Hasbiye Maktal – Patience and Longing, 2019

“Consciously or unconsciously, accept everything done to you positively. Do not take anything personally. Never sow seeds of evil in your soul. You will see, the entire universe will align with you.”

A childhood spent in a crowded Greek house in Çeşme, among tobacco and olive fields, fourteen years of longing for a child in a city far from all relatives and friends, a good mother, a good wife and friend, a kind heart always viewing life with childlike innocence, a woman who never lost the love and smile no matter what she went through, an angel who didn’t want to disturb anyone even in the hospital room, and “the woman of great loves, me, us, the neighborhood…”

Hasbiye was born on February 20, 1946, in the town of Çeşme in İzmir. Her mother, Ayşe, had migrated from Kavala during the Balkan Wars, while her father, Mümin, lived in Çeşme. Ayşe and Mümin were married after being paired by their neighbors. They started living with grandfather Mümin and his wife, in a Greek house with a garden, located on a dead-end street at the heart of Çeşme. They made a living from the tobacco and olive trees in the grandfather’s fields. Hasbiye was a very hardworking and bright student in primary school. However, the family’s common decision was that girls should help with family work rather than study. So, despite her success, Hasbiye was taken out of school in the third grade. She would wake up at five in the morning to go and pick tobacco with her family. When Hasbiye grew up, their neighbor Nazmiye found her a suitor. Ayşe and the entire household accepted this suitor and invited him to Çeşme. The moment Hasbiye saw Kamil, she was captivated by his good looks. With the families’ permission, they went to town, sat on a bench, and chatted to get to know each other. By the time Kamil and his family returned to İzmir, Hasbiye was already dreaming of marrying him. Hasbiye married into Kamil’s family and moved to his mother Rahime’s house in İzmir. Hasbiye’s only wish was to have a child, but due to a personal issue, she could not conceive. Despite trying many treatments, none were successful. But she never gave up; she underwent treatment for 14 years and finally, she was able to hold her first baby in her arms, and two years later, the second child was born. After years spent taking care of the children, their education, and household chores, father Kamil went bankrupt in the early 1990s. The fields where they went to pick tobacco or olives with their family were sold one by one for their children’s education and needs. Hasbiye, who was wealthy on her father’s side, sold her fields to educate her children and support the household. In 2017, after fulfilling all her duties in life as a good wife, mother, and person, Hasbiye was diagnosed with bladder cancer. The doctors said she had exactly one year to live. Despite her determination, hard work, and perseverance, which had defined her life, she passed away at 2:15 in the morning on March 13, 2018.