Today will not return
Tomorrow will not return
We sometimes anticipate something wonderful
That will happen in the future
And count the days till we get there
Not realizing we are not appreciating the present
These days that will not come back
Each day is precious
Each day should be acknowledged and enjoyed
No one knows what will exactly happen in the future
That future that we are waiting for
So let’s know the value of today
And make it a worthwhile day
July 7, 2023
Nothing to do
Nowhere to be
No one to see
Quiet surroundings
Only the sound of the birds
Me and my thoughts
Those are the conditions of writing for me
Once a phrase is there
I start and see where it goes
Time is needed
Can’t be rushing all the time
Need to sit for a while with my thoughts
Contemplate
Connect to that deep place in my soul
Where meaning roams
Where emotions dance
Where ideas emerge
In that solemn space
Words appear out of seemingly nowhere
And flow across the page
June 28th, 2023
It would have been better to be executed
Than continue to be in prison under those conditions
It was the early days of the revolution and
Many Baha’is were imprisoned and a number of them were executed
There were no social media back then
No online campaigns
These dark deeds took place
Without the knowledge of others
Only the family of the prisoners and their friends
Would find out their fate after it was too late
Illegal arrests and imprisonments
No lawyers
Sham court proceedings
Torture
Asking the prisoners to recant and be set free
Asking them for money to spare their lives
Unspeakable acts
The prisoners’ only refuge
Their Faith
Their support for each other
Their determination to stand firm
To hear the moaning of other prisoners in pain
To witness the result of the torture of their friends
To be insulted and humiliated
It was easier to be executed and set free of those terrible conditions
But Olya was released
And she did was she promised the others
She told the story of the ten brave women of Shiraz
Now the whole world knows what went on
During those terrible days and
The sacrifices that were made by these pure souls
They were released from this mortal world
And their spirits soared towards their Beloved
Their suffering ended
And they proved their love and devotion
Those were dark days
But the light these souls shine
Will illumine our world forever
June 15, 2023
Inspired by a talk by Olya Roohizadegan
about ten Baha’i women killed in Shiraz in 1983
Summer time
When the days are long
It’s light when we wake up
It’s light long after dinner is done
When we can sit in the garden and read
Or enjoy a cup of tea
When the birds are happy
And let us know with their songs
When the grass is green
And flower pots are out again in the back yard
Summer time
When I can wear dresses every day
When it doesn’t take ten minutes to prepare
To get out of the house
When morning walks are pleasant
And neighbours can stand outside and chat for a while
Summer time
The time to travel
To broaden one’s horizon
To meet friends who come from abroad
Summer time
Crabapples on the tree
Mint in the garden
And raspberry time
Summer time is relaxation time
June 24th, 2023
A meeting is in progress over Zoom
University professors and administrators at work
I hear the confident voice of a woman
Who seems to be chairing the meeting
The cadence of her voice
It’s tone
The words she uses
All tell of her competence
And her assurance that she is being heard
Because she has ideas that are important to share
I hear men’s voices too
But hers is dominant
They are obviously solving problems and making plans
How wonderful to see women in science
In the highest echelons
Voicing their opinions
Leading the charge
This is how it should be in all areas
This is the sign of things to come
June 21st, 2023
I am Lida, doing Lida things
What might those be?
Going somewhere new
And losing my way when returning home (pre-GPS times)
Bringing home jalapeño lemonade instead of regular lemonade
As if that is something that exists and I should check
Not listening to the doctors’ instructions
And considering them suggestions
Doing something wrong over and over again
And not learning my lesson
Doing my writing or collage very fast
Is that being inspired or just not having enough patience?
Cooking meals that take no more than an hour
Long drawn-out cooking is not my thing
Doing gardening in white clothing
Not bothering to change
Doing a lot of silly things despite my age
What is age but a number?
Enjoying travelling, the farther, the better
Seeking adventure and enjoying interacting with other cultures
Making decisions really fast
And then pondering if I’ve made a good choice
Laughing out loud in a museum
Wondering why we look at such old paintings
Wearing dresses all summer long
Pants are not my favourite apparel
Many of the things I do are from being impatient
Being directionally challenged
Being stubborn
And thinking I know better
Bring silly
And enjoying laugher and having fun
I’m simply being Lida, doing Lida things
June 6th, 2023
A child is born
And brings much joy
But the mother makes many sacrifices
The sleepless nights
The fatigue and feeling overwhelmed
Her priority becomes her child
The child grows
And in each stage of growth
There are challenges
And the mother learns and grows as well
The teen years are the time the child
Tries to be their own person
And their life starts to separate from that of the mother
Early adulthood are sweet years
The independent child becomes a friend
A helpmate, a confidant
And then it’s time for the child to leave
To start their own journey in life
And the mother once again must sacrifice
The bonds she has carefully created over the years
Must stretch somewhat
The distance between her and her child has to grow
But the mother’s soul will always be close
To that of her child
Her thoughts will be with him/her
Her love will go on
April 30, 2023
Need to look forward not backward
When looking backward I’ll miss my times with Nick at home
Our early morning chats as we had breakfast
And the rest of the family was asleep
Seeing him make lunch with left overs each day
Asking me, “can I take the whole thing?”
Giving himself lots of time so as not to rush in the morning
Reminding him to take two Cold Fx when he was sniffling
And wondering if he had got enough sleep
But as I look forward
I’ll enjoy Nick and Magalie coming over for dinner
Or somethings brunch
Planning get aways together when their busy schedules allow
Watching them decorate their place
And create a cozy space for themselves
And thank God for the internet
We no longer live in the same house
But he is a few clicks away
And he answers fast
There is also is FaceTime
Children leave home
It’s inevitable
But no one said it’s doesn’t require some adjustment time
May 29th, 2023
I go to Youtube as I do every morning
To hear the news of the day about Iran
I play a clip about three innocent young men
Who were executed ruthlessly
To serve as examples for others who want to protest
Then I play a clip of a Finnish comic
Making interesting observations about the English language
Finnish is a most interesting language too
With words as long as a sentence with no space
Why switch from serious to silly you may wonder
Because the news of the world is too hard to bear
Without some comic relief
So much injustice
So much pain
My psyche can’t handle too much of that
I need the comic relief
To be able to get on with my day
May 19th, 2023
How do I feel at fifty nine?
I feel hopeful
I feel content
I feel excited for the future
I love that I have a chance to write and publish
I love that I can share my experiences and feelings with others
I’m grateful for the children we’ve raised
One of whom is about to get married
I’m grateful for a wonderful marriage
Which has stood the test of time and trials
And has brought me comfort and joy
I’m grateful for amazing friends
Who love me and support me
So, I feel pretty good
And look forward to the years to come
May 17th, 2023
lida's musings 