It meant discovering that safety could exist somewhere else.
Learning to Live in the Light
Layan’s first weeks at home were unexpectedly difficult.
Mahmoud had imagined that bringing his daughter back would end the nightmare.
He soon understood that finding her was only the beginning.
She struggled with crowded rooms.
The ringing of a telephone startled her.
Unexpected visitors made her anxious.
At night, she sometimes woke confused, reaching for the wall beside her bed as though expecting to feel cool limestone beneath her fingers.
She disliked sleeping with the door fully closed.
She found supermarkets exhausting.
After years of eating simple meals and living with very few possessions, the sight of brightly lit shelves filled with hundreds of products overwhelmed her.
Her father tried to make everything comfortable.
He bought her new clothes.
He prepared her favorite foods.
He invited relatives to welcome her home.
But Layan quickly became exhausted.
