The Pearl that Broke Its Shell

by Nadia Hashimi

People who are beset by tragedy once and twice are sure to grieve again. Fate finds it easier to retrace its treads.

This life is difficult. We lose fathers, brothers, mothers, songbirds and pieces of ourselves. Whips strike the innocent, honors go to the guilty, and there is too much loneliness. I would be a fool to pray for my children to escape all of that. Ask for too much and it might actually turn out worse. But I can pray for small things, like fertile fields, a mother’s love, a child’s smile—a life that’s less bitter than sweet.