r/PastAndPresentPics

I apologize if some of the pictures aren’t great, these are really all I have to work with lol

I joined the Army when I was 19 and I'm retiring today at 39.

Any resemblance? The slight head tilt for their photo pose seems to run in the family.

My mother did not know it was picture day… And neither did I.

First photo is myself, my best friend, my little brother and my little sister. Other photos are me and my bestie a couple years ago. We've been friends for 45 years.

This little 8 month old baby already survived horrible trauma, it’s almost hard to believe. But yet, I lived and persevered! All I can say is appreciate every day you have and make the best of it!

This is Said, my father.

Despite being born completely blind, he persevered through school with unwavering determination and enrolled in university directly after high school. During that time, he married my mother, who became his eyes, reading his books aloud to him so he could earn his bachelor's degree. From a very young age, my father was deeply connected to radio; it was his only window to the world.

When the first local radio station opened, my father fought tirelessly to prove himself. He faced skepticism and rejection, with people asking, "How can a blind man work at a radio station?" But his passion ran deeper, and his determination was unyielding. He overcame the obstacles and landed his first job at "Radio Liberty."

Over the years, his brilliance only grew. He mastered computer audio engineering with a precision that surpassed many sighted (and even today, he still uses modern smartphones with remarkable skill). His extraordinary journey captivated the media, and articles about him appeared in major regional publications, including Zahrat Al Khaleej magazine in 2003. As he moved from one radio station to another, he built a remarkable legacy and became a prominent figure in his field.

But after more than a quarter of a century dedicated to the world of media, his life took a dramatic turn. His name, Said, literally means "happy" in Arabic.

The last photo of him today shows him at the age of 57. He is enduring his seventh forced displacement.

Okay, since my last post had so many people flooding my comments about the use of a filter I used in my photo, I thought I would upload my picture again, this time with one with no filters. The only thing is that I got my lashes done in this picture. If there was an option to edit my post and add the other picture, then I would without making a whole new post, but I guess this is what I have to do. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Some pics from me through the time