If You See A Bluebird

Bahram Rahman’s “𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗕𝘂𝘀” published in 2020 and set in Kabul, still remains one of the finest examples of #ownvoices and lived experience. In the author’s note of this book, Bahram highlights that “𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘳, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦.” Hence he believes that his childhood was ‘okay’. This perspective can only come from one who has a depth of lived experience.

So when I heard of Bahram’s upcoming book “𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝗔 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗿𝗱” I knew I had to request for the Advanced Reader’s Copy. In this story, Ali, who has re-settled in another country with his family, looks back at the circumstances that forced his family to leave Afghanistan for their own safety. But he also reminisces of his days in Kabul and nothing in his new life seems to be as satisfying as the simple pleasures back home. Nana (his grandmother) calms him down by reminding him that if he saw a bluebird and made a wish, his wish will come true and adds that all her wishes had indeed come true as her family was safe and together. This prompts Ali to rethink and he soon realizes that “𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.”