The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 14,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 5 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
Click here to see the complete report.
Towards the end of December, we feel like we have to make up for what we did not accomplish during the past year, we let go of all our promises that we vowed to keep, and start off with a list of new ones, which should kick off on January 1st. I don’t know about you, but if you were anything like me you’d know what I’m talking about; building my hopes up with false expectations of becoming better in every single aspect of my life; exercising and consequently losing weight, eating healthy, contacting long lost friends – and not just by e-mails or through facebook, but actually meeting up and talking face to face, visiting not so distant family members – especially the elderly, finishing that project that has been lingering there for ages … The list could go on and on.
This may sound a bit too pessimistic coming from a usually optimistic person, but when you look closer it simply means that I just want to give myself a break, be happy with who I am, accept myself with no judgment whatsoever. Just live life easily and take every day as it comes. Our life is full of plans and too many details as it is, and I don’t believe we should burden ourselves with even more stress. If something just pops in my head to do, I will do it! If not, well, then it will probably have to wait. The feeling of inner satisfaction is unsurpassable, and it is totally up to us to achieve that high level of self appreciation.
Life will go on either way, so don’t stand as a skeptic, join the wondrous ride of life adventure, you don’t want to miss out on the good times. In a twisted sort of way this could be a resolution … Oh why bother with contemplating that, just Enjoy 2012 
Dear Daddy,
I can’t remember how many times I’ve wished you had an e-mail address; so much to say and share, and more important to ask .. but then I thought why not just write what I want and send it out, who knows, maybe it will reach you somehow …
It’s been twenty years now, and not a single day has passed where I haven’t prayed for you, most of the time wondering how you would have handled certain situations, but each of us has inherited a part of you and so we complete each other.
Going back to my earliest memories I can see you in a military uniform which had me confused for many years knowing that you were a doctor. But that’s the picture I have; of me looking up to you, and since then it was always like that, looking up to you. Another time I think we were having dinner somewhere and I fell asleep, I wasn’t that young, but you carried me to the car. I peeked for a second and it felt so good to be carried that I closed my eyes again to enjoy the secure feeling.
Most of the days you would drive us late to school, even though, we would listen to music on our way, and wake up to music on weekends, and I think that set the leisurely pace we enjoyed as your children. Why hurry through life when there is so much to enjoy … like listening to classical music with the lights dimmed, and having you explain appreciating every single instrument, or you and Mommy teaching us ballroom dancing as very young teenagers. Our clumsy steps made us laugh so much, but they sure came in handy later on. I guess I can say that we turned out an accomplished bunch of kids, taking us to exhibitions, almost every single show and ballet in Sayed Darwish Theater – now the Alexandria Opera House – well it’s true, Daddy, that you had easy access to the best box there, after all the director was one of your patients, yet you spared no time to take us, most often with me ending up presenting the prima donna with a bouquet of flowers.
Your love and devotion to photography and filming has passed on to the third generation, you would be so proud of your grandchildren. Now it’s up to us to restore and document that treasure taken from all over the world, my favorite are those of Africa, and I enjoyed so much sitting beside you, watching how you edited all those short films into one big reel of the whole trip. Mommy used to complain that all the pictures where of places and things, with none of us there, since then she had to pose in most of those shot later on as she was your companion on every trip along that road. Nothing was too heavy for you to carry back from these trips, or too exotic, and the living room downstairs bore witness to that for many years with all the ebony, animal skins, ivory in addition to bits and pieces from all over creating our own setting of “It’s a small world after all”. Probably the reason why this spacious room was so unique and a favorite party spot for all our friends.
The memory that really stands out, is when I was barely ten years, and you came back home with a box of children’s books, 42 books to be exact. I think it was from the Russian book fair. You promised to pay me P.T. 25 for each book I read, which was equal to my weekly allowance then, and I think that’s what turned me into a bookworm so early. Years later I overheard you telling this story to a group of friends following it by: ” … and now I’d give her L.E. 100 to put down the book she’s reading!” The mirth in your voice reassured me that I no longer needed to hide under my cover in bed with a torch, reading away through the night in the middle of my exams.
I loved your indirect way of teaching us lessons, like the time there was a dinner party in the Yacht Club, overlooking the Eastern Harbor with the shimmering lights reflected on the sea in a huge, winding semi-circle. I stood beside you on the terrace and you pointed out that those lights resembled a string of pearls. Nodding my head in agreement you told me the story of a man who gave his daughter a string of pearls on her 12th birthday, and told her that she shouldn’t allow anybody to touch her below it. Each year the girl would add a pearl or two to the string, as a gift to herself, till she could use it jump rope … The story ended there, but the message was well received.
