Jewelry Store in Casablanca

One of my flights took me to Casablanca, the largest city in Morocco. Casablanca is known as entertainment city with an ongoing waterfront development, with large entertainment centers, shopping centers and businesses. Wondering around the streets alone, and visiting less popular places, usually bypassed by the tourists, was something that I always liked to do. I liked to learn firsthand. I took a stroll with my girlfriend to the local market, heading to buy some Moroccan authentic jewelry. We entered the small store to look for the earrings. There I saw the entire family, working together and managing their family business. While woman was busy making the jewelry, the man was showing us their hand made jewelry that a beautiful little girl was handing to him for display. This was surprising, as I thought that women in Morocco could not work, or needed a special permission to work. This family was so ahead of their time and so happy, I though. They had an ideal family business. While checking out the lovely earrings and necklaces, we continued to chat. I asked the couple how many children did they have? The man then told that the God did not want them to have more than one, but the children were good luck and I should have as many as I can … I was almost embarrassed by such sincerity from a stranger. I could never say such things spontaneously. I picked the earrings and, as I was leaving the store, I heard the tiny voice calling me. The little girl approached me and offered me the bracelet that she carried in her pocket. I said I could not take it. She asked again, as if it meant a lot to her. I took the bracelet and thanked her. I almost blushed and could not wait to get out of their sight. I wasn’t even close to thinking of having my own children, but for a moment, I enjoyed their happiness. Many years later, I gave the silver bracket, meticulously crafted and embodied with moon stone and yellow topaz, to my daughter for her tenth birthday.