To My Daughter, Ryu Zara
Your daddy knew you existed before I did. We conceived you on Valentine’s Day, and by the time you were just four weeks along, he had already noticed the subtle changes in my body, telling me he thought I was pregnant. At six weeks, when the doctors confirmed that you were more than a figment of my hopes and dreams, we were overjoyed. And just four short weeks later, we learned you were going to be our daughter.
Your big brother, Rakim, knew from the start that you were going to be a girl. When he shared his certainty with me, my hopes soared because I had always dreamed of having a daughter. And now, here you are—so peaceful, so smart, so beautiful.
We named you Ryu Zara because your daddy felt your first name in his heart long before sharing it with me. He hesitated at first, worried I might not like it, but the moment he said it, I loved it. Something about its sound felt powerful, like it was already yours. When I looked up the meaning, I discovered Ryu means noble, prosperous, flow, and dragon. The moment I held you, I knew how perfectly it fit.
My labor with you was remarkably peaceful. We had a scheduled induction, beginning at 3:30 PM, and you arrived almost exactly eleven hours later after just two big pushes. There was very little pain until the final two hours, and even then, your arrival was strong yet graceful, like a dragon soaring through the sky or water flowing through a river. Your presence radiates nobility and prosperity, and I pray you carry that strength with you always.
Your middle name, Zara, was my choice. I loved both the sound and meaning. Zara means brightness, radiance, flower, blossom, splendor, and beauty. It feels like the perfect connection to my maiden name, Flowers, and I adore that “flower” is carried within your name. Throughout my pregnancy, I felt your radiance and beauty growing inside me. Though I couldn’t see your face yet, your presence lit me up from the inside out. My own face glowed with happiness and health as I carried you. You are my radiant, beautiful flower, blossoming into the world with so much love.
My dearest Ryu Zara, you were conceived, carried, and born in a cocoon of love. Your name holds everything we pray for you: strength, nobility, radiance, and beauty. And I hope you always feel the boundless love of your big brother, your daddy, and me surrounding you.
Welcome to the world, my darling girl.
