by God, driven by fate, to become the place where God takes back His trust and holds your soul.
“Ten oranges for a thousand, hot sauce for two hundred, mint for two hundred.” Yes! This is what I heard while deep in contemplation in the realm of God! I didn’t see the vendor, and I don’t know if he was roaming with a pickup truck or his donkey and cart… But he certainly didn’t care about the shell or its whistle… He just wanted to sell his goods! I thought this life was mocking me! Mocking!
I haven’t had my tea yet. I decided to write down what happened and document these moments. I felt that I must strive to complete my book, write more, and express my love more!!
Bye… A cup of tea awaits me…