We Are the Light: No. 6
The Darkest Eid
Author Pen Name: Rahel Raif
Nation: Afghanistan
Age: 21
Three days of Ramadan were remaining and I was excited about Eid, the joyous celebration at the end of the holy month of fasting. Everyone was getting prepared and waiting for Eid. I was ready to leave for school when my mother stopped me and said, ”Let’s go shopping for Eid”. My family had never told us to miss school; but on that day, my mom did not allow me to go to school.
It was May 8th, 2021, and I was in eleventh grade. At 4:30 pm, instead of sitting in my classroom, I was at the market with my mother. That’s when I heard the explosion at my nearby school. On the way back home I saw mothers walking barefoot on scorching streets; fathers with tear-filled eyes, searching for the bodies of their children; and girls whose white school scarves were stained red with the blood of their friends. I saw ambulances carrying friends I had known for years, their bodies torn into pieces. When I reached home there was a heavy silence. Only the sobs of my older sister broke the quiet. I went to the rooftop to be alone, my whole body shaking even though I was unable to cry. Breathing was difficult and I wished my breath would just stop and my life would end. I was forced to accept that about 100 girls had been martyred, more than 300 were injured, and about 2000 girls were mentally in shock.
One hundred students were buried along with their dreams of freedom and living a full life. One of them was my good friend, Daria. Daria was the most hard working and intelligent student in the class. She had a small shop or Gorfa, selling pens and pencils to children. She studied English at an advanced level and she was seeking a teaching job. When she shared her dreams with me, they were different from other friends’ dreams. Her dream was to help other people and change the world. From that Eid on, I have never celebrated Eid with joy or even with a smile. Now, when I hear an ambulance siren, I feel the heavy pain of those bombs.
Yet, that awful day was not the end of my dreams. I chose to not allow it to stop me from pursuing my dreams. It was not going to weaken me.
Recently, I saw my dead friend’s mother, weak and heartbroken, and close to death. She said to me, “My daughter is not gone, she is watching you to see how you continue her path. Will you surrender, or will you rise with even greater strength and avenge the blood of the martyrs with the power of your pen?”
I knew then that if I did not fight through hardship, I would lose. Therefore, I picked up my pen with even greater determination and strength.
The Blind Mother and Her Daughter
Author Pen Name: Zahra S.
Nation: Afghanistan
Age: 19
Among the many houses in the streets and small alleys of Kabul, a blind woman lived with her only daughter.
Every morning, the call to prayer, car horns, and the voice of a man selling dry bread woke the quiet city. The girl slowly opened her eyes. Warm sunlight came through the window and touched her and her mother. She looked outside and saw people going to work, taking their children to school, and taking care of their homes. Some mothers carried bread in their hands, while others swept in front of their houses.
The girl closed the window and looked at her mother, who was sitting quietly, looking toward the ceiling with her blind eyes. She looked very still, almost like a statue. The girl knew that her mother was sometimes sad because she could not do the things other mothers could do.
When they went outside, they often walked along quiet roads, passing trees, flowers, and green grass. The mother walked slowly, while the girl carefully guided her. But when they reached the crowded streets, the mother became unsure of where to go.
People looked at them, and sometimes women whispered: “They say this woman is blind and has no one except this daughter. What a difficult life. May God never give such a life to anyone.”
The girl tried to take her mother through quieter streets so she would not hear those painful words.
Her mother often asked: “My daughter, is the road crowded? Are there many people around us?”
The girl always smiled and said: “Yes, Mother. It is a little crowded, but everyone is making way for us. They look at you with respect. They say you are beautiful and dignified, and that your manners are better than many people who can see.”
Every night, the girl told her mother these beautiful stories. She knew they were not true, but she wanted her mother to feel loved and important.
That night, she said: “Mother, everyone admires you. They say God made you beautiful, wise, and dignified. Many women wish they had your beauty.”
The girl secretly swallowed her tears. She knew she was lying, but she only wanted to bring happiness to her mother’s heart.
Her mother smiled, kissed her daughter, and fell asleep peacefully. After her mother fell asleep, the girl quietly went to the rooftop. Her friend, the moon, was waiting across from their house, as it did every night.
She looked at the moon and said: “Everyone has a goal in life. But if my goal is simply to stay beside someone like my mother and put a smile on her face every night, then that is enough for me.”
Wish
Author Pen Name: Shayesta
Nation: Afghanistan
Age: 17
Since she was a little girl, everyone knew Shayesta as a cheerful, energetic, and lovely girl. She was always smiling and full of joy. As she grew older, her dreams also grew bigger.
People often told her, “You can have a bright future. You can change your life and your family’s life.” She believed them. She studied hard because she wanted to build a better future.
Her biggest wish was to become a judge one day. She wanted to defend people’s rights, especially the rights of women. She did not want women in her country to live with injustice and violence. She wanted to make a difference in the lives of women and girls.
But, one day in 2021, everything changed.
That morning, Shayesta went to school with great hope. She wanted to study and take her exam so she could build her future. When the class was about to begin, the teacher came in and sadly said, “The Taliban have come today. The school is closed. Everyone must go home.”
She could not believe what she heard.
She went home with tears in her eyes. She was very sad because the school doors were closed, and she could no longer continue her education.
She often looked through the window and saw younger girls going to school. Sometimes she saw her young nieces going to school while she had to stay at home. It was very difficult for her.
