Nineteenth

 

“My father is the kind of man who makes people ask themselves: “why is he so happy?” Going to college on his own, marrying a kind woman, raising a family of four children, and working day and night to ensure that their dreams live on. He was only 19 when he arrived in JFK airport off a plane from a small village in Egypt. Speaking only a few school-taught words of English, he worked tirelessly for 19 years, and I respect that so much. I respect his courage to leave his home and family behind in order to seek something greater for all of them. I respect his love, which he gives in every word he utters and in every bite of food he gives away. I respect his empathy, which he uses to think of ways to make those around him happy – even those he’s just met. What I respect the most about my father is his faith. The same faith that he was raised to believe in when in that small village in Egypt has stayed with him and guided him throughout his life to say Alhamdulilah every time he trips, and Insha’Allah everytime he dreamt about getting up again. That’s my dad.” – Morad Hassan

Bio: I’m a New York born Egyptian-Mexican. I was raised in Egypt for most of my life, and was raised in a place where you could hear the call to prayer everyday, five times a day, without fail. I miss Egypt every night, but the same thought crosses my mind each morning when I get out of bed: “Alhamdullah, I woke up again in America.” Fun Fact: I can juggle.