I shared a bowl of watermelon with a prominent transnational Montenegrin criminal and human rights lawyer tonight. He’s been in practice for 30 years.
The war I mentioned, it started during his time in practice.
It ended during his time in practice.
When I asked him what the war felt like, he said he didn’t understand the question, then proceeded to tell me about his olive tree.
About the care he put into it.
About it’s withstanding spirit.
This transaction, I imagine it says a lot about what the war felt like.
I image this question, for a man in his line of work, with his transnational relationships, may have too many answers.
I image for anyone that experienced it, it was very very heavy.
I imagine it hurts to talk about.
I imagine no amount of time will pass before it’s stops being immediate.
I image the people are the olive branch, a beacon of withstanding spirit.
The next 6 countries I will visit…they were all part of the war.
And I will keep asking.
Not because it’s anyone’s responsibility to teach me, that’s on me…but because how people felt, if they are willing to share, matters. And there’s nothing like the human account of the experience.
This is my lifetime.
And to love people is to care to understand.
Taylor Patrice