She looked at her books and thought, “I only wanted to study. I only wanted to build my future. Why has my dream become so difficult?”
The first year was very hard for her. She felt very sad and lost hope for some time.
But, slowly, she decided to rebuild herself.
She told herself that closing the school doors did not mean that her life had to end. If one door was closed, she would try to find another door.
She went to a beauty salon and learned beauty and makeup skills. Every new skill gave her a little more hope.
But once again, she faced another difficult challenge. The Taliban closed many beauty salons, and Shayesta could no longer continue working there. She had to find another way to earn money.
She and her mother started going to people’s homes to do difficult household work. They cleaned houses, washed dishes, and did other physically demanding jobs. The money they earned was very little, but Shayesta did not give up. She knew that every little amount could help her move closer to her dream.
She saved the money she earned from cleaning houses because she wanted to use it to continue learning beauty and makeup skills. Even when she was tired, she kept trying. She believed that honest work, no matter how difficult, could help her build a better future.
Now she has another wish. She wants to open her own shop one day. She wants to work with her own hands and build her own future.
She may not have reached her dream of becoming a judge yet, but her dream is still alive in her heart. Life changed her path, but it could not destroy her dreams.
She is still the same girl with hope, courage, and the spirit to succeed.
Despite all the difficulties, she does not want to give up. She wants to live, work hard, and succeed.
“I will not give up. I will keep fighting for my dreams, and one day I will succeed.”
The Forest of Dreams
Author Pen Name: Farah Z
Nation: Afghanistan
Age: 16
Once upon a time, in a quiet forest, the strict old owls closed the schools. The little animals felt sad because they loved to learn.
One brave squirrel changed everything. Squirrel Mawhub had lost her father when she was very small. She was often lonely, but she never gave up. One stormy night, she discovered a glowing sign deep in the forest: “Online Coding and Robotics Class: All Creatures Welcome!”
She ran to tell her friends. The first was Bunny Marjih, who loved to hop and learn. “The owls may close schools,” Bunny said, “but that doesn’t mean they can stop us!” Together, Bunny and Squirrel joined the class.
On the way, they found Fox Fatan, who was busy caring for her family. “I don’t have time to study,” she sighed. But Squirrel and Bunny encouraged her. “Join us! We can help one another.” And so, Fox Fatan joined too.
Hedgehog Sahi rolled in, burdened by prickly problems. She’d lost her family and felt she belonged nowhere. But the friends cheered: “With us, you can build games and robots. You’ll feel at home.” Sahi smiled and joined them.
Watching from the treetops, Eagle Wadi spread her wings. She had seen many storms, even the storm of COVID. These little ones are brave, she thought. I must guide them. And so the wise eagle joined too, ready to share her wisdom.
Deep in the forest, Deer Sahi Muelama dreamed of climbing high hills as an engineer. When she saw the group passing by, she asked shyly, “Can I join?” The others nodded happily. “Together we can leap over obstacles!” said Bunny.
Then along came Curious Cat Fatan. She was quick and playful, but the locked forest gates had kept her from studying. When she saw the happy group, she twirled her tail and said, “I’ll join too!”
Rabbit Fatan hopped behind. She wanted to tell stories but felt trapped by the elders. Squirrel whispered, “In coding class, you can share your stories with the whole forest!” Rabbit’s eyes sparkled as she joined her friends.
Fox Noori came last. She didn’t know anything about coding. “I’m not smart enough,” she said. But the group laughed kindly. “We’ll teach you!” In time, Fox Noori became a teaching assistant, helping others — even her own siblings!
Just when the class began, tiny Mouse Clara peeked out from under a leaf. She was so small and shy, but her little paws tapped quickly on the keyboard. “Even the smallest mouse can make the biggest difference!” she squeaked. The others cheered.
Their classroom was hidden deep inside the Forest of Dreams. They sat at little desks made from smooth tree branches, while their schoolbooks were made from freshly fallen leaves. Tiny glowing lights hung from the trees like stars, lighting up their screens. Sometimes the lessons were filled with the sounds of birds singing, leaves rustling, and animals laughing. Other times, they worked quietly together, listening carefully to their teacher.
Their teacher was Wise Owl Farid, a kind old owl who believed that every creature deserved a chance to learn. Unlike the strict owls who had closed the schools, he opened his classroom to everyone. “Never think that you are too small, too young, or too different to learn,” he told them. “Knowledge belongs to everyone.”
The animals began their coding and robotics lessons. They learned how to create simple games where players could guide a squirrel through a maze, help a rabbit collect stars, or help a deer cross a river without falling in. They also built little robots from twigs, leaves, and recycled forest materials. One robot could move around fallen branches, while another could carry tiny books from one animal to another.
The animals worked together, fixing mistakes and teaching one another. Every time something went wrong, they tried again.
All the animals Squirrel, Bunny, Fox Fatan, Hedgehog, Eagle, Deer, Bear, Cat, Rabbit, Fox Noori, and Mouse learned together. They built robots, made games, and shared stories. The forest, once dark and quiet, now shone with light, laughter, and the magic of learning. From that day on, everyone called it The Forest of Dreams.
The Forest of Dreams reminds us that learning never stops. With courage, friendship, and hope, knowledge can shine even in the darkest times.
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