2/22/2008

Friendship Week

Banoo Molook Zarrabi sings and plays the Tombak with Anooshirvan Rohani in 1977. She was the first female singer/instrumentalist of Iran. In this video, she was already 70+ years old.

It's Friday. I end a hard but good week. I have heard from good friends, have delivered on several outstanding obligations, have made some decisions I was putting off for a while, and would like to think that I am just a tiny bit wiser than last week.
Today on my lunch break I went for a walk around the block to enjoy the sunshine which had spontaneously broken out of the morning rain, soon to be followed by another storm this weekend. There was a nice breeze which felt so good on my face. I was taking deep breaths of the fresh air, feeling so fortunate to be out in the open air. Right where there was a sea of sunshine and that nice breeze was coming from all directions on a street corner, I stopped and closed my eyes, willing the sun and the wind to caress me and to soothe out my small worries and small pains. It felt so good.
So, I have four young men in the house at this moment, sitting around, watching a basketball game. This is a Friday night and it is a rare occurrence to have them stay in, but I don't mind.
Daisy suggested today that we make this Friendship Week in my blogs. I rather like the idea! Of course in my life, everyday is friendship day and every week is friendship week. What would my life be without my friends? I hear from them on the phone across the seas, on Yahoo and MSN Messengers, in my blogs, in my four email accounts, and in person. Some of them call me several times a day! So, we will make this the Friendship Week. Please talk about what friendship means to you, who your friends are, and how you will celebrate them this week. If you wish, send me your friends' photos and I will feature them. If you want, write a longer post and I will feature it in my blogs. You can dedicate a song, a videoclip, a poem, or anything your heart desires to them here. I am around tonight and most of this weekend, so I hope to answer your kind comments more quickly, and answering my tens (and tens) of neglected emails. Be good you all, think good thoughts, say good words, and dream good dreams. Have a good weekend y'all.

27 comments:

Unknown said...

such a beautiful post! I am happy you are feeling better this week.
to me life is like driving in a mountainous road with many turns and twists. and friends would hold you when you are about to go down. I personally wouldn't have had the courage to live this life without friends.

Anonymous said...

مرسی نازی جون از ویدیو کلیپ و پست زیبات
امیدوارم که 2 روز آینده خوب خستگی در کنی و هفته بهتری هم در پیش داشته باشی
شادو سر سبز باشی
مرضیه

Nazy said...

Salam Nasim Jan:

Thanks for coming and thanks for sharing your sentiments about your friends. That was a very poetic way of describing your friends. Yes, you are so right. Friends give us courage, they do.

Have a wonderful weekend Nasim Jan and my best to Jay.

Nazy said...

Marzieh Mazieh:

You were early tonight! Thank you my friend. Yes, I already took a nap earlier this evening after I got home from work, and I intend to sleep lots, making up for the fatigue of the past couple of weeks. I am concentrating and praying for a small miracle these days. Your joint prayers will be welcome Marzieh Jan.

Have a great weekend!

Niloufar said...

I wish i had something to say...
But i don't.
...
Not yet anyway .
I have so much i want to say about it...but can't yet.

Nazy said...

Salam Niloofar Jan:

Thanks so much for coming my friend. Don't worry about saying anything. Join me in reading what others might say. Your presence is appreciated no matter what you feel comfortable to do. I am just honored you come. Have a fabulous weekend Niloofar. Have you ever been to the San Francisco area? Will you be coming here anytime soon? I would be so fun to visit with you!

Niloufar said...

Thanks Nazy jan . I'd love to read what others are going to tell us :-) .
I've been in san francisco in july . Actually I came to visit UC berkeley campus with my niece and her friends . My sister in law graduated from Berkeley . She loves North California .
I may come in near future . I didn't have a chance to visit San francisco well . Maybe next time :)
I'd love to meet you ,My dear friend .
Have a great weekend

Nazy said...

