chunks of flommus
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living in a war zone

I wish I had something more profound here
but all I can really say is

if you ever want true perspective on the struggle
the people living in a war zone face

talk to a woman
who spent her youth walking to school
with a gas mask on her belt
who watched her friends
family
and neighbors
first torn from their homes
and then later
blown apart

a woman
whose father spent every night
diligently repairing the damage to their home
so he could maintain a sense of normalcy
for the family at the cost of his own health
and the family’s resources

a woman
who later in life bought her homes
based on the amount of windows it had
because being a room without windows
triggered her PTSD from
spending long nights in bomb shelters

a woman
who still cries when she hears a loud bang
and ultimately

a woman
who lived under a tyrannical regime
she had no control over
and a war zone she was not allowed to escape

derTung_warzone2

after talking
to my grandmother tonight
I am overwhelmed with gratitude for friends
who support protecting these people

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude
for the privilege
that I’ve never had to face these struggles
and overwhelmed with a need to share
the privilege I have with people
who are not so lucky

Hug your loved ones guys
because you are damn lucky they are still in one piece

—natalie michelle