The Embankment Wounded Shoulders – 1

Diary of a Rescuer

As we approach the end of this writing, the spirit of sincerity and purity within it becomes more evident. I can't help but feel a sense of admiration and envy for these courageous and devoted young individuals who, in less than half our lifetime, have achieved a level of status that inspires a spiritual ascension when their experiences are recounted.

Da (Mother) 143

The Memoirs of Seyyedeh Zahra Hoseyni

Until that time he had been in the border areas with soldiers overseeing the United Nations peace. Some of these soldiers were the same ones who had taken us prisoner or had killed our forces. Habib agreed to come to Tehran at a time when the city was secure. Life had been very hard for us the whole time he was away. Things would crop up that needed the presence of a man;

Da (Mother) 142

The Memoirs of Seyyedeh Zahra Hoseyni

After various other incidents and things I can’t speak about for lack of space, the war finally ended in August 1988. Nevertheless, Habib, because of his specialty, had to stay on in the region. The children were growing up, and their problems were multiplying. They had reached school age. All responsibilities for raising them fell on my shoulders.

Da (Mother) 141

The Memoirs of Seyyedeh Zahra Hoseyni

There were four other apartments on the fourth floor. In the first was a woman from Tehran living on her own. She was what they called an “oppressed” person, who was given the apartment because of her economic circumstances. In the second was the family of a father martyred in the war who had been married to an Afghan woman.

Da (Mother) 140

The Memoirs of Seyyedeh Zahra Hoseyni

Around the time Mansur came home, the weather turned warm. He was at his wits’ end, because his leg itched and he could not do anything about it. He would bang on the cast in frustration. Mansur’s general weakness and instability, and the many times he was under anesthesia during the operations, had a bad effect on him. He would fly into a rage, making me feel helpless.

Da (Mother) 139

The Memoirs of Seyyedeh Zahra Hoseyni

Sa’id was in a song and theatre troupe, which was part of the High School Student Corps. The leader of the troupe, Seyyed Javad Hashemi, a movie and television actor, wanted to take it on a tour of the front. The boys in the group were all between the ages of thirteen and fifteen. I went to the Cultural Institute on Horr Square and, with mother’s ...

Da (Mother) 138

The Memoirs of Seyyedeh Zahra Hoseyni

When I saw my stay in Tehran would drag on indefinitely, I raised the issue with the Martyrs Foundation. The Foundation wrote to the superintendent of the building, who put two rooms at our disposal. Habib was always annoyed by my constant need for things. He was even opposed to accepting gifts. He would say, “Be thankful for God allowing me to serve at the front.”

Da (Mother) 137

The Memoirs of Seyyedeh Zahra Hoseyni

The army would occasionally have women gather in one home for safety. Because of the threat posed by Hypocrites, they warned us to be more vigilant when we were alone or out and about. I had heard Hypocrites would monitor the movements of soldiers and took advantage of their absences to decapitate their wives and children.

Da (Mother) 136

The Memoirs of Seyyedeh Zahra Hoseyni

With me being in Abadan and my family far away in Tehran, what was happening to my little sister and brothers was a concern. I constantly worried about what were they up to. Who were their friends? I would call regularly to keep tabs on them, asking Hasan to tell me about Mansur and vice versa. I didn’t worry about Sa’id, who always had been a quiet, obedient child.

Da (Mother) 135

The Memoirs of Seyyedeh Zahra Hoseyni

The news was a real shock. It was unbelievable. The dark-faced boy with frizzy hair, whom I had known since childhood, was gone. I recalled the first time I saw Hoseyn and Abdollah working at Jannatabad. I didn’t think they’d be of any use, but they turned out to be more sympathetic to the grieving and worked harder than all the others. Hoseyn and I were about the same age.