complications

it's been one month since i've arrived back in the states. it seems like a lot has happened, but there is still so much to do, so far to go. but so far, this is what i've got. 

life's complicated. 

life's complicated when a military coup take over your country. 

life's complicated when tomorrow could be far worse than today. 

life's complicated when you are broke. 

life's complicated when you're hungry, or extremely poor. 

life's complicated when you can't be honest about who you love. 

life's complicated when you can't be honest. 

life's complicated when you're lost. 

even when life is complicated, it isn't. 

life isn't complicated when you have family...no matter who they are or how much money they make. 

life isn't complicated when you have a safe place to call home. 

life isn't complicated when you have someone you can call at 2am when anything happens. 

life isn't complicated when you have a job to go to.

life isn't complicated when you get to get an education, when you are expected to get an education. 

**

people get really tired of hearing me start sentences with "when i was in mali..." but i've learned a lot about life in a very short time. i don't know it all. i don't even know a little piece of it. but i've got stuff. and it stays with me, haunts me almost. the people i've met. their smiles. the sound of their laughter. the way their eyes roll when i do something oh-so-American. they are surrounded by desert, poverty, corruption, and uncertainty. and yet, there they were opening their hearts and minds to me, a complete stranger. we didn't understand how each other communicated, dressed, ate, or did our hair, but we are all human and that commonality was enough for them. 

so why then is it not enough for us? why do we fight so much? when did we stop listening and start assuming? 

life's complicated enough. why add to it?

**

life should be simple as pie.