I'm a father to three girls and the soccer sentence is poetic perfection.
"Or he played soccer against us and our friends, one to 7, and dribbled the ball as though it was tied by a dainty little rope to his foot, a dance partner, refusing to leave him."
Not sure my skills are up to Baba's, but I certainly relate. 😊
Awwww thank you so much, Brian! My Baba played pro soccer for a little in Egypt before he got word that he’d been accepted to do his PhD in Canada and left. He proceeded to play on every rec and competitive league he could join in Ottawa while pursuing his engineering career - we could never, ever beat him 😂😂😂
As I say in a short story I recently had the pleasure to read at an artistic salon á la Gertrude Stein, I cry easily, often. That part of the story is true to this day. No hysteria, only tears of joy or emotion or sadness. I even wept at the end of Biden's speech last night about his decision to step down from the presidency.
We’re on a road trip to the US and we’ll be stopping in Philly, which my husband thought was a good excuse to introduce the boys to the John Adam’s HBO series. I ended up crying at the end, when he was dying. Never mind that he was dying of old age lol, and had accomplished everything he wanted to 🤷🏽♀️. I guess I am still a softie
Oh my goodness I loved this loved it. It makes me wish I had grown up in your house--or had the chance to be pregnant alongside my sister. When I was pregnant with my first (having just finished the bar exam and looking forward to a few months of rest) my father decided to do the "mediterranean diet" during our shared month at my parents' lake house. That meant he cooked a HEAD of garlic every morning, blackening the cloves to a crisp because he liked it "chewy." You can imagine what this did for my nausea. It was like having cloves shoved into my nostrils before 9am. Our biggest fights and NOBODY to understand me!!
Awwww I wish you had grown up with us too! How fun would that have been? Also this story about your dad is HILARIOUS because we essentially ate the Mediterranean diet as our default food for the majority of my life in my parents' house, and there was not a lot of roasting of garlic lol... That said, my mom believes in the potent medicinal power of raw garlic in EVERYTHING, which always turned my stomach, pregnant or not, so I suppose there is no getting away from it all lol...
I am also from a girl family, the middle of three siblings and second of 11 grandchildren before any male grandchildren were born. When I think of things connected by strong bonds or ghostly outline, I think, “Sisters!”
Absolutely! Have you seen the TV show "Bad Sisters"? Beyond hilarious and clever, while also capturing the sister vibe so well. Highly highly recommend.
My dad was named Siamak, after a character in Shahnameh (the Persian "Book of Kings"), who was killed in a battle with demons. My dad always thought it was funny to say he would win a battle against demons but he couldn't win against his girls.
I have a younger sister and a brother. Despite there being a majority girls in the house, it often felt like we lived balanced on the axis of the boys and men because of how our mother subconsciously prioritized our father's feelings/opinion/preferences and a patriarchal eye's perception. All three of us were emotional kids, but sensitive was the condescending word of choice when our emotions outside of joy or quiet were acknowledged.
Aleksander, I so appreciate you sharing this. I'm so sorry this was your experience. I was a very "sensitive" person too, and though my family wasn't condescending about it (I was definitely the most sensitive one but not the only "sensitive" one), I definitely felt that overall negative connotation about my emotions from overall society. It took a long time to realize that it was actually a gift. I hope for you and your siblings that you can appreciate your emotions for their value - you are valuable. Your needs and your emotions matter, even if they're not joy or quiet.
From sister number 1 out of 5 to another sister out of 4: thank you for this slice of life. Abu al Banat ( Father of daughters) is a real rock solid thing where we come from!!!! Looking forward to part two. 🌷
JENNIEEEEE!! You quoted my favourite line in this whole post from my absolute favourite story heheheheh… thank you I feel so seen and I’m so glad to find someone who relates.
One time (and let me clarify, we were all adults), my brother and sister emerged from different rooms, having cried, and in trying to comfort each other, discovered that they'd each only been crying in the first place because they were afraid they had upset the other one! So that ended in a good laugh for all concerned. . .
I am the oldest of three sisters and three brothers. I love my siblings all dearly. And in your beautiful piece, I see the bond between my sisters and me (only I’m the one who’s always leaving). ;). I love the description of your conversations, twirling in around themselves and the 13 tangents and the image of you and your sister in the closet and how that was like your childhood. And I adore the closing line of this piece! Just beautiful.
