A pink taxi

A pink taxi

November 1, 2011

Happy Seven to My Daughter




Seven is a lucky number they say. I barely remember my seventh year. Only impressions. I could situate myself in the larger chronology of childhood. I had not traveled to France yet, the Iranian Revolution had not occurred yet and we were two years into the Lebanese civil war.


I remember being in third grade like you, a november child with the same energy, but not as fiesty and concentrated as you. I was less grounded,  more of a dreamer. Perhaps less passionate than you are today. I was a ballerina and a horseback rider but you outshine me. I certainly didn't draw and paint and create the way you do.


What I wish for you is a life of opportunities that you will learn to seize. Your parents, like mine, will not treat you any differently from their sons and will expose you in the same way, if not to more things considering we get the uni-sex opportunities and the additional feminine ones.


Please remind me to be an open-minded parent, please ask me for indulgence because creativity cannot thrive without those two factors. Yet all along, allow me to steer you in the right direction (isn't your name Syraat which means the right road). For you, I try to be the role model (perhaps with half the accomplishments I wish for you): fearless, competitive, vibrant but also kind and feminine.


I wish you a lovely seventh year.

3 comments:

  1. Happy 7 to our only niece and female cousin. We love you.

    Khaleh N, Dai Croco, and S

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  2. Lucky SEVEN is that she is surrounded by 2 brothers and 5 male cousins,which makes her tough and competitive.She has an amazing character,a faculty of deep concentration,and a strong will.To my only Princess. Very happy birthday.

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  3. I do remember being 7, and how the world suddenly became my oyster, a bigger place to discover, and learn and breathe. I could read by that time, and immersed myself in books and daydreams. I was sandwiched between two brothers, and missed my big sister who had just moved to Geneva for boarding school. At that point, I became the Syraat of the family.....
    You don't understand how special you are being our girl, and yes you will learn so much from all these boys around you.
    But god willing, I have a strong feeling you are going to achieve a lot in your life. You are intelligent and motivated, artistic and sweet. You will one day make us all even more proud!

    I love you!! Happy birthday! Your khaleh bouche

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