dear life 20

dear life
my best friend's dad passed away a few days ago and these days i think of death more and more, as a part of you, a part so tangible and so near to you. and you know what has been amazing to me? the fact that how different and yet the same people face death. everybody misses the loved one you seemingly have left, but everybody does so in his own special way, everybody tries to keep on living you without the loved one physically around, but everybody does so in his own special way. today at my friend's home, we will surely miss him talking so passionately of his experiences and great knowledge of this world, of you and of humanity. and this great passion of his for you became more evident to me when he dedicated his corpse to a medical college, as a means to serve the humanity. and his act opened yet another door toward you for me. we can serve the people of this world even when our soul resides in another. we can serve them even with the memories we leave them and with the things we inspire them by. we can serve no matter when, no matter when, only if we want and we try. tonight we will drink some wine in his remembrance, and thank him for ever changing us and our views toward you and toward death.

dear life 19

dear life
just today i was browsing the music in my computer that i came by the clip made by a friend's friend (Ali Herischi) in tribure of the earthquake that brought Bam and its people to their knees. and hours later the BBC reminded me of the fact that today is the first anniversary of that devastating earthquake.
It's funny how time passes by so quickly and how we continue to live on our lives, forgetting and putting the grief and sadness some place unknown. one year has passed by of those sombre days, days in which you put our humanities to test, a test that some passed proudly and some failed. just some days ago a report was published in Hamshahri of the grand sale of all the aids sent for the people of Bam, in some storage houses near Tehran's cemetery (Behesht-e Zahra). aids that were sent with love and passion by so many who hoped and wanted so badly to help. aids that could have saved so many of the earthquake stricken people helped instead some other to follow their aims and greeds. the aids that have today reached near Tehran's cemetry were destined to reach bam,to hopefully stop some from entering the populated cemetry of bam, or at least alleviate the pain of those crying over its unnamed mass graves of their loved ones.
today the cemetry of bam survives to remind us of all that went by and to be a witness of all that is still going on (or of what should be going on and is not). and one day it may tell and help unravel the sad story of bam for those who will come years and centuries later (as do today the bodies found in the ruined walls of the citadel that was and is the symbol of that city).
the least i could do was to write to you, to get others i know to join me in saying a prayer for the ones we lost,in remembering one important heritage of our land and in asking you for a hand in doing what really means something and being a human.

dear life 18

dear life
have you noticed that one of the things we do most is to judge people? we sit by ourselves and think of the things we see those around us do, say ... and we so easily lable them as black, white, good, bad, worthy, unworthy ... and yet we don't want to pay attention to the fact that what we see of others is just part of their personality, the appearance, or what we want to see. even the worst person is dear to someone who loves him, and even the greatest person to many is surely full of vices left unnoticed. think of a king, president ... who may be considered a tyrant to many of his country fellowmen and others around the world, yet for his wife and children he is the solid rock they turn to in need. think of an actress who lives the glorious life of fame and wealth, who even appears naked in front of the camera, or the dancer who dances the dances that many consider shameful or unworthy, who seems to be just a dancer and nobody to many, and based on these acts both are despised by so many, and yet one day you hear them talk, and you find out that one is so pure and kind that bears with herself the sorrow of the war and poverty stricken children of the world, and the other is filled with the love for his country and fellow human beings, and you find out that there are other angels to their personalities- angles that are helping the world become a better place, even a little bit. so who are we to judge other humans whose complex beings is surely one of the greatest mysteries of the world? isn't there any other way to look at people? how does god look at us and judge us?

dear life 17

dear life
27 years ago on this day i opened my eyes to you. i don't remember a thing of that day, but they say i was crying (as everybody does when they leave the warmth inside their loved mothers) and was welcomed by family and friends. today 27 years later here i am, writing to you, i guess to thank you for the opportunities you put infront of me all through these years- the opportunity of being a kid, a teenager, growing up, meeting new people, making new friends and trying to keep the ones i made, the opportunity of reading and learning each and every day, and most importantly that of being loved and being able to love. you surely have not been easy, but maybe that is what you are about, ha? this year i miss parents who are miles and miles away from me, and of course the loved one whom we lost just 41 days ago. but still i feel warm hugged by the love of those who are here with me. as a 27 year old who has not always been gratefull of you, i am writing to you to say thank you, and to let you know that i am trying to learn from each and every piece of you, and to cherish you. isn't that what really counts? so could you please wish me a happy birthday?