For some reason I don’t want to pen off, so much to say, yet I’m positive you are following us all closely, no reply is expected, but who says I can’t write you again and again. I just want to reassure you that your grandchildren are challenging life with a smile on a head held up high, just as you would have loved them to.
Your loving daughter,
Noran
E.G.C. Alexandria - 1968
It’s been a couple of weeks since school has started, but I can’t get rid of that feeling of what it was like for me as a student; looking at all the choices available now, and what few we had then, I can’t help but feel how fortunate we felt in those hard times.
Back to School! Yell all the signs in bookshops, supermarkets and wherever you go. Look at all the colorful schoolbags, pencil cases with a wide selection of heroes and cartoon characters … yet children now seem to be unsatisfied.
This year, out of all the past years, I sit and remember the first days of school. The sweet apprehension; who’s going to sit beside me, are we going to be friends, what are the new teachers like, and I vow to work hard and be attentive from day one.
Shopping for uniform and stationary! The first few years I remember the dressmaker in school, right behind the theater, I think she was a Greek lady, and we had no choice with the length or width of our dresses, just choose from the pastel colors of blue, pink, yellow and green, which also made for the colors of our shirts in winter along with grey blazers and skirts. Later our school shopping was done downtown, where you were bound to run into schoolmates hanging on to their mothers’ hands, hopping from shop to shop. We need our shoes and socks, hair ribbons and handkerchiefs, the school tie! So between L’enfant Chic, Hannaux and Paul Shouha we would anticipate the chocolat glace in the Brazilian Coffee shop on the corner, and probably a gateau as well if we behaved.
Hopping into Mommy’s small car with parcels and bags, our next top would be Zannana for our stationary, a whole supply that would be kept under lock and key to last the whole year, plus a stock of birthday gift for our friends – there were boy gifts, usually chess, and for girls it was a box of neatly hand-embroidered handkerchiefs – compare that to what your kids present their friends with today! The schoolbags were left to Daddy, where he would come home with serious looking, brown leather bags … those usually lasted for two if not three years. Thinking of what we started off with in nursery school … identical red, leather boxes for all the children, and probably the exact same contents too.
The evening before the first day of school; uniform nicely pressed, socks sitting in shoes, ribbons lying on top of uniform, bag beside the door ready with new pencil case – usually wooden with a sliding top. Then for an early dinner, a hot bath and lots of scrubbing with the loofah – we need to look shiny for our friends and teachers, and off to bed. Try to sleep with all the thoughts of what to expect … dreaming of the year ahead, there’s no way to tell when sleep finally came. The Dada or Nanny opens the shutters with a bang, and brings us milk and a sandwich in bed, now the radio is on and we need to hurry. Only the first day Daddy or Mommy drive us to school, then a school bus is arranged to pick us up, but our flirty Nanny usually signals for the bus driver to go pick up someone else till my brother and I are ready, and this is done very subtly from our bedroom window.
In the school yard of the junior department Mommy finds out which classes we’re in, Junior 4 Pompey for me this year. Our classes are named after interesting places! Sakkara,Thebes,Damascus…
Usually I’m one of the last to reach the new class, so most likely to sit in the back. Everybody looks just about the same, all sun-tanned, some slightly taller, a couple of new comers, hmmm, possible new friends. Introductions from the form teacher; exchanging vacation stories, finding out who has a garden so they would be in charge of bringing flowers every week to make the class a brighter place. The time table with our lessons is always exciting, just looking for when we have physical training, because for the first month we get a weekly double swimming lesson in our magnificent pool. It doesn’t really matter that even our bathing suits were uniformed – navy blue, nor that we had to take a cold shower and stood in a check line for our nails, we just had the time of our life, and I could still remember the smell of chlorine in our changing rooms. For some reason Wednesdays usually started off with double math, probably the reason it’s my least favorite day of the week till now.
Well, I could go on forever about those memories, but I guess I’ll leave you to yours, so feel free to share them with me 
noun
1: a facial expression in which the eyes brighten and the corners of the mouth curve slightly upward and which expresses especially amusement, pleasure, approval, or sometimes scorn
2: a pleasant or encouraging appearance
What better way than to start your day than with a smile. Yes, even if nobody can see it, or even return it. Just smile at yourself in the mirror in the morning and you’ll be surprised how that smile turns into a grin. We have a lot to be thankful for, and that simple act can only show self satisfaction and gratitude. Now let’s take it further by simply wearing it on our way to work. Actually it is more important than what you wear and it is one of the first things that people will notice about you.
