“A ti nisi htjela čuti, gospođo Evropo, iako se vrisak čuo do neba!”

Never forget Srebrenica. July 11th, 1995. 8,372 lost.

Bosniaks across the world will use today as a day of mourning in honor of the Srebrenica Genocide and all those lost to the war in Bosnia.

But I recently asked one of my closest friends: How old were you when you realized driving through Bosna that the amount of mezara (grave yards) we have isn’t normal?

Because - especially where we’re both from - dotted across the beautiful landscape and comforting villages is grave after grave.

Her response was pretty similar to mine: “When I was six. I remember asking my dad why some are green and why some have white stones. I’ve been noticing it more now that I’m older of course.”

It’s the impact of war you don’t really expect - that 30 years later your children are going to have to put two and two together. And something that felt like home becomes so incredibly saddening.

As a daughter of immigrants and refugees watching all that’s occurring in the U.S. it’s a good reminder to all of us just how important education is. It’s something they can never take away from us. And even when it seems inaccessible it’s still out there.

I remember my grandfather telling me how terrible he felt leaving school before the age of 15 to work and provide for his family. But even in those times when food was barely on the table he managed to teach himself. He’s still one of the smartest, well spoken people I know.

My mom grew up during genocide. Her house was bombed, village surrounded by armed forces. She still proudly boasts how she’d stay up with candle light studying and when the war was finally over passed all her nursing requirements with flying colors. Despite this all, her high school education and nursing degree were not accepted in America because of the instability and uncertainty in which she obtained them. But that love of learning never left and she’s one of my greatest inspirations to follow a career in healthcare.

And I’m here complaining about the chance to take an expensive exam. When really I should be grateful that we survived to be able to allow me to take it let alone have the money to register for the MCAT.

This is just a ramble and a gentle reminder to myself more than anyone that we are the future our parents fought for. It’s something to remember now more than ever.

If you’re blessed to have a good one it’s a tactic I highly recommend. Some days I cannot find the motivation to push myself to do the studying for me. But remembrance of the people rooting for you is a pretty powerful tool in my book. It doesn’t even have to be encouragement about studying! Nice comments are nice comments regardless what they’re about!! 🙂

Anyways here’s two really cute ones I found to push myself this morning that I’m putting here on my blog to remind myself.