When I received this assignment with this title, there was no doubt in my mind what my subject would be.
Several occasions crossed my mind as occasions of great joy, but the more I thought about it, the more convinced I became of my first choice.
It was the births of my children: my son and my daughter. In both of those moments, it felt to me as if I was the first person in the world to give birth. I was 22 when I had my first child. And my excitement had no limits as it came time for me to leave for the hospital. I was very happy and also very curious.
During my labor, I was looked after by a nurse called Sofi, whose name I still remember after 68 years. She was very nice and kind to me and also very professional.
I was alone in a room with her, and she kept telling me to yell and shout, but I was not able to make a sound. I kept telling her that we always have various pains and aches with no reward at the end. This time there would be a reward following all the pain.
We had a surprise when we found out that it was a boy, as in those days there was no way to know beforehand. I had never before seen a baby without clothes. I had never held one either.
The Moment of the Greatest Joy was when my baby was placed in my arms and I held him, smelled him, and looked at him—he was my baby and not believing that I could see him and hold him whenever I wanted to. I was very happy!
Two years and two months later I was in the same hospital again with the same nurse looking after me, having my daughter and wondering about her existence in the same way. I was surprised to find out that she was a girl! I cherished her and adored her in the same way, too.
These were the two Moments of the Greatest Joy in my life.
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