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Nana's inspiring wrinkles PDF Print E-mail
VIEWPOINT - FARAH KINANI
The dynamic sound of few birds eating the wet breadcrumbs on the shady left side of the veranda announces a sunny day. I shake my right foot to get rid of a noisy bumblebee and two sparrows fly away.
Less cautious, my brother's gray pigeons keep enjoying their daily treat while two other sparrows hide under the bamboo chaise-longue, then hop watchfully toward the tray to sneak whatever left from their breakfast meticulously prepared by Nana, my grand mother.    
The bee insists on landing on my big toe. One last shake and the slightly illuminated veranda is empty of its birds and bees.
Nana's frail shoulder is not a comfortable cushion for my head, but she likes to have it there to pass her fingers through my snarled hair. She then detangles every rebellious curl her hand encounters. It hurts!

I dive my nose on the long sleeve of her green Caftan and get submerged by the soothing smell of rosemary mixed with lemon and olive oil. For the lapse of a second, I picture myself trotting a wild horse through fields of rosemary. The pain is already a fading memory.

Some shy rays begin to shimmer. They tickle my face and I no longer feel like closing my eyes.

Nana pulls her sleeves out of my face and puts on her bifocal eyeglasses. She then starts reciting some prayers. I try to focus on what Nana is muttering, but she moves her head slightly to the right then to the left in a long and repetitive ritual. The words become unclear and it's getting harder for me to follow her prayers.

The reddish bricks on the wall give the veranda a warm and homey look. The old braided Moroccan rug thrown over the floor lends an air of antiquity to the place.
Nana's bean-shaped hearing device falls on my forehead. I jump out of her lap and hit the bird's tray. She interrupts her trance and stares at me looking confused. She then starts laughing vehemently and her bony shoulders move back and forth.
Nana closes her eyes in an unsuccessful attempt to control her laugh. Some deep-rooted wrinkles cover her tiny face.
I look for the brown device and set it back in Nana's left ear. She kisses my hand and holds it to wipe warm tears from her cheeks. She always cries when she laughs intensely.
I help Nana stand up and kiss her head. I trace her wrinkles with my fingers and can't help thinking how serene and how amazingly beautiful she looks.
The sparrows are getting noisier and my brother's nonchalant pigeons are back in what resembles a "catwalk show-off". The sun fills the veranda with a peaceful warm glow; it's breakfast time. Nana brings her traditional ceramic turquoise plate and carefully spread the succulent rosemary dipping on it, a treat she lovingly prepares, every morning, for the pleasure of the family and the delight of the bees.
 

 

Farah Kinani Heydari is a freelance journalist based in North Potomac, MD since 2001. She worked as correspondent of Assabah, le Matin du Sahara, and wrote an article for Jeune Afrique right after the tragedy of sep 11, 2001. She also cotributes to “Magharebia.com” and to“The Global Voices Online”.  Farah is married to an Iranian-American and has two kids Sara 7 and Dara 5.“Dara” means “spiritually rich” in Persian.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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logan said:

...
en regardant de plus pres la photo, on dirait que c vraiment nanna... avec hadik lwekfa dialha.. we tenia dial dher....
merci foulla
09/10/10

Al Madad Mohammad said:

...
For me the elderly are among other qualities the living books.
Books where reading never ends.
But very few people know and very few people benefit of this richness
09/06/09

mehdi said:

Bensaid
Souvenir d'enfance :)... quel chance... des bisous de rabat à toute la famille à DC....
09/06/09

salwa said:

r_bibich@hotmail.com
I liked this :)
And I'm proud of you, dear
And you are a symbol of Moroccan women, educated And productive ....:)
Although you are far from your country bon courag ma cherie :)
09/06/09

salwa said:

hamdi
I liked this :)
And I'm proud of you, dear
And you are a symbol of Moroccan women, educated And productive ....:)
Although you are far from your country bon courag ma cherie :)
09/06/09

loulou said:

...
nanna ya nanna!!!! unique nanna
la tendresse et l'amour incarnés
ta douceur et ta bonté n'ont d'egal
on ne peut que t'aimer et t'adorer
tu me rapelle farouha qd elle faisait sortir un bout de papier où des versets de coran étaient inscrits et elle me demandait de les lui lire et de l'aider à les apprendre, et dés que qq'un d'autre était avec elle, elle ressortait le meme bout de papier en essayant d'avancer ds son apprentissage des versets sacrés...et une fois chose faite, elle passe à un autre verset, soit sur un papier qu'elle a déja ramené avec elle, ou alors elle demandait alors qu'on lui note lisiblement un nouveau pour que tte personne puisse le lui lire et l'aider à l'apprendre un nouveau
je ne pouvais qu'admirer sa perseverance...malgré qu'elle ne savait pas lire, elle tenait à diversifier les versets dans sa prière et de ne pas se contenter de peu...
que dieu te preserve de tt mal mais stt lah yichafik wkhelik lina bshehtik
je t'aime tres tres fort nanna
et grand merci farah

09/05/09

Mounir Majidi said:

...
very sweet piece!
Fekkertyny fjeddaty;)
09/04/09

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