Niloofar Jan:

It would be lovely to see you in these parts. I'm delighted to know that you already have ties with the area. Come whenever you like and we will take that walk together! Be good azizam.

Anonymous said...

خیلی خستم نازی جون
خیر سرم می خواستم ساعت 11 بخوابم مگه می شه!
حتما دعا می کنم وبرات آرزوی خیر و برکت و شادکامی دارم. شبت خوش عزیزم

مرضیه

Nazy said...

Rest and goodnight Marzieh Jan. Thanks for everything.

Anonymous said...

سلام نازی عزیزم
وای چه پیشنهاد خوب و بجایی
من واقعا این پیشنهاد رو پسندیدم ...
---------------------------
نازی عزیزم شعری که در زیر برایت نوشته ام اثری است از فریدون مشیری راستش رو بخوای بنظر من این شعر سرشار از دوستی است و محبت و فکر می کنم در اینجا و این هفته ی دوستی جا داشته باشه بیان بشه ، ضمنا من از این شعر خیلی هم خوشم میاد ؛
این شعر با دوجمله ی معروف از دکارت و کامو شروع میشه ، سپس شاعر نظر خودش و اصالت مهر ورزیدن رو بیان می کنه :
تقدیم به همه ی مهر ورزان در هفته ی دوستی :

من فكر مي كنم پس هستم . « دكارت »
من طغيان مي كنم پس هستم . « كامو »
***
جام دريا از شراب بوسه خورشيد لبريز است،
جنگل شب تا سحر تن شسته در باران،
خيال انگيز !
ما، به قدر جام چشمان خود، از افسون
اين خمخانه سر مستيم
در من اين احساس :

مهر مي ورزيم
پس هستيم !!!

-------------------------------

راستی نازی عزیزم من دو تا عکس هم برایت خواهم فرستاد از عکس های خودم به مناسبت این هفته ی دوستی ...

شاد باشی و سلامت

Anonymous said...

نازی عزیزم
راستش دلم نیومد این شعر از سهراب رو ننویسم ...
باز هم تقدیم به همه ی دوستان در هفته ی دوستی !!

--------------------------

تا سود قريه راهي بود.
چشم هاي ما پر از تفسير ماه زنده بومي
شب درون آستين هامان.
مي گذشتيم از ميان آبكندي خشك.
از كلام سبزه زاران گوش ها سر شار،
كوله بار از انعكاس شهر هاي دور.
منطق زبر زمين در زير پا جاري.
زير دندان هاي ما طعم فراغت جابجا مي شد.
پاي پوش ما كه از جنس نبوت بود ما را با نسيمي از زمين مي كند.
چوبدست ما به دوش خود بهار جاودان مي برد.
هر يك از ما آسماني داشت در هر انحناي فكر.
هر تكان دست ما با جنبش يك بال مجذوب سحر مي خواند.
جيب هاي ما صداي جيك جيك صبح هاي كودكي مي داد.
ما گروه عاشقان بوديم و راه ما
از كنار قريه هاي آشنا با فقر
تا صفاي بيكران مي رفت.
بر فراز آبگيري خود بخود سرها همه خم شد:
روي صورت هاي ما تبخير مي شد شب
و صداي دوست مي آمد به گوش دوست.

تپش سایه دوست
سهراب سپهری
منظومه ی ما دوست ما نگاه

Anonymous said...

نشان از دوستی دارد دلت نازی
چه لذت ها به جان کز دوستان داری
کجا نقمت شود پیدا در آن خانه
تو نعمت از حضور دوستان داری
به شادی چون نشینی با همه یاران
بده آن می که بهر دوستان داری
گرت آید غمی از گردش دوران
مخور غصه،چو گردت دوستان داری
روزت شاد و زشادی روزیت باشد
چنین داده خدا چون دوستان داری
بکن یادی زما گر رفت این ایام
تو که یاداوری از دوستان داری

مسعود

Unknown said...

