Sawt al-Mara — page 11

because it fulfilled for him none of his wishes... especially the public ones... His wishes at the opening of the past year were confined to "peace prevailing in the Arab world on the basis of the recognition of the rights of the Arab nation in all its lands, especially in Palestine... and the establishment of justice, particularly with regard to the Palestinians driven from their homeland... and their return to their sacred homes"... And we see plainly that not one of these sacred wishes has been fulfilled so far!

I then made my way to the "Eastern News Agency" and the offices of the magazine al-Ahad... and the owner of the two establishments received me... the bold journalist... Ustad Riad Taha...

Mrs. Ibtihaj Kaddoura

Warmth floods the hall... stealing through the limbs... soft... gentle... delicious... And the social pioneer... Mrs. Ibtihaj Kaddoura, president of the General Arab Women's Union, occupies the seat of honor... Since her recovery from her recent illness she has seemed... a flood of activity... and a surge of life...

I said: Setting aside that harsh trial of illness through which you passed in the departing year...

what wishes did this year fulfill for you???

She said: — Wishes are not bound by time... Circumstances may allow a person to reach his goal in a span that never crossed his mind and that he never intended, or time may stretch on with them to an unlimited term. Still, I occupy myself with public projects together with my sisters and brothers, the good citizens, each striving his utmost to perform his own share of the duty — and that has no end, for whenever we achieve one goal we aspire to another; this is what survival demands, together with the love of reaching a higher level, an ideal life, and a better result...

The credit goes to this close cooperation among a body of citizens in mutual understanding, working for God, for the homeland, and for all humanity...

My wishes, as president of the General Arab Women's Union, were to see every Arab sister enjoying her right in full and performing her duties as a citizen with all the qualifications and readiness she possesses; and to see humanity, justice, and peace prevail over the world, so that man may be allowed to work in calm and sincerity, without anxiety and turmoil, and so render society a fruitful human service for the sake of God...

The brilliant lawyer... was in his turn reproachful of the departing year,

and he went on... reviewing with me... the story of the wicked aggression... and the defeat and failure the aggressors met...

and the loss they suffered, which damaged their reputation and

Continued on page 45

Talk of the Heart — Love

Nothing carries you, little one, on the wing of happiness,

to the leafy paradises of rapture,

but a handsome prince of dreams...

His abounding manliness is the foundation of sympathy and love,

and your possession of that rapture with that prince

feeds its fire, kindling, of itself, ecstasy;

and life becomes, in your eyes,

sweet, alluring, astir with visions:

the sky tender, in a serenity it never had before,

the sparrows warbling, full-throated, as you have never known them,

and the companions around you — none happier in their company, none gentler in their ways,

and the dry crust in the mouth good, so good!

Everything, little one, grows sweet and pleasing

the morning your heart beats with a great love,

and your soul embraces a soul...