This is the story of one of us. But this is also the story of each of us. I met my friend on the cold December evening several years ago. He had been around for a while. He’d moved here looking for better studying, better job, better place of living, better opportunities. But who defines what better is?
He was a stranger among locals. Locals who had their own culture, traditions, language. But my friend had only a suitcase full of desire to change something in his life. He had the sparkle inside which was igniting him to learn, support and help.
One day he was walking along the street and he saw a family. Certainly, those people were newcomers as he was but their look did not show any excitement, any wish. “Others”, as they call them. Mother was struggling with the language to buy some food. She was miserable with their destiny. He could feel the despair and emptiness that she could not hide from anyone. The only happy people around were her children who were playing in the mud. They were smiling at everyone, they had the sparkle inside! The same sparkle as he had! As he was passing them by he heard one of them asking his mother “When will we go home, mummy?” “Our home is not ours anymore. It was captured by a savage monster who is not going to give it back.”
And he started asking himself lots of questions. “Why should monsters come and force people to leave?” “Why do people have to be trapped in the cage of depression?” “Why do children have to suffer from the young age having no understanding of the world around?” “Why do they have to be deprived of joyful childhood?” “Why are those who see these families every day, who speak the language of that country, have an opportunity to help, stay so cold and indifferent?”
And so he was walking thinking as his sparkle was growing turning into a bright sunshine. So he decided to struggle more this time not only for himself but also for others. His path was now clear and straightforward. He decided to help those who were the same “others” as he was but who lost their hope and light inside. To ignite the souls of those who previously were unconcerned and to help all those children turn their sparkles inside into a glow because everything starts with them.
If a newcomer can help other newcomers in the moment of despair, we are capable of doing even more. We always have the choice to choose darkness or light. And this choice depends on us.
This is the story of one of us. But this is also the story of each of us.
Written by: Liliia Hos