Naw Ruz

It's Naw Ruz! Happy Naw Ruz to all my friends around the world :) How else can I say that I'm completely blessed and thankful for everything in my life besides thanking God for providing me with it all?  I am so happy to have come to a place in my life that I can recognize that renewal is a concept that every soul needs to recognize. Without the ability to revitalize your spirit, one will always be holding onto something that is longer there.  Whether it is a positive attribute or a negative one, life is a process that is progressing and should not be entirely considered based on past thoughts, not an understanding through learning from the past. Today should have been the time to reflect, learn, and plan! Here I go!

The Fast of Heart, Mind, Soul, and Body

Fasting has begun!  There is so much different this fasting season than the year before.  First, obviously I'm not in my hometown with all the familiar friends and faces that light up my life in the states.  Although, I got some pretty good ones in company now (I am blessed.), but it continues to be a struggle to start from a new place.  I set out on my journey across seas to find my path of service to humanity and instead I am finding out what humility true means.  The self can not be even an inkling in your mind when you want to do something for mankind.  I have learned that I must burn away those veils between myself and God with passion and prayer and focus on the Kingdom we are all here to build.

For others personal written and photographic reflection on each of the nineteen days of The Fast, please take a quick peek at http://nineteendays.wordpress.com/ . You'll enjoy it. I promise.

The friends that were helping building the foundation of my faith are people I hold so dear to my heart, but in the same time it's time to put on the hat of project manager and take true ownership of who I am.  I love learning with others, it's such a great way of exploring ourselves and discovering the hidden gems that we all possess. There are so many things in life you could never manage to find without the help of others - that great tea bar in that small part of town, or the great view from a hill you've never had the chance to see, but most important is to be  reflective.

At times, I get to a point where I become so comfortable with someone that I wear my heart on my sleeve. All my emotions are game for expression.  What a bad habit to start.  I have learned that sometimes who must keep things to oneself for reflection between you and God.  When you can find that one friend to open up to, you can express your opinion free of judgement, that's when you know you found a best friend for life.  So much growth occurs between friends, so much spiritual renewal and understanding... and what a better time to expand these relationships than during The Fast?  So potent a time, so special the days, it's limited and we must learn to take hold of every minute of it and experience it.