Style & Serenity

The Spirit of Giving

December 12th, 2014

It’s a wonderful time of the year, filled with family, friends and holiday cheer. All of us are busy running around shopping for gifts for our loved ones. We love to see the excitement on our children’s faces as they open up their gifts. It’s also a great time to teach them to give to others. I always speak to my daughter about how fortunate she is whenever she complains about something frivolous. Being an Afghan-American, I constantly speak to her about the children of Afghanistan and how much they are suffering. They would give anything to live in a comfortable house, have something to eat every day and be loved and taken care of.

Recently I told her about my friend David Mason and how he lives every day of his life giving to the children of Afghanistan. I met David almost twelve years ago when I took a trip to Afghanistan. He had left his career as a dancer in Denmark just a year before I met him and began the Afghan Educational Circus for children. Thirteen years later he is still living there. His circus, performs live shows for millions of children all over the war torn country. His performers get a sense of accomplishment and at the same time help put smiles on the faces of children that have grown used to death, destruction and poverty. His theatre pieces range from teaching good hygiene to landmine awareness to peace education.

The MMCC (Mobile Mini Circus for Children) are trying to organize a winter program for over 500 underprivileged children this January and February in Kabul and Bamyan.

For those two months, the children will be safe from the cold and bitterness of the winter. They’ll learn English, computers and different artistic, social and life skills. That’s something that they then can take back to their families and communities.

If everyone who reads this blog makes a small donation toward the winter program we can make a significant impact to over 500 children in Afghanistan. Every year many children freeze to death in the country.

Log on to this website and give what you can to raise money for this very worthy cause. Not many of us can be like my friend David. He is a very special kind of human being. Every single one of us can make a difference.

Get into the giving spirit and help a child in need. Just log onto www.igg.me/at/Afghanistan and give what you can.

https://www.indiegogo.com/project/cheerful-snowman/embedded

For more information on David Mason’s Mobile Mini Circus for Children, just log onto www.AfghanMMCC.org

Your children will learn to be compassionate and giving human beings by following your lead. They mirror us in every way.

Happy Holidays to us all. I’ll use a quote from Wayne Dyer, a man I admire and am lucky enough to have met several times. “We need to see that we are a collective, thinking of ourselves as separate from others, we lose the power of our Source and diminish the whole of humanity.”

Turmeric, it’s not just any spice.

December 3rd, 2014

Turmeric is a spice used to add color and flavor to your meal and it has some amazing healing powers. Both the Chinese and Indians use it as medicine. It’s used to treat everything from liver problems, depression, bursitis, inflammation and stiffness related to rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. It’s also used as a cleansing agent and a digestive aid in India. There’s not always much research to back up all it’s alleged benefits. Here’s what we know about the seasoning.

Several recent studies show that it HAS anti-inflammatory properties and that it modifies immune system responses. A study done about eight years ago showed turmeric was more effective at preventing joint inflammation than reducing joint inflammation.

A clinical trial found that a turmeric supplement called Meriva provided long-term improvement in pain and function in a hundred patients with knee osteoarthritis. On the flip side, high doses of it can act as a blood thinner.

Some Great Ways to take Turmeric

Turmeric root can be eaten plain. Just wash it, peel the skin off and you can eat it raw or eat it in your salad.
The powder can also be added to your salad dressing use it in your soup, make it a creamy dip by mixing it with dried onion, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.
You can use fresh turmeric root with other fresh fruits and vegetables and make it a delicious and healthy smoothie.

Turmeric used for cosmetic purposes

Turmeric is effective in treating acne because of its antiseptic and antibacterial properties.
Turmeric face mask helps to clear acne scars and inflammation.
Mix turmeric powder and sandalwood powder and lemon juice. Apply it on your face for 10 minutes and rinse off with lukewarm water. For acne scars, apply a mixture of turmeric and plain water on the marks for 15 minutes. For oily skin mix 1 ½ tablespoons of sandalwood powder and a pinch of ground turmeric with 3 tablespoons of orange juice and leave it on your face for 10 to 15 minutes and rinse off with lukewarm water.
For dry skin combine 1 egg white, 2 drops of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, rose water and a pinch of turmeric. Apply it to your face, neck, elbow, knees and let it dry. Wash it off with warm water.
You can use turmeric to heal your cracked heels. Apply 3 spoons of turmeric with a few drops of coconut oil on your heels for 10 to 15 minutes before taking a bath. If you do it regularly it will help soften your heels..
Turmeric with milk also treats skin conditions like poison ivy, eczema and soriasis.
Mix turmeric and olive oil and apply it on your scalp for 15 minutes before taking a shower to treat dandruff and other scalp issues like dermatitis, eczema that can lead to itchy, flaky skin, inflammation and thinning hair.

You can buy Turmeric powder or fresh organic turmeric root.The powder should be kept in tightly sealed container and stored in a cool dry. Fresh turmeric should be placed in the refrigerator.

Motherhood

November 28th, 2014

I thank God every day for giving me the gift of motherhood.

It has taught me to become more patient, loving and compassionate.