Trust me, a smile is infectious – no pun intended to all you lovely people in the medical field. Just see how simply by looking someone in the eye, while still wearing that persistent smile, even if you don’t know them, they will just have to smile back! And so the cycle starts, and we all agree that the shortest distance between two people is a smile; watch it spread and dominate your environment. Even if you don’t feel like smiling, just do it and it will put you immediately in a better mood.
Let me share a story with you. A certain patient had kidney stones removed nearly 20 years ago. He had been in the hospital for 4 days, and in severe pain. He barely noticed a lady entering his room, holding out a single rose. She was not a nurse; by then he was familiar with all the staff members. She smiled, assuring him that he would be OK, and simply walked out of the room. Till this day he could remember that smile, coming from a lady he never knew. Quoting the patient; “Actually this did not cure me, but it related a painful moment with a wonderful feeling.”
This is what happened with me recently. I needed to have an MRI, and was worried as to the outcome. I was met by an unsmiling young man who ordered me about. “Will you please smile,” I gently asked. “Why should I?” was his reply, “I’m here to work!”
“Well I’m not here to joke, but I tend to be pessimistic if I’m not met with a smile at a time like this.” Regardless of the outcome of this particular investigation, I’m quite sure that that young man smiles more often nowadays. So remember, frown and you frown alone, but smile and the whole world smiles with you.
It is also a well known fact that it takes only 15 muscles to smile and 43 to frown; now it’s obvious which is easier, and the choice is yours J.
Remember, your smile is a very powerful tool in our field, if it doesn’t save lives, at least we know that eases the pain.
(M.A.G.I.C Newsletter for Staff Members of Kingdom Hospital, First Issue)
oops!
A question that we repeat over and over as we age is; why am I being so forgetful? We can’t remember where we placed the keys, what we had for dinner last night or even a neighbor’s name … We worry and joke that it could be the warning signs of Alzheirmer’s signaling an early entry into senility.
Professor Dr. Mostafa Fathy, former Head of Neurosurgery Department inAlexandriaUniversityhad a good explanation for that. “Just imagine that the initial pain you felt when you closed the car door on your finger lasts with the same intensity throughout your lifetime without fading to disappear within a short period as it usually should. What would our lives be like if we lived with vivid feelings of all the pains we have once endured? The answer is clear; life would have been an intolerable ordeal.
By the same token, if emotional, psychological and situational mishaps remain florid and vivid; they would ultimately drain our souls through a never-ending spiral of negative emotions. Every one loves to have an everlasting memory of happy moments, important data, social, professional, and cultural information.
However, such computer like memory has never been attainable. People instead have variable capabilities of memory span. We can improve our memories by adopting special strategies and techniques of mentally encoding important information, meanwhile letting go of bad memories. If an infallible memory seems to be a great asset then forgetfulness is an indispensable safety valve.”
In other words, this is simply how our brain functions in order to protect itself from being over-flooded with useless information. It selects the important and meaningful memories over the trivial ones. In Freud’s Psycho Analytic Theory, defense mechanisms are unconscious psychological strategies that are brought about to cope with reality and to maintain self-image. Healthy persons normally use different defenses throughout life. Their purpose is to protect the mind/self/ego from anxiety, social sanctions or to provide a refuge from a situation with which one cannot currently cope.
Amnesia, Alzheimer’s disease and Vascular Dementia are three medical conditions that involve loss of memory, so let’s take a closer look to see what they actually are.
Amnesia, a word of Greek origin, is a condition in which memory is disturbed or lost. It is a condition caused by injury to the brain due to an accident or a specific illness such as stroke, brain tumor, seizures or trauma. It is a loss of memory functions.
The course of the amnesia is variable depending upon the cause of the memory problem. By removing the toxic substance, for instance alcohol, the person’s memory will recover within hours. However, if the brain has been severely injured, it may take weeks, months, or years for recovery to occur. In some instances, the amnesia never goes away.
Therefore, the prognosis depends upon the extent of the brain trauma. If an ingested substance caused the memory loss and the body can rid itself of the offending substance without causing permanent brain injury, the prognosis is quite good. However, once the brain is damaged it may be very slow to heal, and therefore, the prognosis can be quite poor.
Alzheimer’s Disease, on the other hand, is a progressive and fatal disease. It destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior, severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies or social life. Alzheimer’s gets worse over time.
