AMMAR: The Face Time Could Never Erase

The sun had not yet risen above the mountains when Ammar opened his eyes. A cold breeze slipped through the small window of his family's rural home, carrying the scent of fresh earth and olive trees. Outside, a rooster crowed, chickens scratched the ground, and sheep began to move inside their enclosure. It was another morning in the Algerian countryside, a place where life followed the rhythm of the seasons and every day demanded patience, effort, and sacrifice. Ammar lived with his parents and three brothers in a modest stone house surrounded by fields and scattered trees. The house was old, its wooden door creaked in the wind, and its walls showed signs of years of hardship. There were no expensive decorations, no modern luxuries, and no money to waste on things the family did not need. Yet the house was full of life. His mother was already awake, preparing breakfast while keeping an eye on the chickens outside. His father was gathering his farming tools, preparing to leave for the fields before the morning became too warm. His brothers were getting ready to take the sheep toward the grazing land. Ammar sat up, rubbed his eyes, and reached for his old clothes. His shoes were worn, and one of their soles had begun to separate. He hoped they would last a little longer. He dressed quickly and stepped outside. His father stood near the doorway, carrying a hoe over one shoulder. "Come on, Ammar. We are going to the land early today." "All right, Father. I'll be ready in a minute." His father smiled at him. "First, go inside and eat something. A hardworking man must never forget to take care of his strength." Ammar returned to the kitchen, where his mother had placed homemade bread, olive oil, and a cup of warm milk on the table. "Sit down, my son," she said. "You will need energy for the day." He sat and began eating. His mother looked at him with affection, noticing how quickly he was growing. "One day, you will become a strong young man," she told him. Ammar smiled. "Then I will help Father even more." His mother gently touched his hair. "Helping your father is good, but I want you to remember something important. Working with your hands is valuable, and learning with your mind is valuable too. Never close the door to education." Ammar looked at her curiously. "Why do you always talk about learning, Mother?" "Because knowledge can take you places your feet have never reached." He did not fully understand her words, but he remembered them. After breakfast, Ammar joined his father in the fields. His brothers walked in the opposite direction with the sheep, guiding the animals along a narrow path between olive trees. Their voices gradually disappeared into the distance. The countryside was beautiful in the early morning. Golden sunlight spread across the hills, birds flew between branches, and drops of dew shone on the grass. For a moment, Ammar forgot the cold and the work waiting for him. But rural life was not as easy as it appeared. The family depended on the land for much of its livelihood. When the rain was generous, the crops had a better chance of growing. When the weather turned against them, the harvest could be disappointing. Every season brought new worries, and even a successful year did not guarantee financial security. His father had spent most of his life working under the sun. His hands were rough, his face was marked by years of outdoor labor, and his clothes were usually covered in dust. Despite his exhaustion, he continued working because he believed his children deserved a better future. Ammar watched him carefully as they worked. "Father, can I ask you something?" "Of course, my son." "Why do you work from morning until evening every day?" His father stopped and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. "Because we have responsibilities. The land needs attention, the animals need food, and our family needs to eat." "But sometimes you work so hard, and we still don't have much money." His father looked at the fields for a moment before answering. "That is one of the hardest lessons in life, Ammar. Sometimes you do everything you can, and the results are still smaller than you hoped. The weather may destroy a harvest, prices may fall, or unexpected problems may appear. But giving up will not make our situation better." Ammar listened silently. His father placed a hand on his shoulder. "We may not be rich, but never think that being poor means you are worth less than anyone else. Money can make life easier, but it cannot measure a person's honesty, courage, or kindness." Ammar looked into his father's tired eyes. "Do you think I can have a different life when I grow up?" His father smiled. "I believe you can build a good future, but you must prepare yourself for it. Learn everything you can. Work honestly. Be patient when things become difficult, and never believe that you are too weak to improve your circumstances." Those words stayed with Ammar long after they returned to work. By midday, the sun had climbed higher, and the heat had begun to settle over the fields. Ammar carried tools, removed weeds, and helped his father repair a section of