Drumboy On the Move

The Magic of Kindness

2012-01-27T14:04:00.000-08:00

We've traveled so far from Gainesville to Tallahassee, all the way to Pensacola, back to Gainesville via Navarre, and now Atlanta-GA where we are getting ready for a cozy evening of a musical presentation.

Along the way, its been very clear the power of kindness, genuine support, love and encouragement we've received in all the places. No matter the crowd, the diversity of circumstances nor the level of intimacy we have with the communities, there have been a constant show of kindness beyond words.

Musical Road Trip

2012-01-23T19:53:00.000-08:00

Photo Courtesy of Cristina Cabezas Eury. Munirih Sparrow and Gustaff @ Gainesville Baha'i Center

It began with a Facebook message from a friend, then to Facebook connections, emails, Skype, and finally phone calls, that led to this musical journey which has begun on such a good footing.

Two musicians (I from Cameroon) and Munirih Sparrow from Canada, who had never met each other, and I dare say never heard of each other until a few weeks back when our travel itinerary was being put together, are able to go on stage and share a magical moment, a conversation of hearts to hearts in an environment of complete awe and enthusiastic support. That is the power of belief, the allure of the language of music.

Gainesville-Florida was a wonderful beginning to this journey that will take us from Florida to California, a veritable sprint of performance schedule, an avenue of spiritual and personal development and a glorious opportunity to share with the world the one thing we know and do best: playing music to awaken spirits, uplift hearts and inspire souls.

Its an endeavor sincerely calling on those we meet to examine our path of service to humanity, share in our joys and wonder of the source of our inspiration and join in the desire and efforts to transform humanity, sharing a vision that speaks to the higher ideals of every illumined soul.

This musical road trip we will share with our family, friends, fans and loved ones who are not able to travel with us using avenues of communication available to us. Hence this blog will be one of those avenues where you can become acquainted with the developments, happenings and excitements of our travel.

Please have us in your prayers and loving thoughts.

As always your encouragement and great support is the lifeblood of what we do.

Stay tuned, stay connected.

Tallahassee here we come...

Believer

2011-10-14T01:44:00.000-07:00

I am not an Angel or a Saint
Nor does that make a Devil or Satan
I am a Believer,
In the transforming power of Goodness

Woman's World?

2011-09-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

Bound by unfairness and fear, she has no place to go
She is been trampled by those who dread her inner light
To crush her spirit they’ve killed or buried her children alive
Her nakedness frightens, prompts obsession and insanity, they say.
If she raises her voice the world will hear her, so they silence her
Keep her shut and imprisoned,
She is given no freedom, no space of her own,
She is trained to be submissive, shy, and dependent and to become the best slave,
We are slaves to ourselves; others have expanded their prisons to engulf the rest of us

“She is a woman,” they say,
In alleys and hallways, smoked filled rooms, in brick mortar houses, at round table discussions, in upscale offices and in lavish resorts; they decide her fate while she sits on a street corner begging for change, begging for her life.
Her ailing infant knows no taste of breast milk,
Fountains of life dried out;
Malnutrition and enslavement besiege her frail body like a drought-affected-vine of the Sahara desert.

She works day and night to keep the fire burning from a little wood pile of which she had risked rape and abuse to get miles and kilometers away. A bottle of water is a luxury she stumbles on through the struggles of a stranger who cared to sympathize.
Is this her fate, is this her way of life and is she to accept this reality?
Are we to say this is her reality?

She was born under unlucky stars, so the god's have proclaimed?
Given for money, given to bring forth more children, given away not to shame the family name.
She is given away
Free labor for a man's every pleasure and desire, she is given.
Belabor her every nerve, let her not see the dreams of her soul, or let her light shine.
We care not for what she has to contribute, we care but for what she has to do for us,
After all, she is a mother, a wife, a sister, and a caregiver.

