“...We never set eyes on Fatima or our dog or the city we had known ever again. Like a body prematurely buried, unmourned withpot coffin or ceremony, our hasty untidy exit from Jerusalem was no way to have said goodbye to our home, our country and all that we knew and loved.”
Analysis of Quote from Ghada Karmi
In this poignant quote from Ghada Karmi's memoir, she reflects on the sudden and abrupt departure from her home in Jerusalem, leaving behind everything familiar and loved. The analogy of a body prematurely buried without proper mourning or ceremony emphasizes the lack of closure and the profound sorrow that accompanies their forced exodus.
By comparing their sudden departure to a body prematurely buried, Karmi conveys the sense of loss and trauma experienced by her family. The absence of a proper farewell to their home, country, and loved ones amplifies the pain of leaving everything behind in such a sudden and chaotic manner. The use of vivid imagery, such as the reference to their "hasty untidy exit," effectively captures the emotional turmoil and disarray that marked their departure, resonating with readers on a deeply human level. This quote serves as a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of displacement and the poignant longing for home and belonging.
Modern Relevance:
The poignant words of Ghada Karmi, reflecting on the forced departure from her home in Jerusalem, still resonate in today's world. The feeling of displacement, loss, and a lack of closure is unfortunately a common experience for many individuals and communities who have been uprooted from their homes due to conflict, political turmoil, or other reasons. The lasting impact of such traumatic events continues to shape the lives of refugees and displaced persons around the globe.
Personal Loss and Displacement
"“...We never set eyes on Fatima or our dog or the city we had known ever again. Like a body prematurely buried, unmourned withpot coffin or ceremony, our hasty untidy exit from Jerusalem was no way to have said goodbye to our home, our country and all that we knew and loved.” - Ghada Karmi"
Reflection Questions:
As you think about the powerful words of Ghada Karmi in her quote, consider the following reflection questions:
How do you think forced displacement impacts one's sense of identity and belonging?
In what ways does the abrupt departure described by Karmi resonate with experiences of loss or separation in your own life?
Why is saying goodbye important in the process of moving on from a place or situation?
How can we honor and remember the places and people we have lost, even when we are unable to return to them physically?
What do you believe is the significance of finding closure and resolution in moments of transition and change?
Similar quotes
“It is more than twenty years since we left the city. This is a serious chunk of time, longer than the years we spent living there. Yet we still think of Jerusalem as our home. Not home in the sense of the place that you conduct your daily life or constantly return to. In fact, Jerusalem is our home almost against our wills. It is our home because it defines us, whether we like it or not.”
“The power of words is the power of change. Like a flood in the desert a great story surges into our lives and upsets what we thought we knew. It washes away the dust in our hearts and reveals something buried—showing us things we might never have known and challenging our naïve comfort. It takes us away to a new place and when we return home our world looks forever different.”
“What was unspoken between us, what need never be explained or said, was that nobody would ever love us again like our mothers did. Yes, we would be loved, by our fathers, our friends, our siblings, our aunts and uncles and grandparents and spouses--and our children if we chose to have them--but never would we experience that kind of unconditional, nothing-you-can-do-will-turn-me-away-from-you kind of mother love.”
“We have one set of obligations to the world in general, and we have other sets, never to be reconciled, to our fellow-country men, to our neighbors, to our friends, to our family to our children. We have to go through not two slits at the same time but twenty-two. All we can do is to look afterwards, and see what happened.”
“Nor can we see the coffin of a person we have known, without experiencing some new shock of loss. In this respect, a coffin is like a mirror, in which we see the image of our own condition, and understand that our human differences, whether of appearance, morality or wealth, must finally be reconciled.”