Sholeh Zard and Philosophy

So, I am turning a year older this weekend. I don't particularly wish to be reminded of it, not so much because I care that I am older, but because the extra attention usually embarrasses me! All day today I had to stay home and prepare an important project for a deadline. My kids went to celebrate their youth and Mir Hossein (our cat) and I spent the evening together, where I worked and he took a nap! Just to take advantage of the time, and also to prepare a dessert to take to my friends' house tomorrow night, I started making Sholeh Zard.* Here's a picture of my work in progress as of 30 minutes ago.

My cousin, Azar, had called and left me a message yesterday. She said she had dreamt of my mother. She said my mother had been in a lavish party in my house, where everyone was very happy, celebrating something. All day today I remembered my mother and missed her, but was happy to know that she is with me. I'm not sure what my mother was celebrating, but I am sure of what I celebrate in my home tonight. I celebrate a life full of wonderful experiences, good friends, loving family, and hope. Yeah, I have noticed the double chin and the small wrinkles around my eyes, too! But hey, those are my medallions which remind me just how long I have been around with all the different chances I have had at a good life. For the new year in my life, as in the year past, I don't wish for things and money. I wish for health and peace on earth. I wish for freedom for Iran and for hope for America. Things which are priceless and which can make for more hopeful nations. Hopeful nations can achieve anything. That's my wish.

*I looked for Sholeh Zard recipes in English. There were tens of options available, but none of them seemed to quite prepare it like I do. This one is the least different from how I prepare it.

You Can Take A Chance

One day last week I had Chinese takeout at my desk for lunch.  I found a fortune cookie in the plastic bag containing my food.  This is what it said:  "The next few days are a lucky time for you.  You can take a chance."  Though not terribly superstitious, something about this unsolicited advice and message of hope really touched me.  I felt energized to do something about a few things in my life which have not been going really well.  I used the energy to do things  I had been putting off for a while.  Now I wait to see whether "luck" would come my way as a result of the chances I took last week!  I'll let you know if the hopeful prediction comes through.  In the meantime, I think the best way to approach life's challenges is through optimism and hope and hard work.  Of course any good vibes and idea you could send my way are most welcome as usual!  Have a good Monday everybody!

ABC's and Hope

Saman and Neeki Alikhani, Oakland, September 17, 2008.

I have been so stressed and strapped of energy lately. So many different emotions are running through me these days. Some days I feel overwhelmed with feelings which run the gamut from sadness and worry to joy and extreme happiness. The season change from summer to autumn has always had a profound effect on me. I feel this particular season change much more deeply than any other. It could be because I am an autumn child myself and an upcoming birthday is always a reminder of how life goes on for me. This Fall, I am also having a couple of important personal changes in the equation, making it a sad and sweet and at the same special season for me.

When my friend Maryam asked me to join them for dinner after work last night, I couldn't think of a better thing to do with how I am feeling these days. Kayvan and Maryam's is a very young family, with a beautiful little girl, Saman and a cute-as-a-button new baby, Neeki, in the middle of it. The idea of spending time with a young family was so appealing to me. A young family has so much work to do, so many chores to do, so much learning and growth to do, and all that breathless work is laced with the sweet taste of hope. I miss having really young children around me, and the magic and wonder and hope that only babies and toddlers and kids can bring. I went to a home full of love and energy, and sure enough, I returned energized and touched and fixed! Saman went and found Dr. Seuss' book of ABC's, a book I used to read to my children when they were that young. I can't tell who enjoyed reading the ABC's more, me or Saman! I had missed that whimsical book so much! We had delicious, organic khoresh-e karafs and quiche, and I found myself humming something fun to myself in the car, returning from their home. You guys, if you are ever stressed, do try this at your friends' home! Go and observe and absorb and drink the love and hope that runs in a young family.

The Business of Life

Woman farmer plants rice seedlings in a rice paddy field in Ghaemshahr, Mazandaran, April 27, 2008.

