recent me with Alec Chase

worship...work...worship

Development of developing…

Once you get that “job”, the one that you enjoy, the one that actually is near your house, has no crazy commute, where you feel respected, paid fairly and enjoy your work, what happens then?????

Well, I think we should keep on developing, learning, getting challenged, enduring never stop and continue our path towards growth. Its funny, after 10 years in lawyer land, I have found a job that I really really like. Not love, nor is it perfect, but it fits, and it fits well.

Okay, so ideally I would be saving humanity or promoting global justice through my legal advice, not promoting the sale transactions of software for a multi-billion dollar company.

When I envision my “ideal” job, I find it is more directly connected to providing a “good” or betterment in this world. But you know what?  Bahá’í writings provide an interesting answer for my dilemma, (I can never be just plainly content, I’m too conflicted as my husband says, but I believe my conflict is driven by my quest for truth, another blog subject)

Work, when performed in a spirit of service is a form of worship. As explained by Shoghi Effendi,
“…Every individual, no matter how handicapped and limited he may be, is under the obligation of engaging in some work or profession, for work, especially when performed in the spirit of service, is according to Bahá'u'lláh a form of worship. It has not only a utilitarian purpose, but has a value in itself, because it draws us nearer to God, and enables us to better grasp His purpose for us in this world. It is obvious, therefore, that the inheritance of wealth cannot make anyone immune from daily work.”
So, applying the concept above, if I perform my work with a motive that is pure and connected to serving others, it is a form of worship because my work and what I do enables me to draw myself nearer to God’s actual purpose for me, Nishat…
Intense.
For the last 6 months I have approached my job differently than before. For one, I really do luckily enjoy the analysis required for evaluating how a license deal should be written, negotiated and finalized. I am learning about managing people, respecting their boundaries, truly accessing the tools of “consultation” so that they too have a valid voice that should be respected. I also am learning how to incorporate imagination, creativity and my natural energy into my daily tasks so that I in the whole sense become part of my job, not just my intellect.
So although it is not directly serving a cause that impacts humanity as a whole related to justice, equality and spiritual growth for the world, it is a place I can and will continue to explore, grow and be challenged. At least I know I am still developing some how, and until I do find that ideal cause to become the counselor to, I will enjoy this too.
Ciao…

Finally, the guy who makes it all worth while!!

here is my sweetheart showing Bella the snow, sledding through our backyard. I love this pic!

and for those Spiritual Cafe attendees...

Here was my first rendition of our spiritual cafe prep picture. I think that the cool atmosphere, espresso and some inspiring readings to share with freinds was duly represented here. I am still carried away by the richness of our Spiritual Cafe nights where readings, devotions and life just works when you share it with such great people. Carry on...(until our next one coming next Saturday!)

me as me and me as Mom

me, another time at a cafe on vacation with Pieter...love those memories and I look forward to creating some more!

I think that we have spent more time in the past few years in learning what it is really like to take care of Bella and Alec, living through the experiences and reflecting on what sacrifice actually means. I love being a Mom, and I cherish my time with my Alec and Bella, I only hope that it will be a worthy path and that I can inspire them to find their best selves.

Mon Petit Chou!

handsome Alec, he is something else! This was at Green Acre Bahai School during the summer. I was supposed to enjoying the seminar on Justice and Forgiveness but work kept on creeping up with some emergencies. Oh well, hopefully soon we can go back there and enjoy it more freely. In the mean time, I am constantly amazed at how Alec resembles Pieter, very cool. Check out Pieter's little picture on indigored.com, its amazing the similarities!

Isabella at the beach

Bella loving the beach... this was our trip to Rehobeth, Bella could not stop playing with the water, feeling the sand and jumping everywhere. I loved it too but had to keep an eye out for her... I think she may go sailing with her Dad one day!

karma the carson daly way

of all the times I decide to glance at the tv screen, I end up watching the beginning of
"my name is earl". I am so surpirsed I even start watching this since I have less and less time to rest, read and chill after the kids are in bed. In any event, I do and I get very, very surprised.

Its about doing good, a guy ends up having an epiphany about accountability for his actions and that karma can change his life. He got the idea from watching an interview show of Carson Daly, who became successful he says because of his karma doing good things makes good things happen to you, and vice versa for the bad...

