After reading a tweet* about Iran from @StephenAtHome (otherwise known as Steven Colbert) I remembered a conversation I had with a general from Iran, a refugee that now lives(alone, his family is still in Iran)that lives in the country that I live in &while smoking a cigarette he exclaimed 30 years of war! This is the only reality I know & feel comfortable with, the reality my children were born in.

I can understand I replied, believe me and explained, described the flip side of the coin and he understood.  - I will show you something but don’t be scared he cautiously added I saw the hidden smile and anticipation as well and I could imagine the “typical female reaction” and what he would emotionally receive from the “typical female reaction” the gratification. No worries I replied, show me and he showed me 3 places in his arm where the bullets went through & through, left holes and he described some war scenes.

He was proud of his wounds and skills in the battlefield, that’s ok. If I felt impressed or scared? Nah. .. and I asked him, do you remember that you are a soldier of peace?

– Peace? Me a soldier of peace? I am a warrior? He innocently and proudly wondered. Yes, I replied and continued a soldier of peace because the reason why the war started and why you became a soldier is to protect your family and your society, right? He nodded yes and a bit confused, conflicted and I continued: bring peace and get what you want, prosper. He now nodded assertively and took a moment to think, process what was said. Then we had a funny conversation, I made some humorous perhaps caustic(?) but neutral remarks about the naïve stupidity of society that shape our

common reality and how we treat each other all over the world(cultural differences but common prejudices, unconscious bias, thought patterns, naïve feelings, emotional reactions - the ‘unofficial society’ and its unwritten rules in our everyday life), he laughed and added his opinion, we laughed a bit more and that was it.

Ah, he also mentioned that he liked to talk to other people so he won’t have to be with himself. The only memories that exist inside him are of war and all that is included . . .

*The tweet written by @StephenAtHome “Iran may have a new weapon, but there's a bright side: they have to acknowledge Israel exists before they can attack it.” August 25th 2010

** Oh I almost forgot when mentioning the reason of war we both agreed about the role of tradition and history. Eh anyway.