My cousin and his family live in one of the areas that got initially caught up in all of this.

I don't really know what else to say. At the moment, they're okay

We confirmed that much, so that's a relief

But fuck, when I connected the dots as to where he was and where the issues were, it's like

Idk panic but the long-term heart stopping panic

Some backstory, my aunt (mother's side) is Orthodox Jewish or close to it by my understanding. Her first husband was a jewelry seller - he was shot in the face by his assistant (by accident!) when my cousin was only a few months old. I wasn't in existence yet.

She remarried, and her new husband was more traditional. He eventually had the family move to Israel. Previously, they lived in Philly

I was like... maybe 5 or 6 when they moved..?

I don't remember

My cousin was like 12 or 13. What a shit time to move countries

My aunt has other children. I have never met any of them.

I only know this cousin. He stayed with us one summer and complained my mother starved him lol. My mom wasn't used to teenage boys.

And I distinctly remember he played a video game on the computer we had like night and day

And bitty me wanted to play SO BAD I begged and begged and he said I'd just mess it up so I just watched it like a hawk and was OBSESSED

I would ask him questions and point out errors and he must have hated it. But I was loving it. So we can blame him for my video gaming obsessions

I remember the image of the game soooo vividly. Can't emphasize enough my absurd interest levels. Pretty sure it was Final Liberation from Warhammer 40k

Never played it. Just looks like what I saw my cousin playing then

ANYWAY

After that I didn't see him at all!

My aunt and all of her kids and husband were not even in attendance at my mother's funeral

WHICH okay. Fair. They were in Israel. It was very unexpected. Everything was rushed. But you remember things like that, who isn't there when you want people there the most

I DID meet my cousin back in 2014 or 2015. I'm fuzzy on when. He was in NoVa for work. He was living in Wisconsin but had promised his wife they'd move back to Israel when the kids (he has a son and daughter) were ready for school.

His wife is very Orthodox. We met him at a bar and he ordered Oysters with a giant grin like "What she doesn't know can't hurt her, amirite"

Lol Idk we bonded. It was brief but good overall. The whole meeting was very spontaneous. But it was very worthwhile. We have a lot in common

Back to nooooooooow......

I really hope he can come back to the states. I really hope he's going to stay okay. And I'm so worried about his kids

I know if need be, my dad would help him out. I think my aunt is too beyond reach to get her over here. My cousin kept his US passport at least. I have no idea about my aunt. She's so firmly planted there

So I'm just very stressed and very worried. But like underlyingly so

Anyway I guess just

It's a shit situation. People have nothing to do with anything are getting caught up in it and that's infuriating in and of itself. I don't blame anyone for scolding or pointing fingers at one side or the other

It just hits close to home though. I'm seeing some posts (not necessarily on plurk) but people saying something is deserved or like. Hating on one side or the other and it's just. For lack of a better word. Upsetting and angering and just so thoughtless and heartless

and I'm upset. .-.

it's a rough situation and i feel like people forget that there are innocent people on all sides. People who have no choice about what their governments decide to do

it's not right to paint everyone with the same brush

but i understand feelings are running hot all around

Yeah, it's. I mean. It's a war. People are going to be upset but people. Just people are going to get killed whether involved directly or not

I think especially in the west we think wars are fought on empty fields or some shit. No. They're in neighborhoods.

People forget that when history gets so romanticized and prettied up. Hooo I'm gonna go on a tangent

One of the reasons my cousin kept his US passport and insisted his kids only have US passports is to avoid the military requirements

He's done everything to avoid being involved in these conflicts or at least not stoking on flames. It's just unfair and I sincerely hope we can find a way to get him over here and safe.

Of course, I want the same for my aunt and her other children (her husband and my cousin's step-father passed away during Covid). I just don't know if we can reach them like we can my one cousin

This low-lying panic is just exhausting and I don't think I can do much to resolve it