Some might say Damon and I have an unconventional relationship, and not for the obvious reason- I was raised Muslim and he Jewish. Our uniqueness, and I believe strength, comes from the fact that we allow one another to have deep and powerful relationships with other human beings or soul mates. "...
At one time, young adults threatened their parents to “run away with the circus” during their hormonal-filled teen years. I wish they had. They would have found a community, nay a family that looks after one another, supports each other, argues and bickers just like all families, and loves just as deeply. A Circus family is full of tears and smiles, triumphs and turmoil, heart-wrenching injuries and gut wrenching saves, all mixed in with lots of love. No matter where you turn: on stage, behind the curtain, in the Roust corner, behind the bleachers, in the Director’s area, in the hole,...
I have a secret- I can slow down time during times of stress and turmoil but most importantly during moments of great love and light. I control the moment to fit my need. I don’t just take a mental photograph. I hold that moment for an infinite amount of time until it exists permanently, etched in my heart, engrained in my mind for a lifetime. That moment resonates long after it has passed, reminding me of why I am here, why we are all here. The holidays bring with them an onslaught of light and joy, over-stimulation of the senses; it...
Some of my favorite people on this Earth were born during the month of February: my two brothers, two of my best friends, and my twin sons. They are all spectacular human beings who have played a hand in me being the woman I am today, but one above all others has been my saving grace- Sarim Bhai. Sarim and I are 15 months apart, born to a child bride whose marriage was arranged by her aunt to the neighbor’s divorced son, father of two, and under a misunderstanding to say the least. Once anyone on either side of my family...
All families harbor secrets. If you are fortunate enough to belong to a tribe, whether blood related or by choice, there is a time where you gain a kernel of knowledge that can consume your entire existence- if you allow it. The elders’ hushed tones when I walked into the room were always a sign of an adult conversation. Having arrived in America less than a year, there wasn’t much to discuss but a single topic that weighed on my khandan (tribe) like the heavy, bleak winter season that we had barely managed to survive. While wrapped in secrecy and bone-chilling...