She is supposed to be the resource that satisfies our every whim,
Our prostitute who fulfills our outrageous fantasies,
She’s been coaxed to believe she is a gratification bowl to wash our faces,
She has to toil in the fields and in every other harsh working site to feed our bellies,
She is expected to tame our egos,
Bolster our righteousness,
And above all she is to blame for our failures, headaches and heartaches.

Are we mindful of her dreams, when her views are unwelcomed in the midst of thinkers, visionaries and those who inspire?
Who is she to have a say in the prosperity of humankind? Is been the centuries old question.
Who is she to challenge our world view?
Who is she to articulate her plight?
She is a woman and thus is believed to be her world?

Stories are stories

2011-03-28T19:05:00.000-07:00

Untold Stories

She raises her hand in prayer
And asks for things to help reach her peak
Where are the roads, the cleared up paths?
Her eyes beaming the sufferings she’d known
The struggles she has endured
Her child on a worn out cloth,
Weeping eyes dried of tears
Her stomach begs for survival far from sustenance
Is she to cry or crawl under a wasted sheet
Where hope is in drops of hydration?

A beggar in tattered clothes leans on a brick wall
And asks for loose change
A passerby sighs at such a sight
Offers pennies and signs on for pity’s sake
Others spite such circumstances which bear no resemblance
To a well developed society
A little girl in pretty clothes asks her father
Are these the forgotten?

A young boy plays in the dust,
His brother ravaging through waste searching for treasure in a refuse dump,
on the hillside in a city clamoring in boom and growth.
Jungle of concrete sprout its head in every corner, tangling its citizens, amplifying vapid lives.

A young man begs for the days of spring
And wish for stars to brighten up the sky.
A little girl ponders the job of a soldier aunt that serves its queen.
A mother smiles at the warmth of a fireplace
A father looks out across the meadow and contemplates
A writer sits in an unknown corner ready
To write untold stories.

The Light in You

2010-07-21T22:42:00.000-07:00

Let the light of your face, mirror a thousand words
And the presence of your being, a solace of hearts
May the ages of wisdom come alive in your existence
So that your charm, and your beauty
Be as a divine rose,
Nourished by tenderness of the Master Gardener

“I offer you peace. I offer you love. I see your beauty.”

Let your gentle smiles light up the world
And may your works lighten the burden
Of every tired soul
With each step, and with each song,
Let it echo in the souls of all...

“I offer you peace. I offer you love. I see your beauty.”

Mother

2010-05-08T23:28:00.000-07:00

In celebration of Mothers, Happy Mother's Day.

Mother

Days have passed and years gone by
That make memories grow with every passing day
So wise and precious, I say
I am your child who'll forever come by
To thank you for being my mother ever so lovely

She

2010-02-17T11:46:00.000-08:00

She is lovely and she is bright
She makes me laugh and dry my tears
She is the one I dream of and who makes my dreams come true
She is, and she was

A woman, once a girl with high hopes
A woman, once a girl who knew no limits
A woman, the daughter of a man who knew the value of a Woman
Today she stands as a beacon of light, making the world a better place

I wish I could say so for all her sisters all over the world.

Accomplished Individual

2010-01-10T12:05:00.000-08:00

Accomplished is a word I have been thinking of lately, or let me say could not sleep last night because that word kept buzzing in my head, and showed up in my dreams. Oh what a sweet dream.

Who is an accomplished individual? Someone of great achievements? The worth of an accomplishment, is that on face value or the story of the individual matters more?

Lets look at Mary and Jane my fictional Love interests, and lets say an Accomplished lady in academics is what I am looking for. Someone with an equivalent or higher degree.

Stunning Mary and Jane walks into a room in good spirit and smiling faces. As soon as they introduce themselves by name, the next question I have for them is "What degrees are you working on?" Well its a student environment so pardon my rudeness.

Jane is working on a Bachelors degree in Computer sciences. Mary on the other hand is a Ph.D student in Chemical Engineering, specifically Catalysis. My accomplishment light bulb goes on. Whom do you think I will fall for? The obvious candidate is Mary, so I invite her to a corner, we sit down and converse on chemical elements, organic chemistry, and the importance of chemistry in our daily lives. She enlightens me on catalysis, her projects and why she decided to study chemical engineering.

We say our goodbyes and looking forward to meet again.By evenings end I have learned about Mary:
-Brilliant and very studious, has always been a straight A student
- Her parents are Physicians ( A Surgeon and a Pediatrician)
-They had set-up a college fund for her. She got fantastic scholarship opportunities.
-She is a hardworking lady and has very specific and lofty goals to achieve.
-She has traveled the world and worked for a prestigious company before deciding to pursue a higher degree in chemical engineering.

On the way home,dandy and happy, I tell my friend Fred about Mary and he tells me about Jane:
-Jane's parents divorced when she was 12.Her mother died when she was 20.
-She worked odd jobs for a while and finally got a stable job as an assistant teacher.
-She is a brilliant student but not straight A's student
-Finally got a scholarship to study in College after three years of trying.
-Her biggest dream is to teach computer sciences at a Community College.

Now back to that word Accomplishment, an Accomplished individual. How does it play out with Jane and Mary now? Will this keep me up another night, with another sweet dream?

Numbers and Letters

2009-12-06T14:04:00.000-08:00

1, 2, and 3...
I think these numbers mean something
I look into them
A, B,and C...
I think these letters make sense
I look for them
After all everything I know has to do with numbers and letters
So I count in numbers
And say in letters
and find meaning in Numbers and Letters.

Reality?

2009-11-16T10:23:00.000-08:00

I am a man of many faces
Have been to so many places
And seen so many faces
Sad on smiles and smiles of sadness
I was born to die and die to be born again
If everything between my birth and death is an illusion
Why do I keep chasing my fantasies?
Is there a hidden truth in them
Or I my a ghost after its own shadow?
I hide from my dreams only to realize I have been sleeping all these while.

Shadows

2009-08-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

Sometime ago, I was thinking about the suffering of mankind and I wanted to write something about it. Music being the best way I express myself, I decided to pen down the words for a sad/contemplative song. The image of a suffering little girl to me epitomizes the heartlessness that mankind can lay upon itself, also women and children especially young girls bare the brunt of the adversities afflicting humanity.

The words are:

Patterns in circles (There are)
Stories in lines (There are)
Everywhere I go I see these shadows on the wall

She leans on a shattered wall
Half-light on her face
Mother, Father, Sister and Brother
Lifeless on the floor

A painful tear on a tender face
Whose eyes have seen the worst of days

From a place of emptiness:
Is there a chance for hope to stay?

I have solicited the help of an amazing pianist Afshin Toufighian- http://www.afshin.us to work on the song.
From the little we've done, he gets the emotion behind the imagery. We've not decided on what to do with the song once its complete apart from making it available to people in some form.
If you have ideas please share. Your input is highly valued.

Shade of Blue

2009-08-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

Shades of blue, shades of green, shades of emerald blue
Velvet clothe in white, bathe by the sun in yellow tan
Blazed red magenta highlights that shade hidden in the shadows of blue.

Salue!!!!

2009-05-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I penned a few words. I have been busy trying to get myself back up and running. For those who are healthy please appreciate your health and take great care of yourself. Be Healthy, be Happy and live life to the fullest.

I my recovered yet? No, but there are great improvements and I hope I find out what is going on. However I am learning some interesting abilities of my body.

How grateful and thankful I am to those who've been and continue to be of tremendous support and encouragement is beyond words. May your lives be filled with abundance and great blessings.

Looking forward to sharing with you the latest projects:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/gbphaay
(The music CD collaboration with Ali Youssefi and Pam Hill)

"Isn't She Something?"- The novel which will be available soon,sometime in June.

Wish you well and let the charms of Happiness Grace your lives.
Salue!!!

Update on Gustaff's Health

2009-04-12T14:11:00.000-07:00

Update on Gustaff’s Health

Beloved Friends,
Good day!!

First, let me extend heartfelt Thanks for your continued prayers, support, and best wishes for my recovery. I am truly grateful.

