Tears of Amber

by Sofía Segovia

He understood what yearning was, what it meant to miss one’s mother, to fear for one’s sister. He understood the pain of losing everything and not being able to forget. He’d lost everything a long time ago, and he never forgot. But he’d learned to be glad for life for its own sake; glad to live another day, and another, and another. Hungry, but alive to enjoy food another day. Cold, but alive to enjoy warmth when it came. Alone, but alive to enjoy company when it found him.

time doesn’t stop even when ordered or threatened: one season ends and another begins; time neither listens to reason, nor obeys orders, nor forgives carelessness.

hate and fear are very alike and they’re great motivators, don’t you think?

In the middle of the night, a soldier doesn’t scream if he wants to live. In total darkness, a soldier doesn’t scream if he wants to return home. A soldier cries oceans, but he learns to do it in silence if he wants to survive the war.