Welcome to my heart.
You can take off your shoes if you like.
About this project
Why this book?
Recent years have brought immense loss to our communities. War, disaster, and upheaval have invited a grief many now share. Weeks before her nineteenth birthday, my sister Daria passed away in a car accident. These poems were written in the days, months, and years since. I have come to believe that grief is a deeply loving transformation, not a five-step process. I learned that grief bears gifts. When I felt I had lost everything, only love remained. If you have lost someone, I hope these words make you feel understood, and perhaps sooth you.
About Daria
I cannot talk about Daria without talking about love.
Daria was 4 months old when we met her for the first time. She came into our home and healed it. She made it whole. And she taught us how to love.
From the moment she learned how to write, she wrote love letters. To all of us. On birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and even when I would travel back to London. She wrote beautiful love letters and hid them in my suitcase.
She accepted everyone, no matter their background. She loved people, and she trusted everyone. Sometimes to a fault. She did not care about money. She did not care about flashy things. Everyone could be her friend.
Falling in love with Daria was the easiest thing I've ever done in my life.
In her own words · University application, 2022
Justice, that's what motivates me. Human rights are a challenge we face currently in Lebanon, and all over the world. I believe in myself, and believe that I can make change.
— Daria