After many tests, we’ve not determined the cause of my illness. At this point I am turning to alternative medicine for some solutions, more on that on the next update.

Most of the symptoms have improved. I am able to go for walks everyday (30-45 minutes), exercise at the gym three times a week, and spend about 10- 15 minutes on the computer without irritation as was the case before.

I still suffer from total exhaustion and fatigue. Mental concentration is much improved but not to optimal.

As the shortness of this note indicates, I still cannot type as fast as I used to and it takes me longer than usual to do anything from brushing my teeth, taking a bath or helping out.

I am glad for the improvements thus far and pray that I learn, be strong and come out of this a transformed person with a better appreciation for Health.

Additionally there has been tremendous progress in the production of the new CD and Book I had been working with some friends and I am looking forward to sharing those with you very soon, hopefully by the end of the month for the CD and sometime in May for the book.

I am in Florida recovering.

Please do keep me in your prayers and I truly cherish your Loving Support.
-Gustaff Besungu (http://www.gustaffmusic.com/ )

PS. For those who did not know I was sick herewith are some of the symptoms I had been under since October 2008

-Muscle weakness, from lower to upper extremities (could hardly walk)
-Skin irritation, rash on my hands
-Fatigue and exhaustion
-Poor Vision, could not read for more than ten minutes without feeling weak
-Coughing, shortness of breath, panic attacks, sleeplessness
-Frequent urination.
-Irregular diarrhea, upset stomach and constipation
- I could not do anything without the assistance of someone e.g. putting on a jacket.
-Holding a cup of tea was a task
-The feeling of loss of sensation of certain parts of my body, especially on the left side.
All these after I was diagnosed of acute bronchitis and took some medication for it.

Tiny Planet

2008-09-24T07:59:00.000-07:00

When you hear the words Tiny Planet, what comes to mind? You might think of actual planets, those spherical things that rotate on their axis in space right? Nope! Maybe? Yeah?

Anyways! In my world, Tiny Planet is an eclectic, vibrant, Art Loving place, and a Musician's dream hang out. Its home of Kelly Snook transformed into a music venue where people enjoy Music and Fellowship in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

We were blessed to have been invited to play at her place in DC on September 13th 2008.
Ali Youssefi, Pam Hill, Nasim Youssefi and I rocked the house in gentle ways through uplifting music inspired from Sacred Writings (mostly from the Baha'i Writings), the poetry of Hafiz and cultural everyday life.

The house was packed. Imagine over 90 people in a studio apartment in DC, steaming in music,perspiring in joy and being elevated in spirit, after a delicious meal and heartwarming conversations.

So much encouragement poured over us, appreciation and to a greater extent admiration of our efforts in putting together a unique kind of music, which does not only blend African, North and South American musical influences splendidly, but also portrays the charming musical power of having Violin, Classical guitar, Djembe and Vocal harmonies in a balanced musical weave.

All in All, I had a wonderful time and felt so blessed to play for those fun loving, music aficionados and great supporters of the Arts. God Bless Y'all.

Ali on Guitar, Nasim on Vocal Harmonies, Pam on Violin and Gustaff on Djembe

Native America to the Natural State

2008-08-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

She smiles and I smile in her beautiful home, where I woke up to the sounds of ducks playing at the huge pond, where the greenery of North Eastern Arkansas stretch before me for miles upon miles. A home where I ate delicious meals mostly Cameroonian dishes full of reminiscent flavors and memories. A time of quiet relax and good times. This is at the home of Aaron and Jacky where I spent the last week.

Before all these I had the bounty of playing with Sahar and Ciara- daughters of Chester and Sayena Aruk-Bissong. It was a great time being with the girls. They are as gorgeous as ever. Growing up fast.

Below are photos of Jacky and I at her office.

Garden of the God's

2008-08-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

Panoramic view, rocks that get your attention in a popular park, an on the spot attraction to tourists and visitors of the Colorado Springs area.

