If You See a Bluebird
If You See a Bluebird
Ali closes his eyes. He sees the wooden swing hanging from the mulberry tree, still moving. Ted and Splash sitting in the shade of the tree. Nana and his dad gathering the fallen berries. His mom playing a song. They’re laughing in a way Ali has not heard for a long time.
Nana takes his hand. “My dear Ali,” she says, “home isn’t a place, building, or city. It is the love we have for each other. And my love will always be with you.”
In If You See a Bluebird, author Bahram Rahman creates a beautiful story of refugee families seeking a safer life from war and relocating to a new country, one which resonates deeply with readers. This story serves as a compelling read, shedding light on the sad and hopeful journeys and experiences of refugees, and providing young and adult readers insight into their sacrifices for safety.
One early morning, young Ali is gently awakened by his nana, their day set to pick blackberries for his parents to make jam for the market. Journeying on their bikes, Ali and Nana cross beautiful green fields, witnessing a sunrise emerging from the sea. Upon reaching a lush patch of blackberries, they begin their harvest. After trying a blackberry, Ali finds it more sour than the sweet mulberries of his homeland.
These blackberries stir memories of his younger days in Kabul, Afghanistan. Ali recalls lounging on a mulberry tree, taking in the sights of his neighborhood. However, the war that erupted disrupted this peace. Soldiers invaded his home, forcing a terrified Ali to take refuge under his bed. That fateful evening, recognizing the dangers looming over Kabul, his family decided to leave. Each family member hurried to pack a single backpack; Ali's contained a few clothes and a cherished toy. Their escape was hard—long walks, a crowded bus journey, and a tense wait by a fence, culminating in a plane ride. Their departure was bittersweet, relief mixed with the sorrow of leaving home behind.
During a break for a breakfast that Nana had packed, Nana shares a tale with Ali: if one spots a bluebird and makes a wish before it departs, that wish will come true. Nana confides that all her wishes—a united and safe family—have come true.
Although now distanced from Kabul, memories of time spent with his family linger with Ali. He harbors a hope of returning post-war. Yet, Nana imparts a profound truth: home is where the family and love are. Returning home, witnessing his parents' contentment in their new life, Ali begins to feel a sense of belonging in this unfamiliar land.
In the book's closing notes, Bahram Rahman reflects on the arduous path refugees tread, departing their homelands to build a new life elsewhere. Drawing from personal experience, having migrated to Canada as a young refugee, Bahram Rahman 's narrative is enriched with scenes inspired by his childhood in both Kabul and Canada.
Yina Liu is a doctoral student in language and literacy at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta.