One year ago I had just arrived in the Holy Land to start 18 months of service. One year ago today I stood at the top of the mountain and watched fireworks.

I have attended several weddings of dear friends, gone camping for the first time, spent evenings with friends, saw friends and family as they came on pilgrimage, went on pilgrimage with my family, traveled to Europe for the first time, attended the funeral of the last Hand of the Cause of God, spent endless days at the beach, prayed at the Shrines whenever I could, and laughed a lot.

I have learned about prayer, strength, solitude, friendship, love, and responsibility. There are things that I haven’t even discovered yet.

Posted in Haifa | Comments (5)

The last “Books” post was in July…and I have read a few books since then. I am pretty sure that I’ve forgotten a few.

Read:
Freakonomics by Steven Levitt, Stephen J Dubner

Tablets of the Divine Plan: revealed by Abdu’l-Baha to the North American Bahais

One People One Planet: The Adventures of a World Citizen by Andre Brugiroux
Amazing story of the journey of one man who hitchhiked around the world.

Summon up Remembrance and Arches of the Years Marzieh Gail
These two books have become some of my favorites…it is about the first Persian-American Baha’i family, and gives a glimpse into the life of the early believers, as well as a fascinating perspective on Persian culture.

Still reading:
What Is the What by Dave Eggers
Shoutout to Bill O. for sending me this book…It is about the Lost Boys of Sudan. Incredible book, although sometimes painful to read.

The Great Adventure by Florence Mayberry
heartwarming, sweet, and amusing.

Shoghi Effendi: The Range and Power of His Pen by Ali Nakhjavani

Posted in Baha'i, Books | Comments (3)

Baha’i weddings are so unique…each couple’s style comes through in the ceremony. Two of my very dear friends got married this weekend, and I have to say it was one of the best weddings I’ve been to. There was the perfect mix of humor, reverence, joy, friendship, and love. Plus really good food and lots of dancing.

I discovered blisters on my feet the next day…no surprise there! Now that the wedding is over, I’m looking forward to the next time we all get dressed up and snazzy looking.

On a completely different note, I’ve been having bad luck with dogs recently. I was walking home the other night with some friends and a dog snapped at me for no reason! It snagged my coat with its teeth but didn’t manage to get me. Last night I was walking home, and as I reached the bottom of a set of stairs, two dogs were at the end of the sidewalk barking. They started coming toward me, so I ran all the way back up the stairs and walked around the long way. I am not normally afraid of dogs, but this is just getting ridiculous.

Posted in Baha'i, Friends, Haifa | Comments (5)

I miss watching Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes with my dad.

My mother used to encourage us to set traps and build fortresses in the basement on cold Chicago days…or any other day.

1/3 of the times I climbed trees I would get stuck and ladder would have to be brought. I still climb trees at the age of 24. It’s just that there are few trees in Israel.

The backseat of the minivan was my territory on family road trips. I could lay there for hours daydreaming while the colors of whatever state we were driving through ran past the windows.

I used to fall asleep in the grass underneath the maple trees.

It is hard to remember how many toads and lizards we captured with our bare hands. We must have buried at least 3 or 4. My mother provided boxes from jewelry as coffins.

Daddy and Granddaddy put up a swingset in our backyard…the concept of concrete was fascinating.

Every time Mamanjoon would visit she would bring a container of baklava just for me, and sneak it to me and say “This is for you, no one else.”

Posted in Family, Personal | Comments (3)

Every day.

Crossing a street to sanctuary.
Counting worn pebbles through thin soles of shoes.
Trying not to step on snails (I have a horror of that crunch).
Smiling in a general way, and then specifically.
Spending nights staring at stars through the ceiling.
Pouring coffee through filters.

Waiting.

Posted in Haifa, Poetry | Comments (4)

I feel like…there is a soundtrack to my walk these days, a sort of thump-boom-crash; walking with 3 inch heels and narrowed eyes. Dance in every movement.

At yet, at the same time, I fade into wallflower silence, my secret smile is sneaking up on my lips, there are the chaos-filled moments.

Posted in Personal | Comments (5)

there were little pieces of the remnants of my heart on the sidewalk
last night
mixed in with the fallen leaves and snails
and we walked over unknowingly
with laughter and slight sighs
the closer to feeling, the more we talk to ourselves to fill silence…
I wonder what you would do if you knew.the sun is always in our eyes when we smile.

Posted in Poetry | Comments (4)

As of December 8th (tomorrow), I will have been in Haifa, Israel for one year. I keep writing little pieces of some kind of summary, but my words have been failing for a while now.

I know I’ve changed, and am still exactly myself.

There is something to be said for solitude. I haven’t quite figured out the words yet…when I am alone I think in pictures and concepts and it reminds me of the pieces of the notes we wrote, the words we wrote and never kept. I wish I’d saved more than one or two, I don’t remember how I used to think anymore…and the tradgedy is that I forgot about my silence.

Enough of the self-analysis!

Life is wonderful, how could it not be? The Shrines…oh, how can words even be enough? I love the work that I am doing, my friends are solid and make me laugh.

Chicago was left behind in a whirlwhind of snow and goodbyes, Chicago comes to me through pilgrims, pictures, and stories. Haifa has always been home and will always be home, and the rain now makes me smile as I sleep in my balcony, the sharp taps on glass and streetlights flash.

Staring across the foggy sea from the balcony, the glowing clouds hover just inches above, the Terraces up to the left, the Shrine of the Bab just hovering through trees, an entire city sparkling and living…these will probably be my enduring memories. Who knows? There are so many things that change and stay the same.

Posted in Baha'i, Haifa, Personal | Comments (4)

the door was open,
and with the reflections of clouds I could see down the dark paths
a fleeting glimpse of light from the sky and the rolling roar crashes to push my feet stumbling
away from…
toward home, the comforting figures lit and framed in windows four levels above.
with gasping breath in heavy, humid air I am running,
steps two at a time, cool marble that on another day I could sit and stare at the stars.
there is silence and there is something about 11:00 pm, the night, all of the sounds stolen,
even through thunder and pebbles clattering under shoes.

please let it rain all night.

Posted in Poetry | Comments (2)