I directly run to my home office, sit at my computer, I type in the ideas, I sketch things out and I keep a database of ideas.

So I went back to work, and I've spent these seven years since struggling with, studying and writing about work life balance.

And every time, daily, after we have meeting, what compromise we have, whatever, I go, I write a short email, send it.

I take out an Arabic book by Ibrahim Nasrallah, a Palestinian writer who talks about resistance and love. I remember when I was an activist fighting for freedom and democracy, going out on protests and running for shelter, and writing.

I started Pars Arts in late 2006 because I was interested in learning and writing about Iranian things online, and I wanted to do it with a community of people interested in doing the same.

I wished I could thank each one of them. I wished I could tell each one of them how much deeper the pain would have been if they hadn t been here. I wished I could catch the scent of majestic Aleppo in their tears, and dedicate this article to them, or to those among them who are still with us, as many of these revolutionists have died defending freedom.