Malvina

Named after my paternal grandfather’s mother, Malvina is the kind of teta you feel like you’ve always known. She was always there in her own way, with her curlers in place and her long, flowing house dresses, moving quietly through the house, never far from the kitchen. Always the good old Lebanese dish ready: chich barak, koussa, kebbe, name it, and it was done. Her laughter had a way of taking over the moment, warm, generous, impossible to resist, the kind that made everyone else laugh too; her whole body was shaking by it. Being around her felt easy. You didn’t have to ask; you were already taken care of.
She never missed her daily Mass, a small ritual that shaped her days. She was one of those rare people loved by everyone, even her daughter-in-law. Like a true miracle was happening. Always doing something, often with her crochet in hand, always thinking of others. Filling the room with her good energy. The kind of presence that feels like home, gentle, familiar, and deeply comforting. She was particularly good at piano and was always embroidering something for the house. She is the kind of teta that was active. She is from Achrafieh.