13. Sharing Spaces, Sharing Lives

Berlin had metamorphosed into something chilling. Amidst its storied past, the city stood at the epicentre of a modern tragedy. No longer defined by historical events or political machinations, Berlin was the gruesome tableau of suffering and hope, intertwined with extraordinary acts of humanity.

The air in Berlin was thick with tension. Refugee camps, spilling over with despair, painted a haunting image. Hotels, in an act of defiance against the growing horror, unlocked their gates for the displaced. Yet, even as grand suites and lavish lobbies swelled with refugees, Berlin’s heartbeats grew more frantic. With each sunset, more souls sought sanctuary, pushing the city’s resolve and resources to its limits.

The sheer magnitude of refugees was staggering, but it was Berlin’s desperate defiance that moved me. Residents, each battling their own demons, were tearing down personal barriers, offering up sanctuaries to those lost in this storm of chaos.

The gnawing pressure, the silent screams echoing through the city, bore into my soul. A desperate thought clawed at my conscience, urging me to make a difference. My dormitory room, a haven of cherished memories, would soon stand vacant.

Lily’s voice trembled with disbelief as I conveyed my idea, “I want to offer my dorm room to someone in need. It will be just for a month, but it may be enough.” Amidst her shock, a glimmer of hope shone through.

Guiding a young mother and her baby girl into their temporary sanctuary the following day was heart-wrenching. Their tentative steps, their awed expressions, were a bittersweet testament to their journey.

Later, in the dormitory’s shadowed common area, Lily and I were enveloped by the haunting memories of torn families, of children’s cries, and of faces etched with despair. A stifling, mournful silence encased us—a testament to the weight of a city’s sorrow. My voice, barely more than a strained whisper, shattered the quiet, “I ache for my mother and sister—they are the only ones in my family opposing this war.”

Lily’s eyes, pools of empathy, met mine. Moments stretched, weighed down by our shared heartbreak, until she whispered, “Let us be sisters in this. We’ll face it together, so we’re never truly alone.”

Though the world outside continued its tragic descent, in that fragile moment, we found solace in unity—a beacon of hope in a shattered world.