Jaddah, “grandmother”

Grandmother, 

Your eyes hold the story

of humanity...

age-old lessons.

The deepest suffering,

and purest joy.

residing together

within you.

It doesn’t seem fair

this duality,

no matter how beautifully 

you embody it. 

Ancestress,

outliving your 

blood line

was never the plan,

nor watching its demise.

Your sorrow seems

unbearable. 

Yet, somehow 

you overcome 

vengeful impulses, 

choosing goodwill

toward all...

enough to light the way.

‘‘Tis the season”

for celebrating

such Divine wisdom ...

Others fear it,

Unaware...

It is “the very life force 

of this place

we call home.”
——
*photo taken by a humanitarian aid worker, December 2019... image is a Syrian refugee whose entire family was slaughtered over the years of conflict, yet this matriarch still brought kindness to those around her and found joy in helping care for others in the refugee camps. 
*Her name “Jaddah” means grandmother. 
*end quote is from the aid worker, describing Jaddah.