Fewer to the Soul
For now, one fact rules: the fewer people I know, the safer my soul is.
It strikes me deeply that while humans tirelessly search for a flicker of life on other planets, hoping to prove we're not alone in the universe, I find myself retreating into my own shadow. I keep my head down, avoiding connection with others to protect my soul. The fewer people I know, the safer I feel.
I am haunted by the regrets of those who came before, leaving no room for others to witness my distress. The cruelty of those who hurt children is unbearable, the pain of the privileged exploiting the weak is profound, and the violence of those who kill to survive is unforgivable.
I feel the pain in every petrified heart, the burn in each wounded body, and the bitterness in the final breaths of those around us.
This is not a skill but rather a curse.
Why must I blend into the crowd when I can't bear the emotional weight of these relationships?
Fewer people mean safety for me, but my soul still aches for connection with other souls, no matter what form they take. It's a deep yearning to meet and interact. Where should I place myself? In a box where it's safe but dark and suffocating, choosing safety over knowledge? Or among humans, where my soul can strike and intertwine with others, learning and growing?
For now, one fact rules: the fewer people I know, the safer my soul is..... but lonely and oppressed, by me.
Dana Obeid