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When a balloon seller can raise the spirits in a war-torn country

A picture is definitely worth a thousand words. But sometimes this is an understatement especially when it comes to war photos. How can we forget the horror of the nine-year-old Vietnamese Napalm girl, Kim Phuc, or the sadness of the drowned three-year-old Syrian refugee boy Alan Kurdi being carried by a soldier?
These photos have a great effect on us probably due to the realisation that they would not have occurred if wars had not happened. They bring out the worst in humanity.
However, I found a recent photo from Kabul quite perplexing. It was that of a balloon seller. The man was pushing a wheelbarrow full of equipment and holding several balloons. If the picture was cropped it could have been anywhere in the world showing some happy moments. But a close look at the photograph revealed bombed out buildings, famished animals, and war-torn, starving people. It was a sad sight and there seemed to be little joy. So why the balloons?
Balloons are to most a source of joy and happiness, but how can there be a market for joy in such a sad place? Perhaps these balloons are a hope for a better time? The smiles they brought might have been the first time a child smiled since a long time.
The joy of a child should be stronger than the sadness of the people, but it's a hard job to balance this joy and sorrow.
Let's hope the balloons lift the spirit of these people. A photo of happy children would be a much better photo for all concerned.
The writer is based in Melbourne, Australia