My "artistic" picture of a Christmas tree, decorating Oldtown Sacramento, taken during my recent trip up there to attend a training class.American neighborhoods are preparing for Christmas. Many houses are decorated in colorful electric lights, and it is a common occurrence these days to drive by cars on the freeway which are carrying fresh Christmas trees in their trunks or on their roofs. My sons and I will probably set up our Christmas tree this weekend. I don't like "killing" a tree for my pleasure, so I have a reusable Christmas tree which I set up every year. I will show you a picture of it when it is set up. For the past 23 years, except for one year when I was really sad and lost, I have had a Christmas tree in my house in the US or in Iran around this time of the year. I love decorating it with ornaments I have collected from all over the world over the years, some of which are things my children made when they were in daycare. Though we celebrate Nowrooz extensively and vigorously in our Iranian home every year, I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't pass up the chance to celebrate other beautiful ceremonies, such as Christmas, in addition to the "traditions" my children and I developed for ourselves.
I went to see the "twins" tonight. They are my niece's 2.5 year-old daughters. I am so happy they are here for a few weeks. I have been surrounded by adults for the past 2 years and I had forgotten the joy of having not one, but two 2.5 year-old angels around me. They sang and danced and played around me. We did
Atal Matal Tootooleh about 100 times, and I taught them a new song. They are already bilingual and speak Farsi and French, so it was challenging to figure out what they were saying half the time! I kicked myself again for the thousandth time tonight for having cut so many French classes in high school, learning no French, but a lot of other things I shouldn't have been learning about! Hee Hee, the memories made me laugh again tonight! Don't tell my kids this, but I was such a handful for my poor parents!
I am getting ready to tell you a love story soon. No, I'm not in the story. It is a beautiful story of chances lost and love found. It is a true story. Brace yourselves, I'll tell it soon.
My "artistic" picture of a Christmas tree, decorating Oldtown Sacramento, taken during my recent trip up there to attend a training class.
17 comments:
The dogholis have arrived! How wonderful!
My honey and I have already set up our tree this year, it brings joy into the house, but I can't place any gifts underneath to make it beautiful because my "significant other" will invade the wrapping prematurely!
Everywhere you go these days, bells are ringing and people are shopping and the colors are bright and shiny and the air is crisp...
Lovely! Santa is on his way...
کريسمس
...برف
شبانه و شراب
زمستان
...و دستي که ياري گر است
کنار تو
ستاره هاي برفي زمستان را مي شمارم
کنار تو دوستان زيادي را
مهمان خواهم شد
کنار تو که خاطره را مي فهمي
عشق را
زمستان راهم
بهار را هم
و با عيد ها
جشن هاي حضورت را آذين مي بندي
سلام نازی جونم
زیبا نوشتی مثل همیشه.مرسی.
23 ساله ایران نیستی؟!:(
من 7ساله که اومدم..خیلی وقته برای خودم..... به هر حال زمان میگذره و همه جا خداهست! این جوری خودم رو دلداری میدم ها! :))
وای عاشق دوقلو ها شدم برادرزاده
هستن؟قندوعسلن ماشالله
من هم خیلی های و هوی کریسمس و رنگهاشو دوست دارم ..چه روزهای شاد و قشنگین
..
سلام و صلح بر تو باد.اول از همدلی و همزبانی و همزیستی با دیگری گفته ای بعد از طراوت دنیای کودکی حرف زده ای و در آخر قول قصه عشق می دهی.می بینی چه دنیای زیباییست.رمز اینکه گذشتگان ما خانواده های پر تعداد داشتند یکی هم همینست،همیشه از برکت وجود نونهالان بهره مند بودند.از اینکه گفته ام مایه های شعر در کلامت هست دست بر نمیدارم اما قطعا نثر مؤثری در کوتاه نویسی داری. بیشتر نوشتن را هم امتحان کن.والاس استگنر استاد بانو دانشور در استنفورد در سال سی و یک در بزرگداشت بانوی داستان ایران در سال شصت و پنج نوشته بود:من نمی دانم الان سیمین کجاست و چه می کند اما می دانم اگر ننویسد ما و جهان چیزی را از دست می دهیم.همین هم وصف الحال من و کوتاه نوشته های شماست.منتظرم.
