The Beauty of Old Lives Alongside Elders

According to a reporter from the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA), urban life and the changes in human existence due to technological expansion have led to a shift in many old styles of human interaction. For example, large, beautiful old houses with trees, flowers, and plants, whose upkeep allowed people to spend time together and connect with nature, no longer exist today. The only way for people to interact with nature is through man-made parks.

Houses with courtyards, knocker doors, latticed windows, and other such examples all point to the old ways of human life, which, unfortunately, have become very few today. Most people who miss that atmosphere are from the past generation, meaning grandparents.

When a grandparent lives in a house, a more traditional atmosphere usually prevails – a beautiful form of life that has become somewhat obsolete today, with people living far apart.

However, the coexistence of old and new generations was very invigorating and beneficial for both sides. The book “Happy Birthday, Babahushang!”, written for second graders who are just learning to read and whose words are simple and fluent, tells the story of Paria’s family as they move to an apartment and leave their house with a courtyard.

Babahushang is attached to the house and revisits it. Throughout the story of this book, we see traces of human life today, such as the subway environment and the vendors present in it, the air pollution behind the window, and its contrast with Paria’s family’s old house, which could be converted into a pleasant cafe. Additionally, Paria’s very good relationship with her grandfather has created a nostalgic and lovely atmosphere.

“Happy Birthday, Babahushang!” was written by Mojgan Kalhor and illustrated by Sara Meyari. Ofogh Publications has also made it available to interested readers for 185,000 Tomans.