I cherish my solitude
A time to reflect
A time to write
There must be no distraction
I especially like coffee shops
This hour in the day has been carved into it
Because I’ve repeated it so many times
It’s now a groove into which I happily fall
It’s an hour when I recharge
It’s a gift I give to myself
This time has brought me so much joy
I’ve spent these hours blissfully
Something so simple
Can nourish my soul
It can be done anytime
Anywhere in the world
March 10th, 2019
To climb an impossible climb
To go where no one has gone before
To look fear in the face and not flinch
To be as determined as can be
We all climb different mountains in our lives
Some are small, some are big
Can’t beat the feeling when you get to the top
But getting there ain’t easy
An iron will
Support of friends and
Sticktoitiveness
All necessary
The more challenging the climb
The richer the reward
And the more interesting the story
March 12th, 2019
The silence of the early morning
When the world is still sleeping
When the sun has not risen
When my mind is refreshed after a night of rest
When the day ahead awaits
All I hear is the tick tock of the clock in the living room
And the hum of the heater
And that’s if I listen for it
Otherwise, I’m lost in my thoughts
On a sea of tranquility
No one to distract me
No one who needs me
No urgent feeling to do things
Other than contemplate, read and write
It’s the magic of the early morning
Is my spirit closer to its source?
Is my mind not clouded with the tasks of the day?
What is the source of this calm I feel?
March 4th, 6:00 am
When I hear words that sadden my heart
sully my soul and make me feel like the
day has turned into night
When I hear words that are like awful
inkblots on a white silk scarf
I feel like I’ve plunged into a swamp
That I’m struggling to get out
But I keep being pulled back in
I feel the heaviness of the mud
Mud that has sullied my skin
I long for a fountain of pure water
To wash the dirt off of me
The swamp is insistent though
And I feel trapped
Suddenly something beautiful catches my eyes
I see a field of wildflowers in the distance
My mood changes a bit
The swamp seems less menacing
I keep my gaze on the flowers
And their beauty gives me the courage to
Continue my struggle
And eventually I free myself
From the ugly swamp of dark emotions
February 24th, 2019
Words and ideas
Crisscross the world
At the speed of lightening
Words about how we feel
The challenges we’ve had
The insights we’ve gleaned
Developing friendships
Expanding friendships
That’s what we do
Technology has brought us together
This was impossible
Ten years ago
We come together daily
Make each other laugh and think
We shower each other with praise
Wash the dust off our spirits
We are spinning a web of love
Across the world
Connecting our hearts
We are helping each other grow
February 23rd, 2019
One cup of meditation
Along with a cup of coffee
Drunk in a peaceful place
A place where I’m not distracted by daily responsibilities
A place l return to regularly
No matter how busy life gets
One cup of meditation
As addictive as coffee
Often leads to thoughts being written down
This can be a cure for my weary soul
A balm for my sensitive heart
One cup of meditation
Along with a cup of coffee
Consumed daily
Gives me the energy and enthusiasm
To carry on
February 2019
Prayer beads
Made of warm brown wood
The tassel, a fiery red
Lie in front of me on my footstool
Prayer beads
Take me back to Iran
The country I come from
Held in the hands of a holy one in a photograph
Held in the hands of the merchant at the bazaar as he sells his wares
Held in the hand of the Sufi sage as he moves the beads with his fingers like he has done a thousand times
Prayer beads
Come in all colors and forms
Made of wood or glass or stone
Prayer beads
Are sacred to me
They connect us to our creator
2 February 2019
Sitting in the modern bazaar, the mall
Looking at all sorts of people walking by
A black guy with braided hair with his headphones on
A twenty something girl with purple hair
A guy with a very long beard
A girl looking at her phone as she walks
Sales signs everywhere to entice the shoppers
Chocolate boxes in the shape of hearts for the upcoming valentine
A man carrying a suit he just bought
Someone next to me talking on her phone about her flight
Someone walking with scarf, hat and mittens on
Maybe she just came inside
And me sitting comfortably on a bench with my notebook
Each person I see has their own story
The guy with the long beard may be grieving a loss
The man carrying the suit may be going to a friend’s wedding
The person who is smiling may actually be sad inside
Friends talking
Maybe giving each other advice
Shiny new merchandise everywhere
Salespeople who are eager to sell
And in the middle of this material world
We are the carriers of our souls
Sensitive souls that need to be loved
We each have our own story
Some of it written, some unknown
January 27th, 2019
Once my daughter was distraught
Life seemed confusing
Questions were many
Joy was gone
And tears ran down her cheeks
Like rain from the clouds
I wanted to help her
I asked her what I should do
She said sit next to me mom
Don’t leave me alone
I sat with her
We talked a little
I tried to console her
But later she told me
I left too soon
She said she needed me there
I asked her what for?
Just to be with me mom
So I wouldn’t feel alone
Loneliness is the worst thing
During hard times
26 January 2019
Natasha and I are sitting side by side
Talking about organizing the storage space in our house
Growing an indoor herb garden
And cleaning out parts of her room
She is very talkative and not on her phone
And we are chatting it up
But you wouldn’t want to see us now
Or take our photograph
We are sitting side by side in the hair salon
With color on our hair
She is going from brown to black
And I’m going from black to brown
The grass is always greener on the other side
January 24th, 2019
lida's musings 