In the darkness of the world
Their spirit burns bright
In the frozen land
The warmth of their heart melts the ice
In the winter of the world
Their presence is like the blossoms of the spring
In the heat of the desert
They are like life giving water
In the angry world
They are the breezes of tranquility
In the vengeful world
They are examples of forgiveness
They are patient
They endure
They sacrifice
You can try to crush their spirit
But they are much stronger than you think
October 4, 2026
You can try to break me
But my spirit is unbreakable
Solid and strong
Yet light and airy
You wonder how that is possible?
In the world if spirit
Everything is possible
Infinite patience is possible
Courageous optimism exits
An all consuming love for the Beloved
Runs through one’s veins
My spirit is unbreakable
It has been purified in the fire of trials
It has learned to endure most severe tests in the cocoon of love and
It has metamorphosed into a butterfly
It flies in the atmosphere of fidelity
Free, even inside the prison walls
My spirit is unbreakable
September 16th, 2026
For Mahvash Sabet
Some people are like medicine
Their presence gives you energy
Fatigue leaves
Their words are soothing
Calm returns
Their smile is like sunshine
It warms your body
Some people are like medicine
They heal your ills
They brighten your day
They bring you joy
Some people are like medicine
An ok day becomes an amazing day
You forget your problems
The storm in your head calms down
Some people are like medicine
Hold them close to your heart
June 8th, 2026
In my youth and young adulthood
I moved a lot
From city to city
From country to country
In the past 25 years
I’ve been living in Montreal
The blessed city of Montreal
But it doesn’t mean I haven’t moved
Or that I haven’t traversed the stages of life
Or that I haven’t seen the internal sights of life
I have seen my children grow up and get married
I haven’t conquered the challenges of life
I have seen the diversity of the world in my travels
I have penned my thoughts
I’m still living in the same home
But life has kept changing around me and within me
July 27th, 2026
As a child I went to a bilingual school
I learned English and was exposed to ithe Western way of life
It seemed to me that women had more rights in the West
No hijab
Any occupation they wanted
Self confidence
Freedom to express themselves
I hoped one day I would live
In a place like that
Today, in Montreal
I listen to the zoom sessions of my husband
A university professor at McGill
And I hear women talking confidently
Women standing up for the rights of minorities
Women chairing the meeting
I’m happy my dreams as a child have come true
July 19, 2026
Sometimes when doing a project
You need to clear your head
Stop and take a break
Ask the universe for guidance
When you’re too close
You can’t see the big picture
You can’t see the forest for the trees
You have to let silence wash over you
You need to relax and breath
Then with clarity go forward
And complete the job you started
It’s ok to pause for a while
You’ll continue with more energy
May 9th, 2026
There is radio silence
The internet has been high jacked for over a month
Why does anyone need to be in touch with others after all?
Especially if they live abroad
It’s not as if people have relatives outside Iran
Why would they need to hear from each other during a war?
The internet has been high jacked for over a month
Who needs the internet after all?
It’s not as if people make a living using the internet
It’s not as if they purchase and sell merchandise
It’s like putting duct tape across someone’s mouth
Don’t they realize they need to eat and talk?
Relatives worry about their loved ones
Friends can’t be in touch
Businesses come to a halt
And why?
Because information is the most dangerous commodity during war
April 5, 2026
I don’t remember why I started to write a memoir
Everyone’s life is as interesting as mine
They have had challenges they have overcome
They have had dreams they have realized
So each of us should and could write a memoir
Only not everyone likes to write
Not everyone has the patience to go through the process
Not everyone has time
So I think my memoir is as ordinary as yours would be
But I have the time and the patience and I love to write
I hope these reasons are enough
May 5th, 2026
What is my North Star?
What do I want to do with the rest of my life?
Write for sure
Without writing I don’t know who I am
Without writing I will shrivel up and wilt
What else?
Be with my family and serve them
My children are adults now
That took some getting used to
I want to be in their lives
I want to be close to them
What else?
Continue to grow spiritually
That’s why we are in this earth
That’s the purpose of our lives
What else?
Serve my community
Continue serving the Shrine
The jewel of Montreal
What else?
Take care of my health
My health has always been fragile
So many ups and downs in my life
But I’m grateful for where I am
And want to continue looking after myself
March 26, 2026