Alzheimer’s is not to be confused with normal age-related memory loss. It is not a normal part of aging or “just what happens when we get old.” If Alzheimer’s was part of the natural aging process, then every person over 65 years of age would have Alzheimer’s disease.
This table illustrates the differences between normal age-related memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease:
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Normal Age-related Memory Loss |
Alzhemer’s Disease |
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Vascular Dementia is another type of memory loss, which is caused by the buildup of fat deposits in the walls of arteries leading to progressive atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), and resulting in a restriction of blood flow to the brain, which can lead to multiple small strokes and subsequent brain damage and dementia. Approximately forty percent of all cases of dementia are attributed to vascular dementia. Predisposing factors of vascular dementia include advanced age, high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, heart disease and other existing heart conditions.
The onset of vascular dementia often goes unnoticed in the early stages, particularly when the first strokes that eventually lead to dementia are very minor. Sometimes, symptoms such as cognitive and intellectual impairment and difficulty carrying out everyday tasks may become apparent only in the mid-to-late-stages of vascular dementia. The symptoms of vascular dementia vary according to the severity of the strokes, yet may improve, or at least stabilize for a while, until the next stroke,
No cure or treatment is currently available for vascular dementia. However, symptomatic treatments can effectively control and delay progression of the disease. Preventive measures to reduce the likelihood of further strokes include controlling high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, a balanced diet and exercise.
Preventive Tips against Memory Loss
Also, the regular use of two languages appears to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms, cognitive neuroscientist; Ellen Bialystok has spent almost 40 years learning about how bilingualism sharpens the mind.
Kingdom Health Magazine, 4th Issue, Fall 2011
Late one night while chatting with classmate Annie Shalian, the idea of a makeover and a reunion on the beaches of Spain came up. Later when I wrote about shaking hands with the Queen of Spain (check http://noranshafey.wordpress.com/2008/02/23/the-day-i-shook-hands-with-the-queen-of-spain/), Annie jokingly asked if there was any chance of us meeting her Majesty in our dream reunion. So, I sat and composed a letter to the Queen, found her address, took the opinion of a Spanish friend as to whether this was the proper way to address royalty in his country. Daniel was the only person on this secret by the way. I posted the letter March 19th and included the card that was disturbed in our Silver Jubilee bearing a picture of us girls (EGC Class of ’76) in our first reunion along with a copy of the article about shaking hands with Her Majesty. My letter read as follows:
Alexandria, 19th March, 2008
Your Majesty Queen Sofia,
It is a real pleasure as well as a great honor for me to write to You. Please excuse me for approaching You, but Your warm greeting in Alexandria is what has encouraged me.
Last February, during Your visit to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, You were more than generous to have greeted me when I was too bold as to have called out Your title saying: “Your Majesty; greetings from the EGC!” I was touched by Your warm and radiant smile and wrote the attached letter to my group of EGCian friends. I am also enclosing a picture of the group.
I belong to the EGC class of 1976. Our class is a very active group that have reunions whenever we find a chance or whenever any of the members living abroad comes to Egypt for a visit. In 2001, we celebrated our Silver Jubilee of graduation in school inviting all our teachers and ended up singing “Pioneers” as usual.
This year, most of us will celebrate our 50th birthday, and we are planning a special celebration by traveling to Spain in summer to make it a memorable occasion. Again your generosity has encouraged me to come forth with the following request. Is there any chance of the group meeting with Your Majesty, if even for a very brief while? Our celebration would be an unforgettable one if Your Majesty would grace our group with an audience. This would surely commemorate our special event.
I realize my aspirations are high, but that is what we learnt in our beloved school; to follow our dreams.
Please accept my respect and sincerest heartfelt greeting, and I thank You in advance for Your attention.
Noran Shafey
Former EGCian, and member of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina staff.
***
Dare I expect a response? Again, I told no one, and waited … and there it is, when you least expect it, The Letter arrived on April 15th, embossed with the Royal Coat of Arms, directly from the Palace of His Majesty the King – Palazio Zarzuela, and on behalf of H.M. Queen Sofia, from the Chief of Her Secretary:
The Envelope
The Letter
I was frantic and immediately shared both letters and the whole story with the group. Some were excited and started to plan ahead; tickets, accommodation, what we’ll wear, while others thought we were crazy … nothing followed, but again, it was good to dream!
Me Time!
