growing up, my mom was always the cool mom. she played sports with us, took us on hikes in islamabad, climbed trees with us in ziarat, anchored us when we were little in brussels, listened to/supported us as we navigated teenage life in pakistan, and then young adulthood in the US. our love of literature and film, our drive to excel and do the right thing, even our ability to connect to others and brush off borders – much of it comes directly from my mother. i can write books about decisive moments in my life that shaped me and how my mother was always right there behind me, making me feel safe and loved. she believed in me more than i believed in myself. what a prodigious gift that is for any child. thank u ammi and happy birthday <3
[this is a picture of my mom as a child recreated as a painting by sam sam]