i can not set up xmas-tree this year cuz nobody is at home, i will be in iran, my brother: in germany. but i love to have a tree every year, mine is a reusable one too :)
wow. have a good time with twinsss, i love kids and when they speak a mix of 2 language it is soooo cute.
and hey, it is not late for learning french. i'm learning it too,( since last march) it is not that much hard. so much easier than germany for sure.
but i think that's why my english sounds sometimes funny , u have to fight with the words and grammer of different languages in your mind all the time. but it's always fun to learn a new language, try it. it's cool ;)
Nazy Joonam, you commute, right? Why not getting some Learn-French CDs and refreshing your French:)
and, in the chaos of the semester ending and deadlines and the dreadful wind chill, a love story might be just what i need to get me going:)
On with the love story...
I can't wait...
Assal Jan:
I have two of those "Christmas Tree Invaders" at my house, too! No presents appear until Christmas Eve at my house as a result.
I hope you are having a peaceful season my friend.
Neda Jan:
How beautiful! Thank you for your "sher-gooneh!" We don't get snow in these parts. It does get very cold and it rains like crazy sometimes (like today), but no snow. I saw many "White Christmases" in Tehran during the years I lived there, though. I hope you are having a good day my friend.
salam
dari javab mano minevisi mehraban?
marzieh
Salam Marzieh Jan:
Baleh, daram javabe to ra minevisam azizam!
Thank you. Though I have talked about my life in the US and in Iran at length before, if I answer your question now, you will find out just how old I am! I have lived between the two counries all my life, suffice it to say!
The twins are my khaharzadeh's children. I will post a picture of them soon. Be happy azizam.
Salam Massoud Jan:
You are very kind to me. I do write longer pieces, too, which are usually published in Iranian.com, Peyk, or Payam-e-Ashena (the first one is an internet magazine and the last two are paper magazines published in Southern California). I have posted some of those writings here, as well. Someday, I hope, I will write a book. I don't want to write another book by an Iranian woman about negative memories. I want to write a book about hope and love and wisdom, Iranian style! You will know about it when I do, as I am always talking about my life here. Thank you for your encouraging words.
FarNice Jan:
I can't wait to hear your news! Thank you for encouraging me to pick up French again. I have been tempted many times, but as with all lost chances in life, though they are still possible to attain, they just become harder and harder to do. I just might take you up on that encouragement someday soon. Be good and happy FarNice with a magical pen!
Salam Jeerjeerak Jan. What a good idea! I might just do it!
Yes, the love story...I am writing it in my head and anyday now it will pour onto my keyboard. It's a good story, I think, and its being a true story also helps, I think. Stay tuned my dear!
Assal Jan, you might know this story or some of it already! I will have to try hard to make it interesting even for someone who knows some of it! Yikes, pressure, pressure! Just kidding.
سلام نازی خانم.خوشحالم که می نویسی.البته اولی فیلتر شده است و دومی هم که بدستم نمی رسد،دست ما کوتاه و خرما بر نخیل.از اظهار نظرت راجع به قطعه بانوی جشنواره معلوم است در مورد شعر سخت گیری.به نظر من شعر گونه نیست ،چرا توی سر مال می زنی عزیزم.راستی آن دوقلوهای مامانی را از طرف من ببوس و لپ آن یکی را بخصوص یک گاز کوچولو بگیر.همیشه با عزیزانت دمخور باشی.
Salam Bar Massoud:
Thank you for your thoughtful reminder to me. I most certainly did not want to insult Neda's poem! In fact I am not very good with modern Farsi poetry, and if what I said about "sher gooneh" appeared arrogant of me, I do apologize. Neda has a kind and beautiful soul and a very sweet pen. I do love her poem.
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