If I could go back in time and tell
my young self one day long from
now you will give birth to a daughter
and birthing her will be unlike
anything else you will ever do
and it will be a pleasure
you will survive it and you
will love her and you will
want to tell the world
how much she fills
you with light
and joy and
how you long to be with her
when you are not how you
adore her when she sleeps
and when she wakes you
you thank God for her
you will feel content
without sleep
you will feel elated
giving yourself to
her
you will carry her
your heart will be hers
and your eyes will be
on her and her hair
will catch the light
and you will not
get enough of
seeing it
you will be so in love
you will forget food
you will be so delighted
you will not notice the
aches or your swollen eyes
nothing will feel like a chore
and everything will feel like
good fortune
Shatha Almutawa
Shatha Almutawa is the founder and director of Kutubna Cultural Center in Dubai.
Featured image titled Child in Fountain by Robert Powers. Robert Powers is an American architect, photographer and writer who has written extensively about the architecture of the Midwest and elsewhere on his website Built St. Louis and other platforms. After many years living in many American cities, he now resides in Dubai with his wife and daughter. www.builtstlouis.net
