About Marahm
At first glance, I may appear to be a middle-aged American woman with kids, grandkids, retired from a job in a hospital, gratefully relieved from the responsibilities that come with all of that. Behind the image, which is true enough, I am fairly unhinged from much of American mainstream living, having spent twelve years in Saudi Arabia, years that sprung me from societal and familial impositions, and narrow bands of truth. I have learned to embrace my identity as a seeker, an artist, and a writer.
I study Arabic and Italian language, because I love them, and I love their people. I still dream of spending more time in the Middle East and Italy, though the dreaming now seems more real than the possibilities. I am a photographer. I write, and sometimes publish, flash memoir, and now a blog or two.
Marahm 
What a beautiful story. The incident about your grandson jumping on your back when you prostrated brought back so many memories from my childhood! God bless you both.
Thank you, Issam. Most kids can’t resist jumping on their parents (or grandparents) during sujuud, especially when they don’t get a reaction. Maybe this is Allah’s way of giving the child happy memories of being in the masjid before they are old enough to pray.
assalamu alaikum sister.
when i completed reading i was thinking of the same what brother issam commented……………exactly the same way he what he expressed.
alhamdulillah,the most precious gift my father gave me was taking me to masjid when i was a child.
Thank you for this post, it was very touching.