The optimism of No-Rooz
In my imagination,
I replaced the girls' dark veils with a tiara of pride and in
place of dark
beards the successful young men wore bright smiles
February 16, 2005
iranian.com
Indeed, whence in spring do so many colorful designs appear?
No one knows.
Wisdom is mystified that out of the dark dirt a pure and happy
flower grows
-Gha'ani
Once again, I open my window to let the No-Rooz
air rush in along with memories of a lifetime. Although for
sometime neither
my feasts have felt like a feast
nor my new years proven so new, I can't deny the magic of spring. A magic
that, regardless of a thousand broken promises, still makes me believe in the
pledge for a better tomorrow. For years No-Rooz has brought me its shallow
promises and false hopes, but I keep telling myself that this
year will be different and
perhaps this spring will be true to its word. I push the sorrows aside and
prepare to greet No-Rooz.
A few days ago, I had to go on a short trip. Along
the way, I was astounded by the green mountainsides and the colorful
wild
flowers on the prairies. It was
as if by magic the dry desert had transformed into paradise. Southern California,
which in the absence of rain is nothing but arid land, has all of a sudden
become a green meadow that reminds me of the shores of the Caspian.
I could not fathom
how the seeds of so many flowers could survive for years, waiting for rain.
I
remembered a similar incident reported a few years ago in Australia. After
an unexpected rainy season, the planes that flew over the arid
lands saw miles
of wild flowers. When the photographs of that breathtaking view were published,
the secret of nature's survival amazed the world.
Now I was looking at that same
phenomenon. I reduced my speed and for the first
time enjoyed Highway 5.
To see such resilience in flowers, reminded me
of the young generation of Iranians: Millions of beautiful blossoms
who await better
conditions to bloom, seeds waiting
for rain, a bright day awaiting the sunrise. In my mind's eyes I saw the
day they would bloom and how it would baffle the world. In my imagination,
I replaced the girls' dark veils with a tiara of pride and in
place of dark
beards the successful young men wore bright smiles. Then I prayed so hard for
them, I had no doubt God heard me!
Once more we feel the spring fever, once more
we follow the old tradition to see the good omen in the vernal equinox, and
yes, once more we ask God for a
better tomorrow. We open our windows to another spring and, though for just
one day, banish all sadness from our hearts.
 No matter where we are or how we celebrate the day, at
that optimistic moment of "tahveel", our hearts will be together.
For that one moment, the distances will disappear, sorrows will
be forgotten and broken bonds will find
new strength. And, we know that in one of the many remaining tomorrows, blossoms
of joy shall bloom in the dormant dessert of our hearts >>> Saal-tahvil
hours around the world
.................... Peef
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