"Now working with MSF in Ireland, Mughessib recently reflected on what it means to leave everything behind: You have nothing but your clothes, a mobile phone, a charger, and some money. You're not allowed to take souvenirs of Palestine. Not even sand. When you cross the border, you realise you've lost everything ... My soul is there. My memories are there. My cat is there."
"His lament that he could not take 'even sand' reflects the pain of being severed from symbols of belonging to what is beloved to him as a homeland. He was very concerned that he could not take along with him what would remind him of Palestine, 'not even sand', but he also failed to take along all of himself with him away from Palestine."
Destruction of homes and infrastructure devastates livelihoods and routines, but human psychological recovery is harder than rebuilding buildings. Experiences of war and displacement can leave lasting psychological scars that persist after physical escape from a conflict zone. Strong attachments to place and identity intensify pain when symbols of belonging cannot be taken. Forced departures often leave individuals with only essentials while memories, identity, and loved ones remain behind. Such losses can produce cognitive immobility, beginning with awareness and separation, and causing stress and anxiety. True recovery requires psychological healing in addition to physical safety.
Read at Psychology Today
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