The Cave

As I laid in bed last night, I turned on a Hulu Documentary.

This has been my jam this week.

Heart monitor.

No gym.

No showering.

Lots of crying.

And Documentary-watching.

This one, though.

This one got me.

This is about a FEMALE doctor in Syria.

Did you hear me??
FEMALE DOCTOR in SYRIA.

She managed a hospital out of a cave, because they were safe from the endless and deadly bombings that went on 24 hours a day, for days and weeks, months and years.

She is a pediatrician by training.

The children who came into her makeshift hospital hourly absolutely shook me.

They ran out of food.

They ran out of medication.

There was no anesthesia. 

They played music.

Music.

Music was the anesthesia.

She cried.

The other doctors and nurses and attendants would cry.

Her parents continually begged her to come home.

She stood strong.

She was absolutely dedicated to saving lives.

And she saved thousands.

Then, the chemical weapons started in.

There is no cure for chemical weapons.

None.

Babies, small children, suffocating from chemical weapons.

My gosh, it shook me.

Men would come in, with their children and refuse to have a female doctor help treat them.

Because to them - women's only jobs are in the home.

She was a bulldog.

She refused to back down.

She would risk her life and travel to homes, where four and five children were slowly dying from malnutrition.

She would offer the mothers jobs in her hospital.

They would have to say "no," because the men in their lives would not allow it.

So, instead of making money to buy food to save the lives of their children, they had to decline because they are women.

She is a hero.

A real life hero.

How many of us have the opportunity to make an actual difference?

ALL OF US.

We can smile at a stranger.

We can compliment someone.

We can make a little extra food and share with a family.

We can send a note of encouragement.

And, in this country, we (as females) can work and support our families.

We can work wherever a man can work.

We can work hard.

We can work AND take care of our homes.

I do.

Everyday.