Kabul Snow - Rashid and Zohra

It was the first snowfall of Kabul. The flakes danced in the air as they descended on the city, covering it in a blanket of white.

Rashid and Zohra were making their way through Ali Reza Khan Street, on their way to buy Haleem (𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘧𝘨𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘵) as a celebratory token of the first snow, as they had done for the first snow in the previous year and the years before that.

Rashid held a big black umbrella over their heads, and adjusted it every few minutes to make sure Zohra was covered by the umbrella. She was wearing her chadari, and was pulling up the skirts to make sure they didn't get ruined in the snow.

Rashid smiled.

He recalled the years that Zohra and him would make the trip down this very street surrounded with their children, who raced ahead, excitedly waiting in anticipation for the warm Haleem that would cool their tiny fingers after their snowfights.

Zohra didn't want to end the tradition after their children had been married and gone off to build their own lives as parents. She claimed she wanted to continue their tradition, but Rashid knew she also loved the trip to the Haleem shop and the first walk on the crunchy snow. It had been years, but she would always be happier on the day of the first snow; the light in her eyes shone brighter, and her childlike excitement made Rashid adore her even more.

And so they walked on towards the Haleem shop while leaving behind their pair of footprints in the snow that were no longer accompanied by the tiny steps of their children.

Rashid knew though, that somewhere out there, their children were creating their own footsteps with their own families in the first snows of Kabul.

Story and illustration by @rasmorawaj ©