Tayaabah Qazi

I do not remember how young I was, but I remember wanting to fast like all the adults in the family. This is a story of my first day of fasting as a child. Many other Muslim children have this same story. I recall my shiny new pretty dress, and the aromas of delicious food.

Grandmothers are a blessing. Grammy, Meemaw, Nani/Dadi, Abuela, Bibi, or Babushka, come in all shapes and forms. They babysit for working parents, help new parents, and sometimes become sole providers for their grandchildren.

As a teacher mentor and supervisor, I often would engage teachers in case studies of common parent-teacher conflicts. We would read from the scripts while role playing.

As residents of California for 30-plus years, I have never seen my family members so affected by the earthquakes that recently shook Turkiye. Mind you that California is an earthquake country. The earthquakes in Turkiye feel different and so close to home.

Science is at a loss in understanding the concept of the soul. In most instances, it denies the existence of the soul and chalks up human experience only as a combination of physiological and chemical reactions.

I clearly remember people owning smaller houses and bigger yards. Moms calling for their kids to get back inside from playing outdoors. And kids who could frequently forget to even eat while immersed in their play.