Isn't she just beautiful? Isn't that smile worth a million dollars? Doesn't it just bring hope to you when you see someone who works hard and is also enjoying herself? She was my reminder of hope and joy of life today. Sometimes all we have to do is to look. I looked for joy and hope today and I found this woman across the oceans and continents and through the internet lines, whispering, telling, and shouting that hope to me. Does she know she touched my heart today? Does she know her smile moved me and shook me and embraced me today, willing me to work harder and to enjoy my life more and with more hope? She doesn't know, but she does know what she's doing, I believe, enjoying it to the fullest. This woman is in the business of life, and I want to be just like her when I grow up.

Inspired on A Wednesday (Part III)

Last, I want you to look at a slideshow depicting one woman’s story. Her name is Mahtab, and she lives in the Ghassemabad Village of Baluchestan. Her art and trade is soozan doozi (embroidery or needlework). Ghassemabad is a village that has gone through ten years of draught; its men have moved away to find work, and it is now left with a population of women, children, and old people. Mahtab taught her village women how to do soozan doozi, and women of the village saved and continue to sustain the livelihood of the village through this art. Look at her hands and her feet, listen to her voice telling her story, and see her beautiful creations. Don't be sad at Mahtab's story and the story of her village. Be inspired by her triumph over adversities and her life which has inspired and sustained so many, including me on this Wednesday.

Inspired on A Wednesday (Part II)

While on the subject of inspired and inspiring paintings, I would like to make sure you have all heard the story of a Mazandarani woman by the name of Mokarrameh. Have you heard it? It is an incredible story, which my friend Alef Shin shared with me not too long ago.

A very young village girl was married to a much older man about 60 years ago. The young girl was deeply sad and unhappy, looking for an outlet to release the pain and abuse she had suffered in her world in Darikandeh Village of Babol. Later in her life she became attached to her pet cow. When she was too old to take her cow grazing, her children secretly sold the cow. Mokarrameh went through a depression after which she started painting. At first she was painting with raspberry juice. She then started finding paper and paint, painting more elaborate and sophisticated designs. She painted day and night, giving her paintings away. When she ran out of paper, she would paint on her walls and furniture and appliances. When asked why she painted, she responded that she had so much to say, but she was illiterate and couldn’t read or write, so she started to paint to express herself, her hopes, her fears, and her demons.

Mokarrameh started a revolution in her village, where slowly other village people started painting, too. She started having visitors from Tehran , mostly artists and fellow painters. She received national and international attention until in 2001 she was named Woman of The Year in Sweden. Mokarrameh died in 2005, leaving a legacy of love for painting and hope in her village and in every Iranian's heart. Each year artists from all over Iran gather in her village to remember her. On that day everybody paints in her memory. Take a look at this slideshow on BBC Persian about this year's event. You can read more about her here. Doesn't this story just inspire you?

Dancing the Dance of Joy

Painting by Vanecha Ebrahimi Roodbaraki, who is an artist from Gilan, living in Paris. She has a nice collection of paintings. See here for more.

Tonight I feel such harmony with my feelings inside when I look at this happy image of Baluchis dancing. You know, I have lived long enough to know that there are hardships, losses, pains, and agonies in life. They are real and they can change the course of our lives forever. Call me an optimistic fool, but I also think that for every pain and hurt we experience, and for every bucket of tears we cry, there is a bigger joy and happiness, a world full of laughter and dance waiting for us just around the corner. If we accept the painful events of our lives with dignity and hope for the future, then we are on our way to seeing those joys just around the corner. I believe in God and I believe in justice. I believe in endurance and I believe in no regrets. I believe in the power of love and the will to change things for the better. Though I truly hear and respect opinions of those who think my philosophy simple-minded and corny, I persist. You know, my way of life has worked for me over and over and over again. Tonight I dance a dance of joy along with those men in the painting. I am blessed and happy. I am.

A Wonder Atop A Mountain

These are pictures of Ghaleh Roodkhan in Fooman mountains in Gilan. This fort is the biggest ancient brick and stone castle in Iran, and is located 25 km southwest of the city of Fooman. It is comprised of an administrative and a military structure, which housed a garrison. People used to live in the military section, equipped with utility services such as a water reservoir (Ab Anbar) which has stayed intact in over 800 years. It is believed to have been built during the Mogul rule over Iran in Saljuq era (1040-1220). Built on two tips of a mountain, it has an area of five hectares. After crossing a mountainous winding route and passing a dense and very beautiful forrest, the first thing the traveler discovers is the castle's grand entrance gate.

