When those unsettled struggles prey on your mind, you become haunted. To get free, you must defeat your ghosts. — John Mellencamp

This man changed the course of history for Britain, France, Syria, and every other nation on earth in a very small and indirect way. Yet, he will never be recognized for this feat because he was an ‘irregular’ in a small band of revolutionaries who despised the occupation of Syria by the French. How many men and women like him will never be known to historians? — Razi Saydjari

In writing these essays, my memories rose from the dark like a leviathan to briefly take the air and light. I called them reluctantly as I had consigned them to their hiding places long ago. I see my parents more clearly through the pain and sadness and feel even closer to my brothers than I thought possible. I leave some of these recollections stranded on the sand to bleach in the sun—driftwood of my mind. — Rami Saydjari

Who are we, really? Having lived past half a century, you’d think we’d have just about nailed that with near certainty. Unfortunately, the truth is more complicated. Through decades of introspection, I’ve learned a lot about who I am and am not. The more I know about this important question, the more I question what I think I know and how I came to know it. — Sami Saydjari