It was a hot day, but when we arrived at the park known as The Garden of the God's, the clouds were up, and a little breeze made it so pleasant to walk around with friends. It was a nice walk, a picture taking moment and just a fine way to spend the afternoon with friends.

Humanity

2008-07-22T11:36:00.000-07:00

What kind of world will it be if everyone did something small to make everyone else's life a little better? i.e be of service to others. Not because one's Religion taught so, or its a Moral high ground nor as an Idealistic endeavor. I mean just wake up in the morning and say, today I will smile at everyone who comes my way, or I will be of help to so and so. Simple things. Simple!!!

I was surfing the internet as usual and came across a talk (click on the title)

I was reminded that humanity's welfare and wellbeing lies in being of service to others and that making a change doesn't necessarily have to be grandiose acts. Deeds of Love makes a huge difference.

The Story

2008-07-18T10:29:00.000-07:00

With a pleasant voice of assurance she said,
“You have to meet my brother. The two of you should meet.”
When those words of confidence and foresight were pronounced, I didn’t take them seriously. After all many people have asked or suggested I meet so and so in my travels. Musically speaking, needless to say those suggestions didn’t pan out as hoped or expected. Her suggestion however turn out to be beyond expectation.

It was December 2007, the hall of a fancy hotel in Orlando-FL was teaming with eager faces of participants of the Social and Economic Development Conference. Amidst the crowd,there she was with a smiling face, a glowing tan and a pleasant demeanor bestowed by a joyous vacation in Antigua.

“Meet my brother Ali, …”
So it went, we became friends at the conference, jammed during one of the nights- a memorable one some people call The night of the Tribal dance. A musical bond was formed, but how that bond will manifest in the months ahead was not an item of anticipation within the machines of my imaginative mind.

Two trips to Charlottesville-VA sealed the deal. Ali and I knew we could play together and not kill each other musically speaking. Though different in personality, musical backgrounds, up bringing and even taste in food and dress style, our musical chemistry, modes of interaction and artistic vision are complimentary. Dare to say we are like ‘Lost Brothers,’ from different continents who’ve been longing to meet one another but never conscious of the fact until it happened.

“What are you doing this summer?” I asked
“Mostly working,” he replied
“Do you want to travel for a month?”
Without hesitation he said, “Yes.”
And as the saying goes, “The rest is history.” But wait that is not the end of the story. That is the beginning of a one month journey filled with adventure and anecdotal moments of insight. Some were shared in my blog during our tour.

We gave little notice to friends, acquaintances and communities we planned to visit. Three weeks for the lucky ones and for some less than a week.

From May 29th - June 29th 2008, we lived and or played in the following cities in the states of New Mexico, Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington:
Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Scottsdale, Tempe, Tucson, Los Angeles, Redonda Beach, Encino, San Clamente, Fresno, Visalia, Tulare, San Francisco, Redwood City, Portland, Philomath, Beaverton, Seattle, Redmond, and Bellevue.

The reception everywhere we went was amazing. Friends went beyond the call of duty to make sure we were comfortable and have a good performance. The encouragement, love and appreciation of our music was heartwarming. Compliments poured forth like tropical rain, and we were treated as Very Important Personalities (VIP).

During the first two weeks of the tour, Amelia (Ali's sister, the engineer of this musical bond) graced us with her presence, charming harmonies and sisterly comfort. After she left for Santa Fe, the tour wasn’t the same.

This tour did more than confirm our ability to play together to compliment each other’s musical contributions, It also sparked the desire to do more in this line of service-- bringing inspiration from Sacred Writings to the hearts and minds of people everywhere through the divine and effective medium of music, not only to uplift hearts but awaken spirits.

This trip, this journey of two souls chatting their musical course and future endeavors has given birth to ideas which by God’s grace will be translated into immediate projects for meeting the needs of children. We see it gaining momentum and expanding the kind of music we play- hard to confine to a box of genres, familiar but different, unique in its character and combines elements of various musical influences from Africa to South America and every land in between-- a trace of the ancestral journey in human settlement.