In my many trips to Gilan, I never knew this architectural marvel existed. I have seen pictures of it and recently, our friend Alef Shin wrote about it to me in a letter. It is going on my list of things to see before I live a long life!

Here's where the photos and some of the text came from:

First picture is by a fabulous photographer, named Dr. Bavand Bikdeli. Check his photoblog. He is amazing.

Second picture and some of the text is by Atoussa Taghavi.

Third picture is by Maysam Sedaghat.

Last picture has been taken by Alef Shin last Fall on a rainy day.

Midnight Hours With Hafez

I opened my Hafez and made a wish. I was full of hope to hear some of Khajeh's usual wisdom and his prophetic advice for myself. It opened to a poem that had many romantic memories for me, hitting me with a flood of reminiscences of a place and a time and a man, no longer running through my life. Tears fell, hot and furious. Then I read it again. And again. And it all started making new sense, with a new message, one of hope. Such is Hafez to me. His poetry can lift me up and give me new resolve. In that sense, I am not unique. This just goes to show you that I am a very typical Iranian. Here's the poem. (If you can't read Farsi, let me know and I will post the translation.)

مرا عهدیست با جانان که تا جان در بدن دارم

هواداران کویش را چو جان خویشتن دارم

صفای خلوت خاطر از آن شمع چگل جویم

فروغ چشم و نور دل از آن ماه ختن دارم

به کام و آرزوی دل چو دارم خلوتی حاصل

چه باک از خبث بدگویان میان انجمن دارم

..........

الا ای پیر فرزانه مکن عیبم ز میخانه

که من درترک پیمانه دلی پیمان شکن دارم

خدا را ای رقیب امشب زمانی دیده بر هم نه

که من با لعل خاموشش نهانی صد سخن دارم

Life and Hope

I am off for the weekend, ending a hard week. I leave you with the image of a young Iranian woman, dancing at a Nowrooz Celebration this past March in Philadelphia. Isn’t she just beautiful? If you look at all the pictures, you will see better photos of the dancers, but I liked this one the best because the dancer’s face is so full of life and hope in this picture. As you may be able to tell, because dance makes me happy, I tend to prescribe some representation of it to others, hoping that it would make them happy, too!*

I hope you have a good weekend, full of rest, love, hope, and accomplishment. As for me, I will be doing chores and errands, some volunteer work, and visiting with my sisters who will be in town. I have an incomplete piece of writing which has been hard to finish. I might work on finishing it this weekend, or better yet, I might just push delete on it and start all over again! I might go see a movie, too, if I can. Any recommendations? Be good y’all and take care.

*I’m not the only one who thinks dancing will take our minds off the recent events, as it turns out! Check this out: http://nikahang.blogspot.com/2007/04/all-that-jazz.html .

(Photo by Omid Alavi, published in Iranian.com http://www.iranian.com/Diaspora/2007/April/Phil/index.html)

33 Living Arrows

I live and work in a university community, full of the life and energy of its young students. Some days I go to Sproul Plaza at lunch, and sit on a bench and look at the thousands of brilliant young men and women who walk about, talking, laughing, and bringing the most valuable asset a university can have: young minds ready to grow and expand and learn, preparing to give back to the world by becoming professionals, scientists, and leaders of tomorrow. It is unfathomable that such beautiful stream of vitality and life which was running through Virginia Tech, came to an abrupt and violent end yesterday. I am speechless in the face of this violence and brutal attack on human life and humanity. The thought of those kids’ parents and families and communities won’t let go of me. I am mother, aunt, and friend to many college students. The tragedy’s dimensions are truly unthinkable for me. My blogger friend, Serendip http://fleetingperusal.blogspot.com/, who is a sensitive and kind man, has been particularly hard-hit with the news. I pray for him, and I pray for all the families, friends, and affiliates of the Virginia Tech community, to find the strength and hope with which to overcome this sadness and tragedy. I also pray for my Korean friends, who as immigrants must feel particularly saddened by the perpetrator’s South Korean identity, something that they now have to hear 100 times an hour on CNN. I quote something from Jebran Khalil Jebran’s book, Prophet, where he talks about children: And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children." And he said: Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts, For they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of to-morrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.