ٍِDear Nazy,
Thank you for giving us this chance to communicate our thoughts with you and your readers on what friendship is and who represents to us a good example of a great friendship. I'm so much pleased to say that I have been honored and privileged to have Mr. Vartan Sahakian as the "closest friend" of mine. (My formal tone employed to describe him simply reflects the high regard and the kind of special respect I hold for him ). Herewith, I would like to express my appreciation for the very great person he is to, not only me, but to a whole lot of others who have the complete privilege of knowing him. He is a treasure, an angel of kindness, and a real friend. I can't simply put all my sense of appreciation for him in this note. He is a great source of inspiration for me, he is a man who stands by you at all times, who “thinks of you when you think he may not be thinking of you”, who is always there to "listen" to you and “identify” with you , who shares so sincerely with you his experiences of life and work and puts his best foot into solving your biggest puzzles and problems of life. I can't simply thank him enough for all he has been to me. I hope I can prove at all times that I deserve his friendship.
Dear Nazy, I would like to know if there is anyone among your readers in this blog who are from Tehran AND who have a “piano” AND play it AND who don't know Vartan Sahakian or haven't heard of his name? I'm sure EVERYBODY who has been his student at some point of their lives either in the past or present , would testify to my claim that he is a unique treasure

Anonymous said...

Nazy jan,

I've found my way onto your blog through the lovely piece you wrote about Afshin Mofid...it was a beautiful and touching article and I truly enjoyed reading about such a talented Iranian artist.

I've been enjoying reading your blog and I loved the idea of Friendship Week. I get so caught up in the craziness of everyday life that it's nice to take time to stop for a minute think about and appreciate our true friends. So my love this week and always goes out to C who has been my true friend forever, to R who can always make me laugh, to N who I owe so much of who I am to, to L my sister and my best friend, and most important of all to M my husband my partner my life.

Nazy said...

Salam Bar Farshad-e-Mehraban:

I loved your poems! Thank you so much. You are really something, Farshad! I am continually impressed with your mind and your heart's good relationship with poetry. Beautiful comment, beautiful poetry, from a beautiful heart.

Thank you very much my friend, the poetry lover Farshad in Tehran. Be good doostam.

Nazy said...

Salam Bar Masoud-e-Aziz Va Shaer:

Boy, I'm really impressed! I now have several poems all to myself! How fabulous is that?!

Thank you so much for your kind and friendly sentiments which wrote that poem. You really are a very gifted poet and a very kind and nice man.

Thank you for being my friend, Masoud Jan. I'm all jazzed up now!

Nazy said...

Mohammad Jan:

Thank you for your very kind and thoughtful comment about your friend, Ostad Sahakian. I have made him his own post, as a man whose friendship has had such an impact on one of my friends is a gem who needs to be known by all.

Thank you very much my friend. Enjoy your Sunday in Iran, Mohammad Jan.

Nazy said...

Salam Bar Sara D.-e-Azizam:

Whichever way you came to me, I am delighted that you came and that you have taken the trouble to leave a mark of yourself.

I am so happy you have so many friends whom you cherish and appreciate. I also got a kick of your alphabetical reference to them! Friends from A to Z, that's what I wish for everyone in this wold, because the more letters we pick up, the richer our lives get.

Please come back again my kind and articulate friend. Are you a blogger?

(I'm really glad you enjoyed the Mofid story. I can't believe how much that story has touched people. Some 8,000 people read that story and the response has been overwhelming. Good for Mr. Mofid and all the hard work and hard times he has endured in his life. He really is an amazing man.)

Anonymous said...

Nazy jan,

Thank you for your kind reply. It's wonderful that you take the time to respond to the comments individually...

As for your question, I'm not a blogger but I used to write bits and pieces on Iranian.com a lifetime ago :)

Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend in beautiful Berkeley...it's one of my favorite places ever and one of these years I'll manage to convince my husband to move there...until then, I'll enjoy life in Berkeley vicariously through your blog.

