Who’s the "بــ" in Your Life?

The “بـــ” in my life — and in all our lives is Sheikh Zayed. From his hands, unity and compassion spread across our nation like threads that continue to connect hearts to this day. Each thread in this artwork represents his spirit of giving — reaching everyone, binding us hand in hand as one family.

Hand in hand,
We pass down to our children our heritage, our customs, and our Sana’a. The letter “بـــ” here represents the feeling of time slipping quickly, captured in a single brushstroke whose mark remains, holding memory, intimacy, and deep value. It reminds us that we still have time to preserve, share, and carry forward our heritage, our character, and our authenticity with everyone.

The “بـــ” in my life is my mother, the force that keeps our family connected. Her open heart embraces everyone, turning moments with her into stories, and bridges between people. She taught me my first stitches, reminding me that we are meant to help one another. Her love for embroidery continues as she guides her granddaughter’s hands. Stitch by stitch, she wove our family into one fabric, showing us that community is our true home.

My aunt Shamsa is the “بـــ” in my life, she quietly connects everyone with her care and warmth. Her home is where we all come together, her words bring comfort, and her presence keeps our family grounded. She tells us stories about the past and our grandparents, and her knowledge of our culture helps me create my work.

The “بـــ” in my life is my mama and teta, embodied in our family recipe for Feteeret Sham El-Neseem. Each spring, this pastry gathers siblings, cousins, and friends. We’d shape the dough together as mama shared stories of teta making it before her. The recipe passed from teta to mama to us, and even when I lived alone, I shared it with friends to keep the tradition alive, linking us through laughter, and memory.

The “بـــ” in Shaikha AlTunaiji’s life is my father, may God bless him, whose presence shaped my creative path, loved beauty, poetry, and design, and from him I inherited her artistic passion. Known for his inventive spirit, he created projects in Al Dhaid, including its incense burner monument. My father, and the environment became my first inspiration. Al Dhaid is more than a city; it is a soul that shaped my taste.

My “بـــ” is belonging, growing like wild roots intertwined beneath the surface, connecting and nourishing one another. Nature has always been our first teacher, gathering generations around its steady rhythm. Though the “بـ” may seem still, it holds a living network where every branch depends on the other. I dedicate it to family, friends, mentors, and chance encounters whose quiet strength inspires me, reminding me that we grow through the subtle connections shaping our paths.

Abeer has been beside me in every achievement, steady in her support. She is not only my twin sister, but the “بـــ” in my life, the source of my motivation, the spark of hope when it fades, and the trust that never wavers. Together, we faced challenges shoulder to shoulder, completing one another in thought, support, and ambition. Hand in hand, we don’t repeat steps; we carve a path uniquely our own.

This  “بـــ” embodies the presence of every father, the steady rock each family leans on.
On the other side of this letter, I have gathered words from my father’s and grandfather’s messages, hoping they express feelings we do not say often enough.