America in My Heart: The Voice From IraqThis story comes from my heart, the heart of an Iraqi-American citizen who once desperately strove for a successful life while living under the rule of a terrible tyrant whose influence diminished all of my hopes and dreams of ever becoming all that I was intended to be. My name is Alexander Al-Sawafi, and I was born June 26, 1970, in the city of Al Fao, South Iraq. I was the youngest son of a large family. When I was two years old, I lost my mother after she had given birth to my baby sister. As a result of this tragedy, I was left feeling that I had actually lost two parents instead of one, simply because my father had to work more to take care of the family. Sometimes he would be working almost twenty-four hours a day. There were times when I didn't see my father for days because I was asleep when he left early in the morning, and again when he would return late at night. I knew that he was working hard for us, to provide the things that we needed. As years went by, I would often find myself sitting alone in a field, dreaming and wondering what I would accomplish in my lifetime. With the sunset giving way to the stars, I would finally return home, my questions remaining unanswered. In the seemingly unending struggle of my childhood, I came to believe that there was no hope. I have since come to know that dreams do come true, THANKS TO AMERICA! |
