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INTRODUCTION
Just Breathe

By Neda Najibi
April 2001
The Iranian

Did you know that everyone is where we were, are and will be?

We often think our experiences are ours alone and no one person can ever truly understand what we've been through and what we're going through. Often times, our yesterdays are laughed at, and we can't believe we thought and felt the way we did. But we did, and that is part of growth.

In an attempt to shed light on this area of life, which is love, allow me to introduce to you Just Breathe, a story created to show you that the more you endure in life the more knowledgeable you become. Your hardships are gifts and should be confronted as such.

Sure, this is easier said than done for some, but to those who believe this is merely a confirmation. Life is NOT difficult. People make it difficult.

Have you ever asked why you're here on earth? Sure you have. We have a hunger to seek answers. We want to know our purpose among many other things we are constantly seeking for those answers.

I concluded that the best way to peel back this layer of the unanswered is to share with you life stories of four particular couples whose names I have changed for privacy purposes.

Since I'm an Iranian and have been raised in the United States practically all of my life (shy of one year) I felt it imperative to share stories of couples whom at least one partner is an Iranian because of personal choice and the fact that no writer has explored this area.

Here are the names and the nationalities of the four couples:

First Couple
Hengameh - Iranian woman
Sirus - Iranian man

Second Couple
Mahtab - Iranian woman
Luke - African American man

Third Couple
Sonya - American woman
Darius - Iranian man

Fourth Couple
Mona - Iranian woman
Akef - Arabian man

You will learn about their careers, their education, where they met, their conflicts, their interests and how they are going towards their destiny.

There are going to be many prejudices, several stereotypes, an insurmountable amount of situations embracing lovemaking in many forms, and the core of it all is the essence, the existence, the realization and the necessity of love.

Okay now just breathe and relax, to what is about to be a journey into lives that you will most definitely relate to, get inspired by, possibly raise a flag, cause emotional distress or not, make you feel better about your decision with your own life choices, as well as give you a sense of you're-not-in-this-alone and most importantly that life is EASY!

About the writer

Neda Najibi was born in Tehran, Iran on December 31, 1966. She moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1969 with her parents and two older sisters and one older brother and began writing at age thirteen.

She attended Phillip Rogers Elementary in Chicago and graduated from Evanston Township High School in Evanston. She moved to California shortly thereafter and graduated from California State University Northridge in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism.

She produced and wrote for KCSN Radio where they received the Edward R. Murrow Award for her coverage of Ross Perot's visit to Los Angeles. She was a contributing writer for the Daily Sundial where she covered the O.J. Simpson verdict and aftermath and was an intern for KCBS-TV.

She moved to Hawaii in 1996 where she worked and became a freelance entertainment reporter. After one year she moved to Austin, Texas where she holds two jobs. Neda currently works for Dell Computer Corporation and works part-time at KLBJ-AM News radio (ABC) as their weekend Anchor/Reporter.

She worked part time as an assistant producer for Consumer News for KEYE-TV (CBS) from 1997 through May of 2000.

Within the writing community, Neda hosted a monthly poetry venue titled "EXPRESSIONS - a night of rhythm and rhyme" which premiered in January of 1999 and passed on this venue which still receives many diverse people who share their poetry with fellow poets in Austin.

Among her contributions in the poetry society she wrote a poem in Japanese titled 'Unity' and opened for Maya Angelou in February of 1999. She participates in several community volunteer programs and has received numerous awards and acknowledgements for her contributions.

She received an acknowledgement from then Texas Governor George W. Bush for keeping Iranian traditions alive in Austin and for her volunteer efforts in the community.

From a friend

In 1994 I had the opportunity to meet Neda Najibi, someone who has become one of my most treasured friends.

We met at the University of Texas at San Antonio where she attended as a National Exchange Student prior to graduating from California State University Northridge with a Bachelors of Arts in Journalism.

Neda is a woman with great purpose. She is charismatic, intelligent, witty, and holds a tremendous value for living ethically and morally. Neda's two greatest inspirations in life are her parents. She holds a deep love and respect for her family.

Her father is a regal international businessman who speaks thirteen languages. Her beautiful mother takes great pride in her children and grandchildren. Neda has two older sisters and two older brothers, one, which passed away at the age of six months.

Poetry is deep within Neda's soul. She's been writing since 1979 and began reciting her work in high school. Neda's talent has positioned her in the lime light as a guest poet on a Los Angeles television program.

And if that isn't enough, Neda has self-published three books of which display her heart, her passions and her talents.

Enjoy Just Breathe as it will prove to give a unique insight into this especially gifted and precious woman.

Paige Johnson-Hunter

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