For some the Apocalypse isn’t a future possibility but a historical reality.
There are no words to describe what happened here on August 4, 2020. The blast in Beirut was staggering in magnitude, and I still can’t wrap my head around what happened. You think you’d get accustomed to tragedy but you never really do. In an instant, hundreds of people died (many buried under the rubble), thousands injured hundreds of thousands were left without a roof over their heads, and scores of people are still missing. People lost their loved ones, their homes, their businesses in a blink of an eye.
What happened is much more horrible than most grotesque tale. Beirut is literally destroyed; streets are littered with debris. There’s not enough space to stand here and not enough oxygen to breath. We live in a country already suffering from all the possible nightmares: a brink of total unmitigated economic collapse, hyperinflation, collapse of national currency, skyrocketing unemployment, oligarchy corrupted warlords ruling for decades, pandemic and now our capital city is destroyed. We felt as if our hearts have been wiped off our bodies. Broke and broke beyond imagination in all parts.
My tears trickled as I watched ghastly images of Beirut, I kept replaying videos showing the explosion and kept asking myself “How could this happen?” Seeing death, crying children, adults running horribly feared, blood and destruction everywhere I broke down in tears along with my friends. We were grieving for all the lost lives, memories, for our broken nation and dreams, and for our unknown future. The surreal destruction of Beirut symbolized our downfalls.
Our hearts may have died that day, but we still have hope. Despite all the destruction I kept seeing unconditional love and sacrifices among the Lebanese.The people carrying children and running for shelter. The people wiping each other’s blood. The people comforting each other and holding each other. Those taking the wounded to the hospital. Those lining up to donate blood. Those who are helping cleaning debris and donating. The amount of love, and selflessness is overwhelming. We shall rise again; we shall show the world how to be unbroken.
Beirut, I love you ❤
Voyager of freedom 