Leyla

UNDER BOMBARDMENT, SURROUNDED BY 21

ARAB COUNTRIES WITH ARMIES HEAVILY ARMED,

Instead of new branches, I might grow deeper roots.

Masjid al-Haram

I felt my heart jump, and the panic start. I was so prepared for him to scream at me and get angry at me for crying, especially because I’d woken him up with it.

That’s a learned fear from my life growing up. My partner has never made me feel bad for crying but the fear still exists.

He immediately rolled over and embraced me. He held me tightly and reassuringly kissed my head. He asked what was wrong but I was sobbing too much to speak so he just held me and told me he loved me. And the panic went away and I felt safe. I felt so safe in his arms. He had to get up in a couple hours for work and yet he was so patient and gentle.

I guess what I want to share is that even if you haven’t got to meet them yet, safe people exist. Wonderful, loving people who will treat you right exist. And you deserve that. You deserve to feel safe in someone’s arms. You deserve a person who feels like home. There’s hope for that for you. The world isn’t just full of people who will hurt you.