Disheartened, broken, lost. Like the many buildings of Beirut, we have been ripped apart.
What’s there to do?
Get Angry? Revolt? Stay glued on the TV? Dive into the wormhole of social media? Drink, smoke, eat? Nothing seems to help.
Every time we try to think of something else, we are reminded of the atrocity that overwhelmed our city. Is this what it’s come too? Countries pitying us? Begging foreign leaders for help? Our face on every headline? Political talk shows? Twitter trends?
The future? What future…
Homes? Cars? Jobs? Tourism? Restaurants? City Centers? Families, Friends, Pubs? Beirut?! Gone. It’s all gone. Nothing will be the same. Nothing is there anymore. There was never a future in Lebanon, but now the present’s gone too.
So What remains?
Depressed mothers, panic-stricken youth, shattered business, cracked city, lost diaspora, miserable elderly.
We try to scream “sawra” to hide the pain we really want to scream.
Desperate, distraught and afraid of crumbling in front of each other, we try to keep it together and put on a strong face.
We’re all just hanging by a thread. A tiny thread of kindness sparked by the light and compassion of a few.
A few of you tweeting, talking sharing, donating, helping, volunteering, cleaning… You are our only hope. Don’t give up on us. Don’t forget about us. Without you, there is no coming back.
