Thousands of Syrians celebrated in Umayyad Square, the largest in Damascus, after the first Muslim Friday prayers following the downfall of former President Bashar Assad.

Assad, our nation’s “father,” wasn’t born of loyalty; it was a survival tactic, rooted in generational terror that he was passing on to me. As I learned more about my country’s history, the imposed paternal connection between me and “Baba Hafez” began to fuel my already budding daddy issues.