On Stories Before Naw-Ruz: My grandmother would be inside laughing

Two moving vignettes from Chandra, one recent, one not so. -gw

The fast is on its third day before Naw Ruz enters our homes with her eyes brimming with Spring. My mother and I wake up every morning quarter to seven. I make us tea to share, she eats eggs on toast, I eat toast with fig jam and tahini. We sit across from each other at the small table by the window and I pull stories from between her lips of my childhood. My favorite ones are from age three. I used to dance and sing on the balcony, and afterwards bow and thank an imaginary crowd as she would walk to her dance class across the street, meanwhile my grandmother would be inside laughing.

Chandra, Sunday, March 04, 2007, tras la ventana

"teepee,"uploaded on September 25, 2006

by hialoakapua on flickr

My uncle Earl has passed away due to complications with diabetes on wednesday at 12:30 p.m. He had long braids that went to his waist with leather tied at the ends, a cowboy hat and boots, bone necklace button up cowboy shirt, a real pow wow man. At the stampede the Europeans would take pictures of him and he'd laugh about it later, 'All these white people must think I live in a teepee all year round!" He was always joking, even when I first met him when I was three years old he played tricks on me, ... but I always liked him. He was very charismatic.

He was also prominent member of both the Baha'i and Aboriginal community.This is going to be my first Baha'i funeral.

I feel wierd because I am going to Haifa Israel on pilgrimage in his place. I just feel wierd altogether. It hasn't sunken in at all. I made the choice to not be sad rather remember that he is with our ancestors now and is with us in the metaphysical sense. Everytime someone I know dies I feel like the phsyical barrier that was between us before has been broken and they can see into my soul. I've called on them all before, I feel them with me during difficult times. I can almost hear them. It's strange to have more of a relationship with someone after they've passed away more than when they were alive. It feels like cool hands on guilts feverish forhead or a moth eaten blanket.

Chandra, Friday, November 24, 2006, tras la ventana