In the writing and editing process of Osama’s Jihad, I questioned myself and my beliefs about parenting. Considering I am not a parent myself; it wasn’t the easiest thing to write from the point of view of a father talking to his newborn.
I did set out to write a tell-all-tale, where secrets free the characters from their inner prisons. Without divulging much of the story, the protagonist, Osama, wrote to his son a journal entry, discussing past sultry escapades in detail.
That part of the story came up in many conversations I had with readers. They expressed that they would never divulge such information with their sons or daughters. They saw it unnecessary. In their own words, “No parent would ever share that much information with their child.”
Broken Loops!
While I do understand the need for privacy and secrecy for certain life situations, I think we must consider another point of view, that of the protagonist and millions like him.
He shared his experiences in their entirety, hoping that his son would never fear sharing his best or worst with him. It was intentional; he did it to break an intergenerational trauma that plagued the family.
Family Secrets
There are secrets that can empower and unite a family. It can be a family recipe that lies the foundation for a multimillion-dollar business or the secrets to a craft that has been in the family for decades.
On the other hand, there are secrets that can break families, gradually eating up the branches of the tree. They are the kind that haunt a person, and let’s face it, not everyone had the courage to face their demons. Those demons do catch up in one way or another. Traumatic experiences stay with us.
It is important to understand the difference between the two. It is also important to understand that we all have rights to the truth, especially ones that impact or have impacted the collective narrative.
Would you keep a hereditary disease from your kids? Would you keep it a secret?