Why is it important to give yourself some ‘Me time’ every once in a while? Because without it there would simply be no You. It would be all about He, She and They. Some may think of this as a selfish attitude, well it’s not. On the contrary, to be capable of giving better you need to be fully satisfied yourself. Ever heard of half a glass of water overflowing? That’s exactly like human nature.
Me Time could include anything from indulging into your favorite sport or hobby, to just sitting alone and doing simply nothing. It’s a prescription you need to follow on a daily basis. Steel that hour from time and call it yours, best of all when you’re least needed by Them. For some it could be early in the morning, for me it was just before I slept; when everybody else was already dreaming, the night became mine, and mine alone. Then I discovered that I wasn’t the only night owl – no thanks to internet – so I can no longer call that me time, nor the hour with tea in the morning, because then I start my day by checking my e-mail and all sorts of useless stuff; I can’t handle any sounds as soon as I get up, so music and television are out.
Afternoon tea! That’s it for me now, no TV, no laptop, just a good book, legs tucked to my side, maybe a scented candle for good measure, then I’m off. I just relax and try not to be distracted, not to answer the phone, and not even talk to anybody. I would drift away from my reading, and go over and over the same sentence, but it is so soothing. It’s also a very good time to reflect on what went on during the day, and somehow make it all work in my favor. I then usually reward myself by a mental pat on the back; well deserved after a long day. Half an hour later and after a deep breath I’m ready for any task, totally revived.
Gradually I found that I could snatch “Me Moments” during the day, as well, while doing my chores or heading off somewhere. By seeing something beautiful, I just freeze the moment and smile, this comes in very handy later on when I’m stressed, I could simply relive that fraction of a second.
Creating “Me Time” may not be that easy for some people. It develops over time; like learning how to leave your work troubles as soon as you lock your office, and let go of home-worries as soon as you leave your house. Just lock them in where they belong, never lock them inside your head, they’re too much of a burden and you simply cannot do anything about them while away. Learning how to focus on what you’re doing allows you to accomplish whatever is at hand much faster, so get that done where it should be, and no where else. There are so many distractions, trivial ones, but essential, so don’t add major worries on top; you simply can’t juggle all at the same time.
Just remember; Relax, Reflect and Regenerate, then Reward yourself and you’re sure to feel Revived, and don’t forget to Relive the happy moments.
Not so long ago, we were advised to rest in bed and take it easy if we were complaining from any illness, be it high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes or heart diseases. Now we know for a fact that whether we are young or old, weak or strong; physical exercise is the key to our health.
Start Moving Now!
According to studies performed by the Royal College of Physicians, there is scientific evidence that health can actually improve if physical activity is performed regularly. It was found that it also reduces the risk of developing some of the main diseases that are considered life threatening like coronary heart disease and stroke. Millions of people all over the world suffer from illnesses that can be prevented or improved by regular physical activity.
Here are some of the specific health benefits of exercise:
Heart Disease and Stroke:
Daily physical activity can help prevent heart disease and stroke by strengthening your heart muscle, lowering your blood pressure, raising your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (good cholesterol) and lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (bad cholesterol), improving blood flow, and increasing your heart’s working capacity.
High Blood Pressure:
Regular physical activity can reduce blood pressure in those with high blood pressure levels. Physical activity also reduces body fatness, which is associated with high blood pressure.
Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes:
By reducing body fat, physical activity can help to prevent and control this type of diabetes.
Obesity:
Physical activity helps to reduce body fat by building or preserving muscle mass and improving the body’s ability to use calories. When physical activity is combined with proper nutrition, it can help control weight and prevent obesity which is a major risk factor for many diseases.
Back Pain:
By increasing muscle strength and endurance and improving flexibility and posture, regular exercise helps to prevent back pain.
Osteoporosis:
Regular weight-bearing exercise promotes bone formation and may prevent many forms of bone loss associated with aging.
Psychological Effects:
Regular physical activity can improve your mood and the way you feel about yourself. Researchers also have found that exercise is likely to reduce depression and anxiety and help you to manage stress better. Other research indicates that regular workouts may cut the risk of symptomatic gallstones by one-third. Exercise has also recently been found to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and improve adherence to such treatment.
By exercising for 20 to 30 minutes three times a week, all the above could be avoided. Recommended physical activity includes aerobic, muscle strengthening activity and stretching. However if you have been inactive for a while, less strenuous activity is suggested, like walking or swimming. Always start at a slow pace till your body allows you more physical fitness, and once you are in a better shape, you can take it to the next level.
