To be strong

Hello friends,
In my last post I talked about my dear friend Maf and I said

"Maf is a good girl in our class, clever and nice. Although she seems a bit isolated, but when I tried to approach her, I found her very good and gentle person.She has two sisters, and mom who always tries to do her best to protect them. ( just like the one mine and the one yoursJ)Her daddy is missing since 2003. so the three girls have no one to love them really except mammy of theirs, especially these days, when we see every family is busy with the own affairs trying to avoid the sadness and the gloomy times.On Tuesday when I was preparing for French exam, I heard a very very bad news, Maf's mom had died in an explosion had occurred on Monday noon. I was so shocked that I felt of a hand entered my chess and brought out my heart. I didn't know what to do, I remembered her lovely mom when I saw her twice and how beautiful she was when she had depended on me to help her daughter considering me a member of their family." No mom!!!!" I said at the shock time.I kept saying prayers asking God to bless the mom's spirit, and went back to class, I opened my bag for no reason, I was in denial, a friend called Hind( she is another good girl) asked me, ( she seemed that she had noticed my denial) how did I know of the bad news, as well our biology teacher. I answered with no word, I just looked at her and hugged her burst into tears. The other girls didn't know why I had been crying like that way and kept asking me about the matter, I was not able, Hind answered them. The all began to cry and we all wanted to go to her soon to see if she and her sisters all right.We began to curse the terrorists ( they really deserve cursing), the mom had died because an explosion had happened in their neighbors.I don't know what the terrorists gained of that bomb-car , Nothing I know, but they only gave hurt to a family and make little simple girls alone in this world, they made ones become orphans!!!I really hate nobody in my life but the terrorists.I spent the rest of the day crying in a time and trying to hide my tears hard.I came back home, and laid beside the sofa in the kitchen and mom asked my what had been the wrong.I caught her hand and said " Mom!!! She is Maf, she lost her mom!!"Mom kept crying too. Dad and sisters, we didn't have lunch at that day, everyone was sad and gloomy.The next day, there was a preparing of a celebration at school of Mother's Day, Teacher's Day Tree's Day and Prophet's Birthday.When girls began to make read poems about mother, I kept crying saying," Oh!! Maf had no Mammy now!!"All the teachers love Maf, because she is a calm and obedient one.I called Maf an hour ago , she was in bed, she slept of long time crying.I'm going to call her again at 7:00 p.m. "

I then called her,
I: hello, is that maf?
maf: yes dear.
- maf, how are you?
(I know I know, it was a silly question to ask her about her this question But I needed it to go in talking.)
- well, I'm not really ok
- well, I'm so sorry for what happened sweetie, but..
- ok, I just ask you , do you remember her voice and her admiration towards you? ( interrupted me)
I bite my finger, that way I was able to not to cry.
- ok, the only thing that I want to tell you is that your mom was gone as martyr. We all lost dears because of the present situation, many Iraqis suffer and you know. But she is your mom, your mom who loves you and likes you to be strong and free. Maf, your mom was a special woman that she was able to take care of you and your sisters without a daddy, she was like mammy like daddy. This is why you should be proud of your mom and you should be like her, you and your sisters. She is there now, praying for you and watching you, she doesn't like to see her daughters crying, crying was never the reason of happiness or of passing suffer and sad times. Everything happens happens for a reason, and we should learn of the reasons and the happenings. We all realize that the way isn't over, no it is too long, and we have to continue that way together, and we are together, I know dear that losing mom is SO HARD and not anyone can bear it, but I'm talking to you now considering you good and wise girl. Your mom lighted up a candle for you and your sisters and it is your duty to keep the candle lighting. Instead of cursing the darkness we have to light up candles. As well sister, we all will die someday, but this doesn't mean that we should spend our lives waiting for death and without achieving. Now, I just want you to know that your mom wanted you and your sisters to continue and to study, you were absent the days ago, I appreciate that, but I also appreciate that mammy wants you to go to school and share the times with your friends, this is the mom, always in the heart, in the mind and on the faces. Dear, I want you to know that we are all here for you and to take care of you. You are not alone at all, all the girls send you their consolation and best wishes. Don't care about what you missed, just care of the future and of what you are going to do. And as I told you we are here by you. Maf, we miss you in the school and we want you to come back.
- oh, dear, I really can't find the suitable word to thank you, you are great and as wise as I knew you, you are in my heart and you said the words that I wanted someone to say. Ok, my mom loved you, she was always saying that you are a good girl, ok, thank you, thanks to the friends, I know that you are all kind enough to take care of me. I like you all, and I'll think of coming back to school, mom always urged us to study and she said that the only thing that man doesn't lose is the knowledge.
- this is great, I'm glad to hear that. Look at the sky, you will see the stars, they are so high, and they all say that the wonderful mammy hears you and cares about you and your sisters.
- ok sandybelle, I should go, may I ?
-ok dear, good-bye and remember! That I love you..

On Sunday maf came to school, she took my advice, I and the girls handled explaining the missed lectures. And day after day she seems to be better, we made her smile and even laugh. " laugh for life, life will laugh for you".
She did some exams and took high marks, she is strong and smart, I'm so glad for her. Sometimes sad things make man be stronger, I admire her and her ability to overcome the challenges. Good girl maf, May the nice souls be blessed.
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Dears, I just wanted you to know that in spite of what we face everyday , we don't lose hope. There are many Iraqis like maf, and maybe worse in cases, but here we are!
The last five years made us lose a lot, the years before too, but what we should do is to challenge, we are here on the land where writing was firstly made and civilizations were established for the first time too, and we realize the what the ancestor did was great and we are proud of the, but we also have to follow their lead and have to DO.
Anyway, things are not bad. Although I know losing mom is so difficult, and the one can't stop crying, but crying will never bring back the gone ones, but the good deeds and great achievements do, mom is always here, in the heart…
To be strong.. Be strong..
Sandybelle