The yard was a peaceful place where I built many memories with my father. My father and I loved the yard and we cared for the flowers and trees. It was an enjoyable place for me and my father.
The yard was big, and to its left was parking space and a gray door that opened to the street outside. To the right of the gray door was a cement wall covered with a grapevine tree and a vine tree with big green leaves. This was my father’s favorite because it gave sweet grapes in summer. Under this tree was a small wooden house for Jojo, our dog who was white and brown. She liked to play with me every day.
I had a small green ball that I threw far for her and she would fetch it for me, and again I would throw it, and again she brought it back. When she was happy she would wag her tail for me. She ran around me and loved being petted. She looked funny with her tongue hanging out of her mouth.
In front of the grapevine and vine trees was our garden. On the left of the garden were night flowers. When guests came to our house, the first thing they saw were these night flowers. Surrounding the garden were sunflowers, which were tall, yellow and green. When the sunflowers ripened, they gave seeds, which my father and I ate while watching TV and movies.
There was a cypress in the center of the garden and it was surrounded with roses. Every afternoon I would help my father water the trees and flowers. Sometimes we teased and played with Jojo. We splashed water on her, which made her run away to her house and then we would laugh at her.
My father and I often brought out chairs from the house and sat in the corner of the yard where we made tea, listened to music, and enjoyed the weather. The afternoons were cool and we sat here talking to each other. The yard made me happy. I was at ease with my father here. I felt that my father believed in me and tried to spend his time with us, his children. I can’t forget his smile or the light in his eyes when all his children—eight of us—sat surrounding him. He felt safe, and we felt safe with him. That was, in fact, the only time that I remember feeling free and safe, and surrounded with family. The yard was wonderful and comfortable and I have many memories with my father in it.
By Mona
As I read your words I felt transported to this important place in your past thanks to your clear, poetic description. I’m sorry that this was the only time you felt free and safe but hope that one day you will find your way to such a garden again. Beautiful writing!
I like the way you write. It would be great to read even more and more such nice, short and poetic writings. Keep the good job up :).
Mona,
I really enjoyed the story. I am really happy to read about people having a special relationship with their father because I know too many people who do not have relationships with their father for whatever reason. I personally have a great relationship with my father and like you, I always feel safe when I am around him. I also really enjoyed reading about your garden and your dog. I have always lived in a pretty urban area, but it has been my dream to live on the countryside surrounded by flowers, trees and animals. It sounds to me like this is the area where you like to sit and relax which I can really relate to. As for your dog, I have always really liked dogs and enjoy playing with my dog on a daily basis. I am really glad to hear that you seem to be really enjoying where you are living and all the relationships that you have. I hope to hear more positive stories from you!
Sincerely,
Matt
Dear Mona,
“The Wonderful Yard” was a touching and beautiful remembrance of the times you had with your father. The many descriptions and visuals that were written helped me imagine the yard and I felt like I was actually there. It was cool to see how you appreciated and cherished the moments you spent with your father. In a part of the world that isn’t always safe and you hear about so much pain and tragedy, it was refreshing to hear that, “He felt safe, and we felt safe with him. That was, in fact, the only time that I remember feeling free and safe, and surrounded with family. The yard was wonderful and comfortable and I have many memories with my father in it”. Hold onto those memories and when times are hard and you don’t feel safe think back to those memories and feeling. This helps me look back at memories with my father and make me cherish them even more. Once again this was a beautiful reflection and it was a pleasure to read, thank you for writing this.
From,
Scott Shaull
Mona,
You are a fantastic writer! I really love how you can find so much comfort in your memories. The work you are doing with the AWWP is truly wonderful. It is so empowering to find someone so willing to stick up not only for themselves, but for all the women of Afghanistan who don’t have an education. As a women in America I feel like I have taken advantage of my right to an education, and reading the stories of the AWWP women I have grown to realize how big of gift education truly is. Keep writing, and your writing skills will continue to grow. I look forward to reading more of your writings, and hopefully one day you will upload some of your videos you have created.