This is one of the consequences of the civil war. People stop trusting each other, and every stranger becomes an enemy.
Interpretation
The quote highlights how conflict can erode trust among individuals, turning acquaintances into perceived threats.
Ishmael Beah's quote reflects on the damaging impact of civil war on social relationships. It suggests that in the aftermath of such conflict, societal bonds weaken, and individuals may view others with suspicion and as potential enemies rather than allies or friends. This pervasive distrust can lead to further social fragmentation and isolation, impacting community cohesion and personal relationships.
In practice
In a discussion about the impacts of war on communities.
How many more times do we have to come to terms with death before we find safety?" he asked. He waited a few minutes, but the three of us didn't say anything. He continued: "Every time people come at us with the intention of killing us, I close my eyes and wait for death. Even though I am still alive, I feel like each time I accept death, part of me dies. Very soon I will completely die and all that will be left is my empty body walking with you. It will be quieter than I am.
...children have the resilience to outlive their sufferings, if given a chance.
When I was young, my father used to say, ‘If you are alive, there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is nothing good left in the destiny of a person, he or she will die.’ I thought about these words during my journey, and they kept me moving even when I didn’t know where I was going. Those words became the vehicle that drove my spirit forward and made it stay alive.
Some people tried to hurt us to protect themselves, their family and communities...This was one of the consequences of civil war. People stopped trusting each other, and every stranger became an enemy. Even people who knew you became extremely careful about how they related or spoke to you.
Every relationship, every situation is part of a divinely created and highly specific curriculum for your soul growth
The world, in truth, is a wedding.
And yet, standing behind her son, waiting for the traffic light change, she remembered how in the midst of it all there had been a time when she'd felt a loneliness so deep that once, not so many years ago, having a cavity filled, the dentist's gentle turning of her chin with his soft fingers had felt to her like a tender kindness of almost excruciating depth, and she had swallowed with a groan of longing, tears springing to her eyes.
Tis the only comfort of the miserable to have partners in their woes.
You can't get there alone. People have to help you, and I do believe in karma. I believe in paybacks. You get people to help you by telling the truth, by being earnest.
There’s something insupportable about being pissed with the one person on this planet that sends your adrenaline flowing to remind you that you’re alive. It’s almost like we’re mad because we’ve been shocked out of our usual comatose state of being by feeling something for someone, for ourselves, for just a moment.
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