Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Bahji Day



I'll write more about my Bahji day visit soon, but I just wanted to share this photo of one of the peacocks in the Ridvan Garden.

On another note, of which I have no documented photographs (only the ones in my head), when Abi and I went to the Haifa Zoo yesterday... we saw an albino peacock. No kidding, a pure-white, male peacock. Gorgeous. I want one, and a colorful one too. One of each. :)

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

River Jordan Park- 12th Day of Ridvan Excursion

Katherine, Enas, me, Sogand and Corinne (and my lis) ready to take on the "rapids" of the River Jordan.
In the river, which is actually more of a trickle (if not a dribble), Jared and I took the two-person canoe and the girls and Mike paddled the raft.
The lazy current and tangled shrubs on the banks reminded me of "tubing" or "float trips" along the Bogue Chitto River in Bogalusa, Louisiana, or the Black Creek in Tombigbee National Park in Mississippi or Chickasabogue Creek in Alabama.

River of Jordan


I traveled the banks of the River of Jordan
To find where it flows to the sea.
I looked in the eyes of the cold and the hungry
And I saw I was looking at me.
I wanted to know if life had a purpose

And what it all means in the end.
In the silence I listened to voices inside me
And they told me again and again.


There is only one river. There is only one sea.
And it flows through you, and it flows through me.
There is only one people. We are one and the same.
We are all one spirit. We are all one name.
We are the father, mother, daughter and son.
From the dawn of creation, we are one.
We are one.


Every blade of grass on the mountain
Every drop in the sea
Every cry of a newborn baby
Every prayer to be free
Every hope at the end of a rainbow
Every song ever sung
Is a part of the family of woman and man
And that means everyone.


We are only one river. We are only one sea.
And it flows through you, and it flows through me.
We are only one people. We are one and the same.
We are all one spirit. We are all one name.
We are the father, mother, daughter and son
From the dawn of creation, we are one.
We are one.
-Peter, Paul & Mary


Monday, May 7, 2007

Respect: A Musical Journey of Women

In this photo, I am standing directly behind one of the most creative, insightful and pioneering playwrights around. Her name is Dorothy Marcic and her play, Respect: A Musical Journey of Women, is the first expression of the progress women have made in the past century through songs by women. She found an untapped wealth of lenses through which to look at the changing attitudes, roles and expectations of women.

Our smiles are so radiant because we had just finished screening a video recording of a performance of the play. Dr. Marcic used songs from some of my favorite soundtracks, which I think Neda and my Baba will be especially excited about: "You Don't Own Me" (First Wives Club), "Tell Him" and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" (My Best Friend's Wedding), "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" and "Something Good" (The Sound of Music), and much more.

The story behind the birth of the play is a classic one of stumbling upon a good idea, then realizing it is a great idea from the reaction of others, following your dream and having faith in yourself. Far better than I can tell it, the Web site for the show explains how it came to be. Please, if you have an opportunity to catch a performance, GO! Buy your tickets now because they sell out quickly.... Oh, and did I mention Dr. Marcic is my friend Roxanne's mom?