Earl, hearing this gets the idea that his whole existance of bad events and circumstances must have come about due to the bad things he had done to others. He changes that by writing a list of all the bad things, a debt list taking account of everything he ever did that was bad (I think the # was in the 200's) He starts with one item, and by the end of the show, he could cross it off his list.

So a guy who originally cast as a southern, unsophisticated gruff individual, becomes empathetic, thought provoking and tries to transform his own spirit. What do you know, and on tv??

I had to watch it and frankly I enjoyed it. It was really nice hearing how a judgmental, rude bully like character becomes responsible and accounts for his deeds. A worthy cause and maybe even an inspiring moment for the primetime tv people. I'll be watching, or at least interested in how this turns out...

paris in the mind

So following my last "down time" blog entry, I have found some time to read some excerpts from a cool book called Paris Mind. It is a compilation of various authors through time who have written about Paris in a way that evokes emotion, inspiration, sadness or laughter. A real nice book. I can't help but be reminded of my time there. Some may ask me, yeah whats so cool about Paris?? Its hard to describe.

I guess the best part for me is that there is a kind of atmosphere that is created no matter where you go, an atmosphere, completely unlike an American setting. (One without a brightly lit diner or a crowded barbecue.) Instead, the atmosphere can be calm, sophisticated and very filled with nuances and subtlety that gets lost in our crazy world here in the East coast. When I was in Paris, or even in France generally, I could always find a cool cafe with chairs positioned to watch the energy of people around me, living their life, all while I am sipping a coffee or drinking an soda and discussing topics about the world at large. Paris calms my soul, it feels so familiar to me. It is not a foreign city, nor is it the familiar frenetic yet energizing pace of NY city . I guess combining the views, the air, the Seine, the artists, perfomers, and oh the creperie stands! All these layers add to the beauty Paris with a backdrop of history and culture resulting in a richness I have rarely found in other places.

The obvious other factor is the people. Oh we have heard the American view, the political suppositions about the french. Despite the feelings that people have, I think it is not based on truth and reality. Maybe partly, but there is more to the french character that requires a closer examination. Based on my own recollection, there is a genuine curiousity that is a central part of daily conversations, it is open and yet passionate. It does not reflect ambivalence or fear. I loved it and felt at home there. It created an opening to cultural understanding, relgious philosphy and knowledge in general that is inspiring and invigorating. I will never forget the constant curious questions I received about "what is Bahai??" "how can humanity become one in this present state??" "how do we really become unified through diversity when so many racial issues exist?"

I'll have to order another cafe, and wait until my next journey to experience it once again.
Alors, d'une façon ou d'une autre...

down time

Hi all, trying to sort out some down time for myself...a writer told me to read, a wishful thinker told me to take a drive and get a babysitter without any notice, a magazine reader said I should shop more, and the person who wants to slow down from the world at large told me to watch tv...

its hard to take time off for myself when I feel like I'm just waiting for the next flight to take off, work, parenthood, etc. Oops just got interupted by daughter who needed to go potty. See??

Oh well, I'll write in my blog and maybe settle for a bath later tonight. Better yet, I'll check out some more music from iTunes. That is certainly one of the best areas on the world wide web today...so much music, selection, diversity and choices, from among the known billboard top 100's to the unknown backyard neighbor garage band. If you are interested in cool lounge alternative, check out autour de lucie a very cool french band.

Anyway, I will recoil from my fatigue and try to get some much needed rest and down time...at least until my next flight to Paris.

From New Orleans to the other side of the world

It is a sad state of affairs for the 200,000 people or more who have lost their way, lost their home, their sense of security, especially in a country where the bad things are never expected to happen and the word "refugee" does not conjure thoughts of stranded Americans.

I guess out of all difficulties and trials that we go through however, despite being full of bleaknesss, I hope and wish that these friends, brothers and sisters of ours from that area can find their way. I hope and wish that they will reclaim for themselves what they call home. I hope and wish for them that they can tell their children when they go to bed, that "everything again IS fine" really soon. I also hope that maybe somewhere they will discover their own little miracles, people who they never expected assistance from, will become like their own, like themselves caring about them as much as we do our own family.

At the end of the day, at the end of the drama, we are one human family after all, but it is so easy to forget it until these disasters land in our own backyard. Let us begin to think as we do during these times where the stranger becomes a friend and an enemy becomes a family member to do the same things that we do now tomorrow. After the disaster, after the help, after the security is gained again.

From one part of the world to the other...