It would be easier to die than to suffer the hardships of a war-torn nation;
To simply not exist and leave this life onto the next;
To avoid the daily sights of public beatings on innocent people that I know and love dearly.
Or to avoid hearing the screams of pain and fear in a little girl’s voice as she has her innocence stripped away by a monster 5 times her age and size.
Of course it would be much easier to jump in front of a bullet than to get beat on the head with a gun
To have to stay indoors all day and night to minimize the risk of being a target in their hunting games.
In a home that is turning into an ancient ruin right before my eyes;
An ancient ruin that people will travel thousands of miles to and take pictures as some sort of souvenir.
In a place where the mold on your bread actually offers more flavor than its fresh youth had.
This place is where I must abide by their rules so I could maybe survive another day.
A place where children harden their hearts at age 5,
After seeing their parents shot or beat or blown to pieces in front of their eyes
like I saw my own father die.
Or worse-having shrapnel removed from my with no anesthesia to numb the blinding white-hot pain
Screaming out for me to just let them end it now.
Death is always the most preferred option in this situation…
If you are alone.
To leave my family for a selfish reason as such would be sinful
To end my life for personal comfort would just be wrong.
I would rather take a beating a thousand times,
A beating of jagged rocks and rusty blades caked with sodium hydroxide than
To think about my precious wife being separated from our children
With no one there to put up a fight.
I could never and will never allow them to suffer at the hands of some beast
Without being able to help prevent it in some way
I’ll give up my moldy bread if it means that a child won’t cry from hunger that night.
I’ll sacrifice my warmth so my daughter won’t shiver.
I will gladly be the fool they taunt and terrorize if it means that my family is free of the torment.
I will not choose to give up and die.
Death is a coward’s answer