A goldsmith from Aleppo

Yesterday an old friend of mine told me the story of a man she met.  She is from Syria but has lived in Lebanon for most of her life.  There is a special store up the hill from her house that brings all its goods from Syria.  She asked about walnuts from Aleppo but there are no walnuts from Aleppo this year.  As the man was shoveling some other goods out of a big barrel she noticed his gold ring.  Something felt strange to her.  She wondered how can this man whose job is to help the customers in the shop have such a beautiful ring?  So she began to ask him a couple questions, "Are you from Syria?"  She knew he was from Aleppo because of his accent.  "Are you married?"  He answered that he had just married two months ago.  "What was your work in Aleppo?"  The man was a goldsmith and his shop had been destroyed.  He was in Lebanon to take refuge and work in this store owned by his uncle.  My friend could not control her tears.  She cried for this man, for her country, for this story that is one of thousands.