Some people don’t like to share their cancer story
I understand that
It’s a personal matter
And often not easy to talk about
But for me, it has been the cause of
Connecting with old friends
And receiving a lot of support and love
It’s hard to be vulnerable
Less than perfect
But revealing our vulnerability has many rewards
We get everyone’s love and support
And their prayers for healing
We can connect to others on a deeper level
It’s a win win in my opinion
But it took some years for me to be this open
With my challenges in life
I had to learn to trust
To know that others will only give me their unconditional love
I had to understand the value of community
Of reaching out
And I’m so grateful for all of your love
January 27th, 2023
Tag Archive | love
Love is what life is about
Love is what life is about
The encouraging words of a friend
A thoughtful gift sent in times of illness
A phone call to see how you are
And even though these things happen sometimes
During challenging times
The love one feels
Makes one feel alive
And cheers one’s soul
Love is what life is about
October 29th, 2022
21 days
His last time on WhatsApp was
2022-07-30, 4:15 pm Montreal time
21 days have gone by and his fate is not clear yet
His family knows little of what’s going on
His friends worry for him daily
How will the authorities collect
Evidence of espionage when there is none?
Another arrest!
Was ten years in prison not enough?
And for crimes he did not commit?
For loving humanity?
For serving his community?
I talked to him the day before he was arrested
He was well
He was thankful
He was jovial as usual
We pray for him
For fortitude and strength
Qualities he has in abundance already
I know he welcomes this sacrifice
As he did the previous ones
I know he is grateful to stand up
For what he believes in
I know he is victorious
Whether in captivity or freedom
August 20th, 2022
For my dear friend, Afif Naimi
Showered with love
As I read the messages of love from my friends
My eyes tear up
So much kindness and care is evident in them
Messages from my classmates around the world
Messages from my friends in Montreal
Messages and calls from my family
Nothing can go wrong with so much love
I believe in the power of prayer and positive thoughts
I believe in their role in healing
If anything, this experience has shown me how much I’m loved
If anything, I can see more clearly the goodness
In everyone’s heart
August 9th, 2022
The day before my operation for breast cancer
Should I be?
Should I be worried?
Somehow I’m not
With the support of my family and friends
I feel strong
I trust my surgeons to do a good job
And I know I will be spoiled with kindness afterward
Challenges are blessings sometimes
I now know better how many people care for me
There are many people I can lean on
Thankful for every one’s love
I know all will be well
All will be fine
August 7th 2022
A few days before breast surgery
The samurai

A samurai
Proud and strong
On a background of mustard and grey
The sweater I knitted for Albert, oh so many years ago
In those times
I had the patience to follow a knitting guide
Row by row, colour by colour
Sometimes only knitting one row or two
I don’t remember how long it took me
To finish this project
But it probably took months
And when it was ready
Albert wore it gratefully
It now sits in our closet
A relic of the past
But when I think of all the time and effort
That went into making this gift of love
I feel proud
June 6th, 2022
Fall is here
Fall is here
the carefree days of wearing sandals and dresses are gone
The scarves can come out
The verdure of the trees a waining
The magical colors of fall arrive
We will be indoors more
But we should not close our hearts
To kindness
To gentleness
To generosity
To love
Each season has its own beauty and prepares us for the one to come
Seasons change
Life goes on
And life is beautiful
If we try to bring some sunshine into someone else’s life
September 30th, 2021
Our group
Why do I spend so much of my time
With my friends around the world
On our WhatsApp group or on Zoom?
Why do I try to read every post?
Why have I done that for the past five years without fail?
OK, during two trips I was delinquent
There is a bond that connects us that goes far back in time
New bonds have been created in recent years
The space in which we meet is a positive one
With words of wisdom
With poetry and song
With artistic photographs
With chit chat of good friends
With laughter and joy
Why would I not want to go back?
In this world full of challenges
We need these kind of spaces
Safe spaces
Kind spaces
Happy spaces
Where we can express ourselves
Widen our horizons
Learn new things
Or simply be with our friends
So much love and effort
Has been put in this space over the years
It’s like a building that has been built
A fortress
A fortress to keep us safe during difficult times
This fortress is made of love
August 9th, 2020
ps: This group of friends is made of over one hundred classmates who went to high school together is the late 1970’s in Iran. Now, we live all over the world, spending time together in the virtual world, as well as coming together in person.
Journey within
We can live life on the surface
Or we can go deeper within our consciousness
And discover the gems of mystery that exist in us
Gems that need to be polished to shine
Gems that won’t buy us material things
But will enrich our spiritual life
We need to go deeper
We need to see with our inner eye
Our reality, which is most glorious
A reality that has been fashioned
To love and serve and create and contemplate
And we need to see the oneness
That exists in the world of being
And the unity that is at the core of us
The vastness that is available to us
The heights to which our spirit can climb
If we journey deep within us
July 21st, 2020