I’ve been absent, again, for a myriad of reasons. One of those reasons is that the Syrian government, which was supposed to bring peace to a wounded, traumatized society, is now massacring the Druze and Christians. They are targeting whole communities, killing without remorse or a second thought. My relatives in Syria were threatened as well and live in constant fear.
Druze Star, by Erin Silversmith – Own work, Public Domain.
There are a lot of things happening in my life right now, some of which remain private for a while. Some are great, some not so much. However, the news about Syria and the communities, especially the Druze, the ethnoreligious group my family comes from, has me horrified. This is yet another assault on human rights. Of course, it hits closer, painfully closer to home, in more than one way. That is what I will focus on for today’s entry.
Disconnecting Out of Necessity
Right now, I am disconnecting myself because of my mental health. It’s been affected by trauma time and time again, so I try to put distance between the recent events and myself so I can focus on the things I can control. One of those things is praying, meditating, and creating.
I firmly believe in the power of prayer despite what science is able to study at this point in time. Today I don’t come with folklore or knowledge, I don’t come with insight or questions. I come as a member of an underrepresented community that’s being massacred. I come asking everyone to pray and support those in need in any way you can.
Once you are a witch, you are always a witch. A friend reminded me of this when I needed it years ago. I need that again this time, but not because I forgot it. I need it because I feel hopeless and disillusioned, I am horrified, I am disgusted, and I am angry beyond belief. This is not the kind of person I want to be, so I need to stay distant and focus on something that gives me hope.
Why do I care about the Druze?
By Copyright (c) 2005 Verdy p. Public Domain.
Because that’s where I come from.
Regardless of their Abrahamic, conservative teachings, it’s in my blood. I share many of the values and morals that form the Druze faith because I grew up with them, I accepted them as part of my heritage, and even made them part of who I am, what I represent, and what I want to become.
I am still a witch, still Pagan, queer, immigrant, and autistic. In a way, I am still the same person who started this blog. I just happen to be part of a community that is suffering today. And I can’t stay indifferent. I can put distance, but my energy and my prayers are still in there.
It is because of that that I ask you to send your best energies towards Syria for those who need them. I have spoken about the Druze, but they are not the only group of people targeted, so abstain from putting names and conditions in your work as much as you can. Focus on the needy, the affected, their grief, their wounds, and send them love and healing. Heaven knows we all need it, and some need them more than ever before. That’s the miracle of being human: we can sympathize without going through the same experiences.
We all love and suffer, we all hope and fear. At the end of the day, the blood staining the streets in Syria is just as red as yours and mine. That red makes us more similar to each other than some people would prefer us to believe.