What a gorgeous day it is!! I loved walking down the winding hilly roads surrounding the Junction, trying not to stare too much into the houses with their multitude of steps, so many that you imagine only young robust people could make it into their own house successfully. One house had a cool cabin-like feature that jutted out, almost like a treehouse! I’ve been trying to include a pic but WordPress is malfunctioning on my Macbook.
I just got back from a week in Ottawa, so I have lots of food now in my fridge and freezer from my Mom! Her enchiladas are the best. My brother and I had dinner one night at our cousin’s place – my aunt’s food is amazing too… and we had a heated discussion about refugee rights in Canada (I was out-numbered 5 to 1 – you can guess which side I was on!). Actually I shouldn’t assume the opinion of my youngest cousin as she didn’t say much! I joked to my brother later that I should’ve brought up the topic of reincarnation, then HE would’ve been outnumbered 5 to 1. Earlier in the day my brother and Dad and I had a debate about it. I shared my personal experience and how through meditation, I had affirmed that reincarnation is in fact real… they didn’t believe me. Sigh, what else is new! I think the day before one of them started a sentence with “Stephen Harper was the best prime minister Canada ever had….” LOL moments like that make me wonder which family I was implanted into. And my sister wasn’t even around for moral support!
Funny ‘coincidence’ that when I got back to T.O and I was catching up on emails, I saw in my Inbox an article from The Juggernaut, titled “Reincarnation: Myth or Reality” which describes the multitude of stories from Indian mythology and from children of current day that can acutely remember past lives.
Like most children, Shanti Devi began stringing sentences together when she was about 3. But unlike other kids, she didn’t talk about her toys or the things around her. Instead, the little girl spoke of people some 100 miles from her home in Delhi. She mentioned her husband, a cloth merchant who lived in Mathura: tall, fair, with a wart on his left cheek.
SUSHMITA PATHAK
Sometimes I really do wish I was living in a past life, so not to witness the atrocities of the world today. With all the talk of spirituality and living in the present moment, it is difficult to acknowledge the amount of pain and suffering in the world in this current time, in this very moment. I try to connect with people that are doing good work, and also try not to get bogged down by negative emotions. Today I read that the Taliban re-instituted the public flogging and stoning of women for adultery. Are we living in the stone ages? (pardon the pun). There are two amazing books out right now by pioneers of women’s rights that I look forward to reading: Power Shift: The Longest Revolution by Canadian journalist Sally Armstrong, and Outspoken: My Fight for Freedom and Human Rights in Afghanistan by Dr. Sima Samar (and co-written with Sally Armstrong). Sally Armstrong was writing stories about women from across the globe from year 2000, before anyone even wanted to hear them. I attended one of her talks at a small lounge on King West years ago – she is fabulous.
I just finished the book I Should Have Honor by Khalida Brohi, and it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read!! I feel like I love her and I don’t even know her. In her quest to change tradition in rural Pakistan, she defies her father over and over again, which breaks her heart because he is also her best friend and the person who stood up for her in her youth and refused to let her be married at a young age. But rebellion is in Khalida’s spirit, and later in his old age her father describes how despite his fears, he doesn’t want anyone to dim her light. He rejects the ‘perfect man’ for her, who she had decided to marry to please her family. Her father says no – he can sense that she doesn’t really love him. She ends up marrying the love of her life, David, an Italian-American who ceremoniously converts to Islam. They now run a cute Chai shop in Sedona, Arizona and continue their work on programs to empower women.
I’m happy that the comedy show and silent auction for Sahiyo that I was part of raised over 13K USD! It was so nice of my friends and family to get tickets, even those that couldn’t attend.
Yesterday I went to a comedy show at Arstcape, an artist’s haven and educational centre near Trinity Bellwoods Park. Not your usual venue for stand-up comedy, but it worked perfectly. Everyone was hilarious. Sima Sepehri was the headliner, she made some jokes about her Persian culture and said that God gave her a voice for a reason. To be outspoken. Loose with her words. I can definitely relate to that! I made a new friend, this girl named Princess who was sitting beside me. We bonded over the fear of public speaking and also how great it is to step out of your comfort zone and do something different for an evening.
Ok this coffee shop I’m at is closing soon so I should probably shut down. Hope you had a great Easter weekend!
She's Come Undone 