Anonymous said...

I have been away from the internet for the past two days, spending time with my longest friend. Reading your post tonight, I find extra inspiration to reply. I was about two when my best friend was born. We were only children, whose parents were very close friends, and we ended up today having a bond closer than sisters. I always wondered what it is about us that is so special, but the older I got, I realized. It doesn't matter that we don't share the same blood. We have become family by CHOICE, and that is what makes us the best of friends.

I had another friend, who I grew up with in Pinole. We came from totally different backgrounds. I had a comfortable family life, hers was always turbulent. I was the bookworm, she was the cheerleader. But, we had that same kind of close bond...where we supported eachother through the trials that we found in common: growing from girls to young women, crushes, failures. I saw her on myspace the other night and was amazed to see she had just had a baby. It was a shock to my system and I felt a loss for missing out on this great occurence in her life. I promised myself I would contact her again and go see her, to catch up on new times and to share old memories. I will let you know where that happens.

I have another best friend, too. I cannot imagine my life without him in it. We share the same views on life, on people, on morality, on movies, on music...the same things make us laugh and the same idiocies in life make us sad. If I never met him, I don't know who I'd be.

I also am thankful to my friend, Nazy. You. To know you were friends with my parents, that you watched me grow...that you accept me as an individual and not a child. Even though I miss seeing your face and hearing your pleasant voice..I am glad to know you.

Love,
Assal

Daisy said...

Salam Nazy jan,

Now that is the friendship week in your blog and you asked about our opinion about friendship, I thought I should write a brief comment about some of very good friends of mine. Please don't post it. This is just for you.

I don't make friends easily. I need sometimes to get to know the person, build a trustful relationship, and after that I make friends for life. Maybe this is my skeptical nature that does not let me to be more social,,,. At least when I make friends, I know they are hard to find and not coming along everyday in my life. I know how important they are to me and I try to stay in touch no matter where I go.

Among several of my very good friends, I want to name Gity, Shirin, and Parisa. They are three very different wonderful women who have touched my heart somehow. I love Gity for being so passionate about what she believes in, for being charming, social, smart, and her attitude towards life. I love Shirin for being strong, grateful, and she has a big heart that can melt anyone. Finally I love Parisa for being such a reliable friend. I know her more than ten years now. Though we have been apart most of those years, her being in Iran, I always know she is there for me. Anytime I ask her to do me a favour, no matter how busy she is, my request is being done. She is such strong woman. She is capable of everything and does anything that she sets her mind into. This year she is graduating from environmental science from Tehran University, something that she always wanted to do. I am very proud of her.

Two weeks ago Gity sent me this video clip which is a song form one of the Shajarian’s concert. I am not a very big fan of him but I decided to listen to it at least once. I have been listening to it ever since, couple of times every day. You can listen to it here at here . If you like it, post this it into your blog. If I want to dedicate something to my friends, it would be this song, Morghe-Sahar.

Thanks so much for giving me this chance to write this done. It felt good.

Anonymous said...

WOW
مرسی نازی جونم
من واقعا این همه نیستم
ولی خارج از هر چیز دیگه من جدا از این ایده ی هفته ی دوستی خیلی خوشم اومد ...

Nazy said...

Thank you Sara Jan! It would be so cooool to have you in these parts! Keep working on your husband! Have a brilliant Monday.

Nazy said...

Beautiful Assal:

I'm so glad this post touched you. You are really a wonderful friend, I can testify from my personal experience! Thank you for sharing your sentiments about your good friends. It is an honor to be your friend Assal Jan.

Nazy said...

Daisy Janam:

Thanks so much for talking about your good friends. They all sound like really interesting individuals who have contributed to your life in profound ways. I posted your friend, Gity's gift today. Enjoy your week my friend.

Nazy said...

Farshad Jan:

I have had to stay home with that cold today. Thanks so much for thinking about me and calling me. You are so kind.