Love is Resistance

Weekly Writing 9/27

Growing up I’ve always been drawn towards romance novels and movies. Love, and human connection is just as important and impactful in times of peace as in war. It tells us that in times of turmoilI and fighting that can dehumanize us, love is resistance. I’ve learned that in my country, Palestine that despite colonization and battle, love is constant and a type of resistance that doesn’t have to be mighty and lethal. I was really excited to read through different love letters, dissect the language they used, the contents of the pages, and the feelings they expressed to one another in a time of separation and worry. A part of this weeks lesson that I really enjoyed was listening to the podcast that analyzed different love letters during the war and explain the stories behind them. It helped humanize the participants in war and bring about the sense of longing and basic needs of connection these soldiers needed during such a hefty battles. There were instances of flowery language, constant expressions of devotion, describing the extent of need they had for one another, and creating visuals of the life around them as the other is not present to see it. Ever present, there is a need to give the person behind the letter hope and reassurance that they will be okay and see each other again. This reveals a care, a sense of protection from the goriness they face in the midst of battle, and the emptiness/poverty faced on the outskirts. The action of sending weekly letters, always having that person in the back of your head to write to in order to bring a sense of reverie, and the action of waiting for those letters ties two souls to one another, creating a strong link. Love letters are a form of resistance and raw emotions during a time where people are expected to be cold and self serving.