Oh, and what an absolutely darling child you were. Love seeing little Noha!!!
We were away so I was late to a lot of my comments but I'm sitting here in solidarity with your sister who probably misses you like crazy 😅😅😅
Also, I have to say that the pic wasn't me - it was meant to be a joke and it's supposed to be a GIF but I'm not sure if it moves... I will insert a picture of baby Noha into a post at some point because i think I was a darling child lol
I'm an only child, I always wished for siblings! Being the one and only has its virtues, but when I hear friends talk about growing up with sisters--and when I read these lovely vignettes--I can't help but be a little jealous.
I am the oldest of 4 girls and my mother was the oldest of 3. My four sons are the first boys in the family in three generations. I always thought I would have girls but I’ve been beyond blessed by the lesson of being a mother to boys. I feel it gives me a balanced perspective I wouldn’t have if I continued to only be surrounded by girls.
Oh I feel this so deeply! While I had boy cousins my childhood was very girl-centric. My sisters all had kids before me and they all had a daughter before they had sons. Then I had two boys and I also love what it showed me and taught me
I am the oldest of four girls and the mother of 2 boys and 2 girls. My father’s favorite dinner time trick was to identify whose hair he had found.
Ok I snorted out loud reading this! I think each girl dad has a dinner time trick 😂😂😂
I'm a father to three girls and the soccer sentence is poetic perfection.
"Or he played soccer against us and our friends, one to 7, and dribbled the ball as though it was tied by a dainty little rope to his foot, a dance partner, refusing to leave him."
Not sure my skills are up to Baba's, but I certainly relate. 😊
Awwww thank you so much, Brian! My Baba played pro soccer for a little in Egypt before he got word that he’d been accepted to do his PhD in Canada and left. He proceeded to play on every rec and competitive league he could join in Ottawa while pursuing his engineering career - we could never, ever beat him 😂😂😂
As I say in a short story I recently had the pleasure to read at an artistic salon á la Gertrude Stein, I cry easily, often. That part of the story is true to this day. No hysteria, only tears of joy or emotion or sadness. I even wept at the end of Biden's speech last night about his decision to step down from the presidency.
We’re on a road trip to the US and we’ll be stopping in Philly, which my husband thought was a good excuse to introduce the boys to the John Adam’s HBO series. I ended up crying at the end, when he was dying. Never mind that he was dying of old age lol, and had accomplished everything he wanted to 🤷🏽♀️. I guess I am still a softie
This was lowkey beautiful…
Thats coming from the only girl of three kids (two older bros)
Thank you Abby. How did you find it as the little sister to older brothers. Are you close?
Yes! Thank God!
I'm #4 of 4 daughters. Never heard the end of how I was supposed to be a boy....that's about all I can share without going off about that, lol!
Oh dear! I am here to read a vent if you want to go off lol
Oh my goodness I loved this loved it. It makes me wish I had grown up in your house--or had the chance to be pregnant alongside my sister. When I was pregnant with my first (having just finished the bar exam and looking forward to a few months of rest) my father decided to do the "mediterranean diet" during our shared month at my parents' lake house. That meant he cooked a HEAD of garlic every morning, blackening the cloves to a crisp because he liked it "chewy." You can imagine what this did for my nausea. It was like having cloves shoved into my nostrils before 9am. Our biggest fights and NOBODY to understand me!!
Awwww I wish you had grown up with us too! How fun would that have been? Also this story about your dad is HILARIOUS because we essentially ate the Mediterranean diet as our default food for the majority of my life in my parents' house, and there was not a lot of roasting of garlic lol... That said, my mom believes in the potent medicinal power of raw garlic in EVERYTHING, which always turned my stomach, pregnant or not, so I suppose there is no getting away from it all lol...
I am also from a girl family, the middle of three siblings and second of 11 grandchildren before any male grandchildren were born. When I think of things connected by strong bonds or ghostly outline, I think, “Sisters!”
Absolutely! Have you seen the TV show "Bad Sisters"? Beyond hilarious and clever, while also capturing the sister vibe so well. Highly highly recommend.
I LOVE that show!!! I don’t think they’re planning any more seasons, but I wish they would.
I’m choosing to believe rumours of a second season
As the only child, I envy you, Noha! Thank you for sharing your story.
