The year was 1993. We were living in Damascus, Syria. I look up from my computer and out my window, thinking how long ago that seems. Yet the memory is clear. Her name was Kaokub. In English, it meant planet. I always thought that was a funny name to name a child, but some thirty years … More New Year, New Life
Ten years ago today we left. Raouf had preceded us on this journey, so I was alone with my two boys and an unruly Egyptian dog. We almost didn’t make it out, but in the end, they let us on the plane, dog and all. We said goodbye to Egypt, but we also said goodbye … More Leaving the field
I could barely talk with her. We spoke different languages, but in the short time I had with my mother-in-law, God gave me glimpses into the life of a woman of influence. She had no position in this world other than that of being a widow and mother. She lost her husband early in life, … More A Woman of Influence
Being in a confined space for ten days with a group of forty people from different nationalities and backgrounds is a prime opportunity for learning. A recent vacation to Italy provided such a chance, as I sat on a bus and walked the sites with a group of strangers. The first few days are quiet, … More Comfort Zones
I’ve always been a cautious person on stairs. Maybe there’s some subconscious recollection of my mother falling with me down a flight of stairs when I was a baby. In any case, I do have a tendency to hold on to a railing, especially when descending. It’s no surprise that not every stair case has … More The offered hand
I went to support my brother. Funerals are hard for us both. That’s just the reality of the grief walk. You think you’re going to handle it, but then a word is spoken, a memory comes back and you end up sitting through someone else’s funeral only remembering the one that changed everything for you. … More Tatts and Tears
The passing of time marks so much in our lives — childhood, graduations, new jobs, marriage, aging, and even death. We remember certain dates on the calendar, as they’re tied to specific events. When my husband passed away, I marked a year of Wednesdays, as that was the day he left. Recently, I made a … More 150 Days
I walked into a room of strangers tonight, alone, a bit uncertain if I was comfortable with even being there, yet it was an opportunity to stop the noise of the week and focus on the most important of events this world has known — the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The words are so familiar, … More Not guilty
The flames pushed high into the night sky, inching their way from the base to the top of the spire. Voices gasped, hearts stopped. A beautiful monument was crumbling before our eyes. Standing on the perimeter, watching across the ocean, unable to help or save. It looked like a lost cause, now smoldering, broken, stripped … More Damaged but not destroyed
We can’t avoid being affected by the families we marry into or the countries where we live. I’ve always appreciated the view of my late husband: “I choose to take the best of both cultures,” and he did, becoming an Egyptian in America and an American in Egypt. Most people couldn’t figure out exactly where … More Blended