1960's Baby - Christina Haramis Charalambous - My autobiography - Chapter 1 A Begininng

Puzzle Pieces

1960’s Baby – Christina Haramis Charalambous- My autobiography - Chapter 1

A Beginning.

I was born into the family of Sophia Kasfikis Haramis and Agapitos Paraskevas Haramis on the 4^th of July 1960, in Cairo, Egypt. 

My mom’s parents originate from  Trikala Greece, and  Trani Italy. My grandmother was Greek and my grandfather Italian. They met on the island of Corfu.

My dad’s parents were both from Kastellorizo/ Megisti Island of Greece.

Both sets of grandparents immigrated to Egypt where I was born. I lived on the coastal town of Port-Said with my dad, mom and younger sister of two years Maria.

I have the most beautiful and memorable years of my first 9years. We lived in an apartment on the first floor which had two bedrooms, a tiny kitchen, a bath with a steel portable bath, a bird cage which had two canneries, a separate toilet and very long corridor, or so it seemed to me, a lounge, dining room which had an old fashioned phonogram and a balcony.

The rooms that made the most impression on me those years where my bedroom, the main reason was it had a door with a plain white curtain, where my dad had shadow puppet shows for us. Also my dad had a book shelf which was on top of my bed. Every night I would look at it, and pray that it did not fall on me.  

The next room was the kitchen as it holds memories of fear. Fear of food and meal times. I was a very fussy eater as a very young girl, and I was forced to eat my food.  A problem I most definitely do not possess any longer.

In this home I also have very strong memories of the 1967 war between Egypt and Israel and the bombings, the sirens and the blackouts.

I also know that in this home is where my faith and bond with the Spirit of Love , my Creator, God started. This has been the deepest and most realistic beginning of my life. A life that as a young girl I always felt much loved and always supported in my faith and belief in God, whom I always observed to be only Love.  

Little did I know at that age, how important this was to see me through my journey on this life.  How I would always use my faith to find and put the puzzle pieces into place and slowly but surely build the Jigsaw Puzzle I call Life to see the picture and make sense of my purpose.

The more I recall memories, the more I thank God for being here, for the love shared, for the people I have met, for the lessons learned, for the challenges and victories.  Every day is a miracle, a chance to live, to be grateful and an opportunity to serve with Love.