Although we find more people getting involved in sports, and hitting the gym regularly, yet the fact still remains that most adults and many children lead a relatively sedentary lifestyle, thus foregoing the health benefits of physical activity. A sedentary lifestyle is defined as engaging in no leisure-time physical activity like exercises, sports or physically active hobbies in a two-week period.
Approximately one-third of persons age 65 or older lead a sedentary lifestyle in western countries. Older women are generally less physically active than older men. 54% of men and 66 % of women age 75 and older engage in no leisure-time physical activity.
Unfortunately, schools may not encourage students to consider physical activity as part of their daily lives; parents may not bother to enroll them in basketball, soccer, swimming, and take up the burden of driving them to practice or cheering them in competitions. More than one-third of young people in grades 9-12 do not regularly engage in vigorous physical activity. Furthermore, 43% of students in grades 9-12 watch television more than two hours per day. Physical activity declines dramatically over the course of adolescence, and girls are significantly less likely than boys to participate regularly in vigorous physical activity.
Exercise does not need to be boring, expensive, time-consuming or inconvenient. Moderate forms of exercise will give the benefits needed to prevent disease. Gardening, dancing, walking, household chores, and even shopping can give you enough exercise to meet the daily requirement. All that’s needed to personalize your fitness plan is a creative and adventurous spirit.
The chart below indicates the maximum improvement for both diet and exercise for 6 common disorders, based on well designed clinical trials. These lifestyle changes can also lead to weight loss, which eases many of these disorders, thus increasing the maximum improvement.
Although the Royal College of Physicians recommends that doctors should ask about exercise when they see patients, particularly when they come for routine health checks, yet studies show that most doctors still fail to advise patients about lifestyle changes to prevent and treat disease, or to give them advise on suitable exercise programs.
So the next time, when you ask your physician what type of food to eat or avoid when you complain from a certain illness, don’t forget to ask this equally important question: Can my condition improve by physical exercise, if so, what type of exercise?
(Published in Kingdom Health Magazine – Spring 2011)
I remember when Dad drove Mommy early in the morning,
I remember looking out the window as the car moved away,
I remember the day you were born.
I remember going to the hospital after school,
I remember Mommy laying you in my arms for just a few seconds,
I remember how it felt to have a sister for the very first time.
I remember, for Samer and me, playing with Baby you was a treat,
I remember your first bath, and who was there,
I remember your first steps, from where to where.
I remember your first birthday,
I remember saving a piece of a marshmallow for nearly a year just for you,
I remember seating you on my lap, and whispering how we’d be friends,
I remember taking you to birthdays, the zoo, the club,
I remember brushing your hair,
I remember helping you with your spelling and grammar,
I remember how proud I was of my responsibility.
I remember how I guided you to write letters to Santa before Christmas,
I remember your first year of school; my last,
I remember the poster you gave me for my birthday,
I remember the little girl in the poster dressed as a grown up,
I remember how Daddy pointed out it meant you wanted to be in my shoes one day,
I remember how eager you were the day I got engaged,
I remember you wondering if that would make you an aunt soon,
I remember the sweet girl who carried my wedding ring,
I remember your smile, that everlasting smile,
I remember you growing into a beautiful young lady, just overnight it seemed,
I remember you as a very popular teenager,
I remember your birthday parties, with all your loving friends around you,
I remember the terrific aunt you’ve always been to my kids,
I remember how you always put a good word in for everybody,
I remember us clinging together the day we lost Daddy,
I remember not wanting you to wear black …
I remember you in love …
I remember your wedding day,
I remember driving you to the hairdresser’s, then to the hotel,
I remember the pictures I took of you that day, we laughed a lot …
I remember the day you became a Mom yourself to Rowan, our joy and pride
I remember when you held Hassan in your arms for the first time,
I remember how brave and smiling you were,
I remember you by his bedside for many nights and days, with that everlasting smile,
I remember his first steps, late but beautiful, just as we’d dreamt …
I remember the days in the House, I learnt many valuable lessons there,
I remember happy times, and rough times,
I remember admiring you through all of those,
I remember someone calling you an angel, but wondering where you hid your wings,
Sagy, my Sister, we share so many memories … and for that I’m most grateful, and look forward to many more, with silly dances and posing for ridiculous pictures.
I don’t care how old or young you are; to me, you’ll always be my Baby Sister.
Happy Birthday
 | Adalet on The Power of a Smile :) |
| Adalet on Why am I forgetting … ho… |
| Adalet on The Golden Key to Preventive… |
| Adalet on Perfect Memories |
 | خالد on Dear Daddy, |
