Life Through Her Eyes:19

                                                                   Thanks giving prayer 

I have completely disassociated with reality 

I am planning my week on Sunday like normal 

Talking to my friends and business partners, setting up meetings and hangouts 

Refusing to believe that tomorrow may really not come 

Jordan has closed its borders on the west bank, no one in or out 

Rather than freeing Gaza from the biggest open-air prison 

The West Bank has become the second biggest one ever! 

Rather than saving lives 

All Palestinian life is threatened 

How much more resilience could humans have 

How much more do we have to sacrifice to get what is rightfully ours 

How much does freedom really cost 

The world makes it seem like we have a choice 

The world seems to believe that they are doing all this in self-defense 

As I sit in the empty coffee shop, hearing the F16 flying over my head 

I realize something dawning, no matter how disassociated I am, I can never detach 

No matter how detached I become, I will never not be a Palestinian 

And thank god for that

About the Author

Rand is a 26-year-old Palestinian. She is the youngest of four children; she finished her undergraduate studies at Bir Zeit University, Ramallah, Palestine. During her university years, Rand grew more interested in the humanitarian structure and the Palestinian cause from a humanitarian point of view. Through volunteering and networking, Rand received many pieces of training in crisis management, and emergency navigation, as well as, humanitarian structure, signature, and localization allowing her to employ her knowledge in her career and as a volunteer with many local and international humanitarian organizations. Moreover, Rand is a very expressive artistic person who attempts to share her human experience through pen and brush. She is captivated by sunsets and Palestinian beauty.

All photos in the series are by Rand.