Jackie Mendoza

I’m Sorry

Apologies. They are not always easy to give out. They are not always easy to receive. How far can an apology go to a single human? Does it really matter if they say sorry over and over again, only to keep seeing you struggle? Does it matter more, is the significance greater,  if it comes from someone you love? Or does it show more kindness and humanity if it comes from stranger you do not know? In the photo of the syrian mother and son refugees, who are crossing the border from Greece into Macedonia, It is evident that apologies are the focused idea, but it is the context of the apology that strikes a big interest. The mother and her son have an obvious connection, but the looks on both of their faces show heart-rendering and distressed looks, but for different reasons. To me the son is trying to keep himself going, along with his mother, but he is being grabbed by a soldier.  This soldier is trying to restrain the amount of refugees entering Macedonia, but he too has a sorrowful look to his face.

As any mother would, they have this set priority from the moment their child is born to protect, put first, and love their child unconditionally. No one ever expects to one day be living in this world, in their home where they are content and full of happiness, to the next day running away from their life and possessions. It is hard for an adult to understand, but imagine for a child. The boy in this photo is probably five or six years old and most likely did not expect for his life to come down to him constantly running everyday for safety. And his face undoubtedly shows it. He never anticipated having to grow up witnessing such horrific things, and his mother knows that. She has this pain in her face as though she has been telling her son, that she knows the journey is difficult, and will continue to carry on for a while, but they have to keep going. She’s sorry her child has to face the current tragedies in Syria at such a young age, but she’s proving that even with the little possessions they carry, they still have each other. And as tough, unbearable, and unimaginable it seems, they will get there.

Now just because this little family show’s interdependence between each other,  I found that the biggest connection to focus on is the soldier. The soldier has to job of keeping all syrian refugees out of Hungary. He has the persona of the mean one, the one all syrian refugees should be afraid of. But the look captured on this “mean” soldiers face tells me a different story. I cannot help but think that at this given moment, witnessing this mother and son carrying their lives in their two hands. he has reflected on himself and his family, and can’t help but feel a sense of discomfort and sadness for what these two are experiencing. This soldier more than likely has a family of his own. The roles could easily be reversed and he could be the parent running away with his child. He could be the one grabbing on to his sons hand as this “mean” soldier tries to hold his son back. But I don’t feel like this man is the soldier he first intended to be. If you look at the picture closely you see the soldier looking at the mother, but the mother is not looking at him. She is looking at her son who is in pain, both mentally and physically from their journey. The soldier is reflecting. He has realized the battle these two have been facing, and he feels sorry. He’s grabbing on to the child, but I see no force in his gestures. He has reached and quickly loosened his grip on the backpack because in that split second he has realized the difficulties and reflected. He has realized that not matter the degree of hardship the mother and son go through, this mother is focussed on her son and only her son, and his safety. With the simple look he has given the situation, I see that he has finalized his reflection and he has positioned himself in their shoe’s. He’s sorry for what they are struggling for.  

Syrian refugees have been struggling to find home. They do not have a place to call theirs and they are constantly running for safety. This one soldier in a mass of other soldiers, has made a personal connection with his surroundings and has come to realize that this is a hardship he could easily be going through. He feels sorry for what they are faced with, but the duo probably does not feel that from him given the situation. The soldier is sorry for the mothers pain, and the mother is sorry for her sons pain. Apologies are given, but are they really accepted to their greatest potential?