Tuesday, April 17, 2007

My Bebee (El - Hijjiyya)..

This is in memory of my Bebee, who in my opinion was a Very special lady.
She was widowed very young and raised her 5 children all by herself, she worked in making clothes so as to afford that they finish their studies in university..
I had a special relation with my Bebee,I was the only one among my sisters who would go to spend many days (Abat) b bet bebetee.. i loved going there, to Abat.. I m privileged to do whatever pleases me when im at bebee's..
Bet el Hijjiyya was an old house..with a big garden in front , green Thayyal I remember , high old trees. In summer Karasee el Nylon would b set in a circle, as we and my aunts and cousins would all gather at night to visit Bebee, especially on Thursdays.. there was a small garden in the back too, with a Very big shajarat Nabogh, we used to gather the delicious fallen fruit, as it was too high to reach, and sit eating it in front of the old black and white TV.
Her bedroom was another world, I can now see it with all the details, her bed to the left, the window to the right overseeing the garden, a collection of her many trips to Mekka decorated one of the walls, the window had a very wide Dachcha , I used to hide there behind the curtains playing all kinds of games, princess stuff and all.. i would sit there for hours, not wishing to come out..
I was also allowed to open her closet, and take out her personal things, which were very few in fact ..i especially liked an old bright green handbag which she must' ve bought tens of years ago, I loved hanging it in my arm pretending to b a grown up..
She was very religious, I was told that she used to do (Azama) and (Ruqia) in her young days ..she spent her time in reading Quran, with a beautiful colorful peacock feather for a bookmark inside, that's how I remember her (Allah yerhamha) in her last years..very thin and petite , her grey hair parted in the middle with 2 thin Thofayer ..
She had my oldest aunt living with her on the first floor, my youngest aunt and her husband on the 2nd..(but we always called it Bet el Hijjiyya) ..
Ghurfat el Akel was Vey large, rarely used, with a Big table , and Huge chairs..i especially loved breakfast, when my aunt and her husband would come down, the room would fill with Swalef, laughter and morning chat, my older aunt used to make me a sandwich with butter and sugar in it (beleive it or not , and I used to love it !!) ..a triangular sandwich , half a Sammoona.. it was always a joyful time.. up till this day I love the Reyoogh meal the most, maybe because I have happy memories of it..It was a house full of love and warmth..
In her last years she got very ill and couldn’t leave her bed, I remember how we used to all go visit her and gather around in her bedroom, I have photos of her, attending our birthdays, accompanying us in our travels.. we all loved her so much, Allah yerhamha..
When she passed away, the house was sold, and my aunts moved to a smaller and more modern one ..I once went to visit the place, driving through the old street, tabaan Bet Bebee existed no more, a trading company or something was built in its place, the whole street was different ..my eyes kept searching for the old Hadiqa , the short stairs and the wooden inner gate.. and the memories of my early childhood with Bebee..

May her soul rest in peace.. Ameen..

8 comments:

Little Penguin said...

Allah Yerhamha..

El Hijjiya must have been of the highest standards in terms of modesty, manners and love..

what strikes me in her memory is how it sums up the passing of time so briefly.. it's as if all your memories with her were but last week.. you speak of her as if she were in front of you.. rahmatulla 3aleha..

I wasn't fortunate to get enough of my grandparents.. those on my mother's side passed before I was born.. one a great poet and linguist, the other an iconic figure of patience and faith in the greater reward by Allah SWT. As for my father's side, my jiddo allah yruhma passed away three years ago.. I didn't really get to know him that closely due to the distance but I found out afterwards that he an exceptional father, friend and a poet of the highest calibre..

My Bibi is gonna visit us soon..

Allah yerham el hijjiya and inshallah her legacy lives in the form of great grand-daughters like yourself..

Regards

كريم المدون said...

مساء الخير ياسمين

الله يرحمها


بعض الكلمات لها قدرة عجيبة على استحضار عالم .... كراسي النايلون ....عالم كامل

اني هم ماكل لفة الزبد والشكر .... هممممممم

ملاحظة: بكت الكلمات التالية
(Abat) b bet bebetee
Dachcha
Sammoona
Karasee el Nylon
Thayyal

Yasmin (Blanche) said...

Dear Little Penguin,
Indeed she was as u said, thank u..
sometimes , the oldest of memories are the ones that stay fresh in our minds, dont know why..
The grandparents are indeed a great blessing, i too, didnt get to see but this Bebee, i can see u still have yr bebee, so enjoy her company as much as u can..may Allah keep her for u..
many thanks for yr kind words..

Yasmin (Blanche) said...

hello Kareem,

im surprised anyone else ever ate this butter w sugar sandwitch..
feel free and Booooogh all u want.. im glad my posts can b of help..but this means u have started..
looking forward to hear ab yr iraqi Moaejam inshallah..
regards..

A&Eiraqi said...

Yasmin
Bebe el-hejiya
I had a grandmother who no one called her a part from bebe al-hejiya , we never called her by her name as bebe el-hejiya was the alternative which we used.

She died couple of years ago as yours(Allah Yerhemhum)

Bebe is always a symbole in our lives.

Another Iraqi idea
Bests

Yasmin (Blanche) said...

a&e iraqi,
Allah yerhamhom both..
yes, Bebee is another symbole for warmth and infinate kindness znd love..another symbol of the life we once lived..and now miss..
regards..

MixMax said...

my family went through difficult times when we were children, because of that I had both my grandmothers living in the same house... each had different character and personalities, and we learned a lot from each one of them.

Allah yirhemhum and yirhum yours

Yasmin (Blanche) said...

Mixmax,
I blv all Bebees unite in being a symbol of kindness and love for us.. ofcourse each has her own special touch..
may Allah rest their souls in peace, all of our Bebees..ameen..