fencing. His hands grew tired, but he tried not to complain. Whenever he made a mistake, his father showed him how to correct it. "Pay attention to what you are doing," he explained. "Small mistakes become serious when we refuse to learn from them." Ammar nodded and continued. However, his thoughts often wandered toward a different world. He had heard children in the village talk about school. They spoke about books, teachers, writing, and numbers. He wondered what it felt like to sit in a classroom and discover things he had never imagined. He wanted to read signs without asking anyone for help. He wanted to understand the stories adults discussed. He wanted to know what existed beyond the mountains that surrounded his home. Most of all, he wanted to understand the world. During a short break beneath an olive tree, Ammar gathered the courage to ask the question that had been growing inside him. "Father, when will I start school?" His father turned toward him. "Why are you thinking about school today?" "Because I want to learn how to read. I want to know more about everything." His father studied his face, then smiled. "Your mother and I have been talking about that. You are growing older, and it is time for you to begin your education." Ammar's eyes widened. "Does that mean I will go to school soon?" "Yes. But you must understand that it will require effort. The school is about one kilometer from our house. You will have to wake up early and walk there, even when the weather is cold or the road is muddy." "I don't mind," Ammar replied immediately. His father laughed. "Every child says that before discovering how difficult early mornings can be." Ammar laughed with him, but his excitement was real. He imagined a classroom filled with children, a teacher standing beside a blackboard, and books containing stories about places far beyond his village. For the first time, he felt that a new road might be opening before him. That evening, the family returned home as the sky turned orange. His brothers talked about the sheep, while his mother prepared dinner. Their meal was simple, and their conversations were ordinary, but Ammar felt happier than usual. After dinner, he stepped outside and sat near the doorway. The night sky was filled with stars. Without the bright lights of a city, the heavens seemed endless. Ammar wondered how many children were looking at those same stars from places he had never seen. His mother came outside and sat beside him. "What is on your mind, my son?" "I am thinking about school. I am excited, but I am also afraid." "Afraid of what?" "What if the other children learn faster than me? What if I cannot understand the lessons?" His mother took his hand. "Everyone begins somewhere. You may make mistakes, and some lessons may seem difficult, but that does not mean you cannot learn. You must be patient with yourself and keep trying." Ammar looked toward the distant hills. "Can education really change my life?" His mother considered the question carefully. "Education cannot solve every problem, but it can give you choices. It can help you understand the world, make better decisions, and discover opportunities that you might never have known existed." She paused before continuing. "Your father works hard to provide food and shelter for this family. We will do our best to help you study, too. But remember that whatever you achieve, you must never be ashamed of your family or the place where you began." Ammar leaned against her shoulder. "I will remember, Mother." That night, he lay beneath his blanket, listening to the familiar sounds of the countryside. The wind moved through the trees, and a sheep occasionally called from the enclosure outside. He imagined the school road, the classroom, and the books he would soon hold in his hands. He imagined himself reading fluently, answering questions, and learning about the world beyond his village. He did not know what the future would bring. He did not know how many obstacles he would face, how many disappointments would test his patience, or how many times he would question his own abilities. He was simply a young boy from a poor rural family who wanted to learn. But a small dream had begun to grow inside him. The following morning, Ammar would take another step toward a life he could not yet imagine. He would discover the joys and difficulties of school, meet children who would become his friends, and learn lessons that extended far beyond the classroom. The road ahead would not always be easy. There would be cold mornings, muddy paths, exhausting days, and moments when he would wish he could stay home and play. Yet every journey begins with a first step. And for Ammar, the first step toward a different future was about to begin. Far beyond the olive trees, a small village school waited for him. Its doors would open onto a world of letters, numbers, friendships, challenges, and possibilities. Ammar closed his eyes, unaware that the simple decision to learn would become one of the most important turning points in his life. He was born into poverty, but he did not have to let poverty decide the limits of his dreams. Tomorrow, he would begin to discover why.