Ishmael Beah

There were two quotes that Ishmael Beah said during his presentation that stuck out to me. I did not get the exact wording down, but I tried my best to keep a mental not of what he was saying.

1. He was discussing how everyone always told him he was strong. Strong for being able to survive what he went through. Strong for being able to become the man he is despite everything. To this, Ishmael said something along the lines that everyone has that strength, that hope is a form of strength. When placed in extreme situations, like what he experienced, is when you realize how "difficult it is to put out that fire of hope."

2. Later in his speech, Ishmael was speaking about how difficult it was to write Along Way Gone and how there were many times he wanted to give up. The memories were painful for him to relive as he put them into words. When he thought about how many other children in his country were going through what he went through and how he had watched so many die, Ishmael concluded that he "only had the memories to live with", and that "was a small price to pay to stay alive."

Ishmael Beah's words really stuck with me. My childhood and past in no way can be compared to his, but I have had experiences that some would not consider "average" or "normal." I used to try to write about them, but could never but words to my memories, to my emotions. But that is what I have, memories. And who will ever know them, if I can't put them into words?