Aku terus menyimak suara ledakan yang berulang-ulang. Aneh rasanya berada di sini, dekat dengan Gaza; ada semacam kerinduan untuk mendengar suara ledakan dari dekat dan merasakan butiran debu bangunan yang hancur lebur. Ketiadaan semua itu membuatku merasa sangat jauh dari kehidupan normalku, bahkan rasanya mustahil untuk kembali.

literally consists of minor details. suka sama terjemahannya!

”Honor is an expendable luxury when you have no means or shelter in this fucking world.”

oh Nahr… such a zealous, resilient woman. bad things kept coming to her, struck her down, killed her spirit several times—but she never gave up. to many, Nahr was a disgrace, when all she did was with the intention to survive the harsh world we’re living in. a strong-minded, full of love and hope she was, Nahr earned respect every where she stepped her feet to. her people—beloved family, supportive friends, solid comrades, and benevolent neighbors—were always there for her, by her side or even in her heart. and i couldn’t be happier that in the end, Nahr finally found a man who loved her dearly; whom she could love with every nerve in her body.

I struggled to find the words I had rehearsed. “I don’t know why, Bilal. I’m just damaged.” His face softened and he pulled me gently toward him. I slipped my arms around his waist and we stayed that way, my head nestled at his neck, the rhythm of his breath lulling me to a sense of home. “We can be damaged together,” he whispered. “As long as I can hold you like this, I will be a happy man.”

in Susan Abulhawa writing, you can feel the pain, the love, the sadness, the resistance, and the resentment. truly a must-read. Free Palestine!!!