Un-Merry Christmas for me!

Nahida Izzat,
Exiled Palestinian

Blessed Christmas and heartfelt wishes to you all dear beloved friends.

It saddens me to say that Christmas for me, has always been a very sad time never a time of joy, but this year the sadness is particularly overwhelming.

Through out my adult life I have watched people around me celebrate the birth of the Palestinian man of peace, who came with the message of peace, in the land of peace, while turning a blind eye to the perpetual crimes committed against him, and against the land of his birth; his homeland has been destroyed, his people dispossessed, maimed and murdered, his message desecrated and trampled on, year after year, decade after decade, without an end in sight.

I am still unable to reconcile the breathtaking beauty of his message with the unimaginable cruelty, complicity or apathy of many his followers.

I still remember weeping often during my children and grandchildren nativities plays, hearing children cheering for Jerusalem or singing Bethlehem, while children of Jerusalem and Bethlehem are shot, bombed and torn to pieces. Often it felt like either I landed on the wrong planet or I'm living in a parallel universe, no one to talk to and no one even notices my distress and grief, no one cared to ask.

What kept me going is the knowing that if this beloved bighearted rebel, Jesus peace be upon him, was here today, he would be part of our Palestinian resistance.

💔 💔 💔

Un-Merry Christmas for me!

What is going on?

"Hello is this the Christmas Help Line?"


"Yes... good afternoon and merry Christmas

Angela speaking

How can I help you?

Are you feeling lonely today?"

"Absolutely, awfully lonely

And I have a serious problem

Grave one without a doubt

May be you could help... sort me out

People around me are buoyant and joyful

Oblivious to what's happening

To the precious baby

They're rejoicing for



Celebrating his birthday

While he's dying

A thousand deaths a day


Feasting lavishly

Partying like mad

While he's awaiting starvation

Persecution... torture... humiliation

And targeted assassination

Isn't that sad


Oh little baby of Nazareth

Can they not sense your pain?

Can they not see you bleeding?

Can they not hear you weeping?

Time and time again


And you, little town of Bethlehem

Can you hear them singing your name?

Do you feel the stabbing of their feet

As they dance over your wounds with glee

While you're drenched with hurt and shame


Oh little town of Bethlehem

Have they not noticed

The limbless forsaken petrified child

They have made you

As they dragged you into their fantasy fame


Oh wingless heartbroken Jerusalem

Tell me

How can they fail to see your tears?

Are they blissfully ignorant or pretending to be?

Would they pop up their life-bubbles

And face reality

"Dear caller

Who is speaking?

I didn't catch your name?

Be reassured

It's all confidential

Every thing you say?"

"Have you heard of Jesus?

I am his mother... who raised him

I am his daughter... who loved him

I am his sister... who held him

I am his friend... who embraced him

I am the fisherman... who fed him

I am the wise-man ... who visited him

I am the Shepard... who believed him

I am the disciple... who followed him

I am the Palestinian ... who made my heart his home"

"Oh... yes... I see"

"Dear Angela

You know what?

I've never had a happy Christmas

Since I was born


Dear Angela

I know that this conversation is not to be disclosed

But I am begging you not to keep it so


Dear Angela... go

Just go

Tell your colleagues

Friends and family

And everyone you know

Tell of my story

Spread every word you've heard


Dear Angela

The root of the problem

The cause of my pain

Is that... no body knows

What's going on


Or do they?


I don't know


But if they do...


Then...


I really want to know

What's going on?

"To smile when confronted with the most severe oppression, is an act of Resistance rooted in unparalleled beauty."
~ Jonathan Azaziah

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Nahida Izzat: "I am -a Jerusalem born- Palestinian refugee living in exile for over 40 years. I was forced to leave my homeland, Palestine at the age of seven during the six-day war. I am a mathematician by profession but art is one of my favorite pastimes, I love hand-made things, so I make dolls, cards, and most of my clothes. I also write poetry and participate in dialogues with known and unknown friends as I believe that communication is the first step to understanding, I believe in building bridges, not walls. My shy nature hinders me from public speaking, so I try to compensate for my shortcomings by writing! I started writing some years ago when my friends insisted I should write about my memories, experiences, and my feelings as a Palestinian. So I self-published two books, I Believe in Miracles and Palestine, The True Story. [Biographical information: Growing Gardens for Palestine]
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Source: nahidaexiledpalestinian.com. AWIP: http://www.a-w-i-p.com/index.php/aP0m