Awww come hang out with my fam. We have adopted many other sisters over the years.
Your baba sounds absolutely wonderful 🧡
My dad was named Siamak, after a character in Shahnameh (the Persian "Book of Kings"), who was killed in a battle with demons. My dad always thought it was funny to say he would win a battle against demons but he couldn't win against his girls.
Ok your dad sounds like he would get along great with my dad lol.... I haven't heard of this Persian king but it's a great story!
I have a younger sister and a brother. Despite there being a majority girls in the house, it often felt like we lived balanced on the axis of the boys and men because of how our mother subconsciously prioritized our father's feelings/opinion/preferences and a patriarchal eye's perception. All three of us were emotional kids, but sensitive was the condescending word of choice when our emotions outside of joy or quiet were acknowledged.
Aleksander, I so appreciate you sharing this. I'm so sorry this was your experience. I was a very "sensitive" person too, and though my family wasn't condescending about it (I was definitely the most sensitive one but not the only "sensitive" one), I definitely felt that overall negative connotation about my emotions from overall society. It took a long time to realize that it was actually a gift. I hope for you and your siblings that you can appreciate your emotions for their value - you are valuable. Your needs and your emotions matter, even if they're not joy or quiet.
Beautiful Noha! Like everything you write, and that I appreciate.
Awww that is so sweeet as always, Imola 🥰🥰🥰
From sister number 1 out of 5 to another sister out of 4: thank you for this slice of life. Abu al Banat ( Father of daughters) is a real rock solid thing where we come from!!!! Looking forward to part two. 🌷
aaaaah Abul banat! I love that... Also, I just noticed the Bashir in your name! I'm a Beshir too! Where is your fam from? We're from Egypt...
We're two steps further east, from Algeria :-). A pleasure reading your posts. Hope to participate soon insha'Allah.
Wonderful. Ahlan beekee. I can’t wait to read your work as well.
Further west ( of Egypt) I mean... East/West/left/right... a little disoriented lately... Thank you! It's a true pleasure.
"I’ve been crying upstairs for the last 30 minutes. If I’d known, I would have come down so we could cry together."
Oh my word. This is my exact life lol. (Except I have one brother that would be doing this, too. The other one, the oldest, not so much haha.)
JENNIEEEEE!! You quoted my favourite line in this whole post from my absolute favourite story heheheheh… thank you I feel so seen and I’m so glad to find someone who relates.
One time (and let me clarify, we were all adults), my brother and sister emerged from different rooms, having cried, and in trying to comfort each other, discovered that they'd each only been crying in the first place because they were afraid they had upset the other one! So that ended in a good laugh for all concerned. . .
This is one of my new favourite stories and I have to make sure to tell my sisters about it. You have no idea how happy this makes me…
Haha I'm honored!
I am the oldest of three sisters and three brothers. I love my siblings all dearly. And in your beautiful piece, I see the bond between my sisters and me (only I’m the one who’s always leaving). ;). I love the description of your conversations, twirling in around themselves and the 13 tangents and the image of you and your sister in the closet and how that was like your childhood. And I adore the closing line of this piece! Just beautiful.
Oh, and what an absolutely darling child you were. Love seeing little Noha!!!
We were away so I was late to a lot of my comments but I'm sitting here in solidarity with your sister who probably misses you like crazy 😅😅😅
Also, I have to say that the pic wasn't me - it was meant to be a joke and it's supposed to be a GIF but I'm not sure if it moves... I will insert a picture of baby Noha into a post at some point because i think I was a darling child lol
Hahaha! I should have realized that wasn’t you. ♥️
I'm an only child, I always wished for siblings! Being the one and only has its virtues, but when I hear friends talk about growing up with sisters--and when I read these lovely vignettes--I can't help but be a little jealous.
I am the oldest of 4 girls and my mother was the oldest of 3. My four sons are the first boys in the family in three generations. I always thought I would have girls but I’ve been beyond blessed by the lesson of being a mother to boys. I feel it gives me a balanced perspective I wouldn’t have if I continued to only be surrounded by girls.
Oh I feel this so deeply! While I had boy cousins my childhood was very girl-centric. My sisters all had kids before me and they all had a daughter before they had sons. Then I had two boys and I also love what it showed me and taught me