I thought about this idea long time ago, but Pa is a so hard model, as he’s from that kind of men who don’t stop working, sleeps 6 hours a day only, wakes up at 5 AM, and so on… So yesterday, while he’s working in the garden, I said: “Pa, I want to take a photo for your hands…” He answered: “ok, wait till I finish this…” And I kept following him from place to another, nagging like a child: “Paaaaaa…. come oooooon… “ Finally, he stopped and said: “ok, I’m ready…” Me: “ok, put your hands on the ground… nooooo, around the thyme stem… Paaaaa, put your hands like this !! ….” Pa: “what are you planning to do ?” Me: “I want to take a photo for your hands while working with plants” Pa: “what’s the subject ? Planting ?” Me: “No, the subject is your hands !!” :) (Pa laughing !!) Me: “look !!... it’s beautiful, isn’t it ?” Pa: “yes !!” And he was so happy with it !!! :)) And of course I had to pay a fee for that !!! … I had to work !!! …. So I hanged my camera on a tree to take a rest, while I went back working in harvesting the thymes !!! :)) That secret in my father’s hands... always warm, even in the deadly freezing weather, always so warm with no need to any gloves !! I always loved, and still, playing with them, putting my whole hands in one, stressing them like a toy, taking some of that magical warmth… I feel like he puts his heart in his hands to give... and he really does... as he works with patients everyday, he always puts people before himself, he never thought about himself first, and all people love him, specially the kids, for the majestic services he gives, a smile he draws on a poor man’s face, brightening up the life of the tired hearts... One of the most lasting memories from my childhood, laying beside him, while he’s watching soccer match, and his hands making me to sleep, moving it over my face and closing my eyes, I remember the feel of this mesmerizing warmth driving me to sleep… and his hand covering my whole face… it was huge :D Carrying me in another moment, and dancing on the tones of a song I still remember... The photographing fever started by him, he is my great teacher and inspiration, at the end of the day he always asks me “show me what you photographed today…”, looks with pride to what I did right, and gives me advices for what I did wrong… And a lot a lot of moments should be written in books... Fathers, the noblest people, the guarding angels, they leave in our hearts the most immortal memories, their words engraved in our minds lasting for whole our lives, and their souls become a part of ours… And they say, the first man a girl falls in love with… is her father… wishing that all the men in the world are like him..... I do !! :) And Life is Beautiful......... given by them ¦ :)

Hand of Fatima in the Fes Medina, Morocco