Have you ever wondered about the younger generation today?

The generation that’s after us.

The generation that looks up to us.

The generation that thinks we’re unaware of what they’re thinking.

Well, they’re wrong.

One day I overheard a little boy ask his mother a question that shook me deep inside.

He was so young, innocent, and full of wonder about the world around him.

Yet, what he asked hit me with astonishment.

“How come people are out to get us in this world?”

This thought came from the mind of an adolescent.

Someone who was just learning what life actually is.

The mother was shocked.

She could not gather the words she wanted to say.

She had no idea how to respond to her child.

I could only imagine what she was thinking.

“How can I explain to my little boy that simply being Palestinian can get you hurt or killed?”

How could she possibly look directly into his eyes and tell him that if he is not careful with the information he posts on social media, says in public, or even the way he acts can have a negative effect on his life, regardless of whether or not it’s the truth.

We live in a world that’s incredibly biased, unjust, and so unwilling to turn the other cheek when faced with great challenges.

It is not easy to sit there and tell a child that this world is cruel and full of corruption.

That the ones who are supposed to protect us only continue to hurt us.

That only our kind will forever be the ones who will and can save us.

That the world is full of racists that might tell him to go “die” or “Go back to where you came from!”

That this has unfortunately become the norm for the society we live in.

That this norm is what the younger generation will deal with.

That this norm is what those who look up to us are quickly starting to realize is truly disgusting.

That this norm is responsible for taking away the innocence of children.

By Ayah Isa