It has taught me to put someone else’s needs before mine.

It has helped me appreciate my parents more.

It has helped me grow as an individual.

I have learned to see the world in another light.

I have become more optimistic, spiritual and calm.

I know that we are in this world for a purpose.

I think that our purpose is to serve others.

For now I will start by serving my family.

Give Thanks!

November 26th, 2014

It’s that time of the year when we gather with our loved ones to share a Thanksgiving meal. For many of us, Thanksgiving means feasting on massive amounts of food, four-day weekends, football games, floats, family reunions, or a forerunner to Christmas festivities.

While we are busy doing all the cooking and celebrating, lets not forget to be thankful. Last Thanksgiving, I lost a very special person in my life. My beautiful friend Josephine, one of the kindest, most generous people I have ever met passed away. She was one of those people that made everyone she came in contact with feel special and loved. I’m not sure she knew this even though I had told her repeatedly how amazing she was, but she was someone that really impacted my life. I’ve learned some great lessons from her, even after her death. I strive to be like her and my mother whom I am lucky to have. Josephine was so filled with love. So rich with kindness. Her three beautiful daughters remain heartbroken but filled with her never ending love. I spent Thanksgiving last year broken hearted for her loss. Although it’s one of my favorite holidays, there are so many loved ones that are gone that come to mind during this time. I can wallow in my sadness but instead I choose to focus on the present and cherish the ones that I have with me.

Ever since my daughter can read and write, we’ve been writing a grateful list on Thanksgiving. This is a practice we try to do weekly but it’s a must on Thanksgiving. This year, we will try a new way of being thankful. We plan on writing a grateful note to each member of our family. Now you may think, “that’s a lot of writing” and it is, but sometimes you have to sit, think and put pen to paper in order to really realize just how much you have.

Maybe you can do something similar with your family. This year when you gather with loved ones, try to pay attention to who is sitting around you instead of what’s on the table. Focus on how fortunate you are to share a meal with your family and friends. Take the time to tell them how much they mean to you. Really, look at what you have!

We live in the most amazing country, so be thankful. Most of us have a warm house to shelter us from the cold, our refrigerator is stocked with food. We’ve got running water, a TV in almost every room, warm showers and our closets are bursting with clothes.
Yet many of us still want more. We want bigger homes, better cars. We feel envious of others who seem to have it all. If you take time to really look into what makes you happy you realize that you have it all. Don’t compare yourself with others, you don’t know what is going on in their lives. You have everything that you need and that’s what you have to realize.

It’s not about the things you have, it’s about the ones you love.

It’s about the moments of happiness that you experience with your family.

A pillow fight with your child, a phone call to a good friend, the one you can tell your secrets to. I’ve got a few of those and I cherish them.

I also have an amazing cousin and sister I can fight with, yell at and despite it all, I know that they will always be there for me.

My husband is the person that always cushions my falls. Laughs at me when I am ridiculously angry and irrational. Loves me despite the fact that I have gained weight!

My parents provide me with unconditional love and guidance to this day. I’m blessed to have them both.

The love and protection of my siblings, my sister’s in law.

The adoration of my child.

My health and the health of my loved ones.

These are my greatest reasons to be thankful. I’m sure you have your own list.
Find a quiet place, take in your surroundings and be thankful.
Happy Thanksgiving!

A gesture of kindness

November 11th, 2014

Last night I had a friend drag me out to an event I was not planning to attend. The past couple of weeks have been a very tough time for me. I’ve been going through a health scare with my mother and various other things. I’ve also come to certain realizations that are going to change my life dramatically. Suffice it to say that I have not been in a very social mood. Nonetheless my beautiful friend insisted that I go out for the evening and it was just what I needed!

My friends kindness made me think about how we impact each other as human beings. I thought about another girlfriend who has been going through an equally rough time with her father’s health. How can I help her? What can I do to bring her a moment of joy? A gesture that may seem so small can make a big difference.

Life can present us with many challenges. It’s easy to be caught up with our own pain and problems. Each one of us have our own story, our own journey in life. We are all so wrapped up in our own lives that sometimes we miss what’s going on in the lives of others around us.

Pain, fear, grief, loss, loneliness, depression, we’ve all gone through some of these feelings. Perhaps experiencing these emotions helps us feel compassion for others. It also reminds us what we can do. So look around you, maybe it’s your neighbor, an acquaintance, a friend, a sister or even a spouse. Take time today, this week or this month to look closer and lend an ear or a shoulder for someone to lean on.

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I’m thankful for my friend Sine for encouraging me to go out. She helped me forget my worries for a few hours. It was the first time I had laughed in weeks. Thank you Sine for your love and friendship!

Do you know someone in your life that may be in need of a kind gesture? Ask yourself how you can help. Think of it as a kindness that you can do and then they can pay it forward.

What do you think? Make a comment, tell a friend, share my blog. Pay it forward.

The Spirit of Giving

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Turmeric, it’s not just any spice.

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Motherhood

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Give Thanks!

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A gesture of kindness

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