A Year in Tahrir

I've been planning to write this post for so long, but every time I had tried to start my mind would go blank. It doesn't go blank because nothing has happened in the past year, no, NO, so much has happened, enough to fill hundreds of papers. My mind goes blank because I remember so much, so much that my mind can do nothing, think of nothing, but those wonderful memories that define who I am right now, who we are. Memories that define a revolution, that define Egypt, the new Egypt, the free Egypt. Yes, we're on the route to freedom. If you think nothing has happened in the past year, I can assure you, you're wrong. If nothing had happened, I'd probably not be writing this right now, you'd probably not be reading it later, but this isn't about you and me.... Or maybe it is.

If overthrowing a regime head is not enough for you, you're a positive person. If overthrowing a regime head is nothing to you, not a step, then you're too negative. But this isn't what this post is about, because this post is about you and me. Remember who you were in 2010? Remember what you've become in 2011? I remember who I were, I remember what changed in me, and it's the same thing that changed in so many of us.

If I had ever done anything for my country before last January 25 it maybe that I voted against NDP, or that I striked at home. The biggest thing I have ever done for my country was to have my name and ID signed on Baradei's National Association for Change to amend the constitution. Before January 25, 2011 when someone asked me to join a protest I was scared, too scared to do it....

On January 25th, 2011, I woke up dreaming of joining my sisters and brothers in the streets of Egypt, but again, I was too scared to join. My wall of fear only came stumbling down on the morning of January 28th. Today, as I'm writing this, I know where I'll be on January 25th, 2012. Tomorrow, I'll be in the street. Tomorrow I won't be scared, tomorrow I, among millions, am going to protest, to revolt to overthrow the military junta. If you think this is nothing, then you're wrong. You're probably giving yourself excuses to stay home and give up on your own country. Because who would want to walk hours and hours in this cold weather and be happy about it? Only those who believe.

Our revolution made us overthrow a dictator, a regime head. It brought us a free, fairly elected parliament, that truly represents our people, and even if you don't like it's majority (like me), it's still a success. But the real success is what changed in every single person. That now everyone talks about politics ten times more than they used to. Now when there's a call for a protest it's not a protest of 50 persons anymore. Now the number of people who would never ever give up on this revolution has increased so much. Now people became more positive, now more people became wiser, now more people care much more. This in itself is a huge success. A success enough to keep a revolution going. No, we're not done yet, in fact we're far from done. But we're on the right track, because this past year has changed so many of us, and the change will never, and I mean never, let things go back to the way they were.

I wish I could tell you happy revolution day, but tomorrow is not a celebration. Tomorrow I'll be protesting, for as long as it takes even if it takes my whole life. Later, when we're done, we will celebrate, we'll remember the year that has changed all of us forever. The year that brought back the best in us. We will remember it and we'll be in better days, enjoying the harvest of our hard work. Please stay positive, things have changed so much and will change even more, to the better. Even if you don't see it now, have faith in us and don't pass us the negativity. Or even better... join us. Until then, I have one last thing to tell you, happy revolting =).