There are not enough superlatives nor adjectives to describe how Grateful, Indebted and Thankful we are to all those who gave their priceless contributions in making this trip a success, a memory never to be forgotten. We are forever Thankful.

I sit at a bus station waiting for the bus, and I think to myself- How come Iam so lucky? How come we are so Blessed? How come Music makes such a difference in peoples lives? And how can I adequately covey to my Musical companion (Ali ) that he is a phenomenal musician and a delightful personality to hang out with? And how come I never took Amelia seriously on her suggestion to meet her brother in the first place?

These questions, I might not know why nor have answers for, but I know Life's been Great. And for all the support, encouragement and Love we received along the way from each and everyone one of you, made Life the more so Marvelous as it can be.

Once more a round of applause to all of You for your support, a standing ovation for your Encouragement, and an encore for your Prayers and heartfelt Love.

Blessings be upon All.

The Adventure Continues

2008-06-21T13:21:00.001-07:00

You might be asking, where is Gustaff and his compadre- Ali? Where are they?
Yes we are on a Musical Adventure through the Western States, and if you can't guess where we are, then you've not been reading this blog.

Anyways! I am Happy to know your eyes are perusing these lines for some juicy stories, Oh boy! do I have some juicy stories!!!

Seriously though, We have been Blessed and Bountifully enriched during these travels and its quite a momentous task to describe. I will give you some glimpses of happenings since we left that Afro-Jam packed session of dancing at the home of Jaime and Cellas in Fresno-CA.

Visalia: At the Montessori School, we whaod those cute and most precious gift a community can have- People! I am talking about Kids. They were so cute, adorable, and attentive, we wanted to take all of them on our Journey.

In the evening we had a performance at the home of Daria and Atissa. It was a fantastic session. We got the opportunity to play some Persian Classical music during a Jam session with Daria.

The next morning, we had an early breakfast and took Amtrak to San Francisco.

In San Francisco we had too much fun, BBQ at Eddie's place, And on the day we were leaving, Camille was our tour guide of the city.

Our luggage in the train, and that is pretty much what we had in the bus for Portland-OR

Marathon

2008-06-15T15:57:00.001-07:00

Human Faces bright with Smiles

This picture epitomizes the feelings we've had on our journey-- Music for the Soul tour.

We started in Santa Fe-NM, now in Visalia-Ca and Looking forward to the other cities. Everywhere we've been, the reception of the friends has been amazing with each city adding its own flavor.

Since Thursday, it has been a marathon of events. At the Baha'i Center in Encino we had the opportunity of giving a Talk on the Nobility of Man, intertwined with songs, quotations from the Sacred Writings and a good doze of quiz and humor. At the end of the presentation, we got everyone dancing.

Group Photo Encino Bahai Center

In San Clemente, also at the Baha'i Center we played for the friends and they loved it. We had a stage, back drop and good sound system, that we had to figure out ourselves as soon as we got there.

The next morning we drove to Fresno- CA for a house warming party of dear Jaime and Cellas. We met friends,socialized for a while and then got with program of the evening. Starting off with us sharing some music with the friends who sat out in the yard on picnic chairs, surrounded by the aroma of potluck food, and braving the high temperatures of the day.

After closing that part with a prayer, from then on it was full swing non-stop African drumming, dancing and singing. The drums sounded out and the friends danced their waists off-- some of them. Fun, fun, fun it was.

Tourist in Los Angeles

2008-06-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

Yes I am a tourist, tourist in Los Angeles, with a camera and a smile on my face. Looking at places with wonderment and captivated by some facts and a measure of fascination by my surrounding.

Yesterday afternoon, Ali, Amelia and I went to check out the Getty Center by recommendation from our hosts- Mandy and Kalim. Good to say they were right on!!!

I will just share with you a selection of photos and you can guess how amazed I was by the beauty of the place. Although I spent most of my time outdoors, I did make it indoors to take a look at the works of Art on display-- after all I had come to a museum. From European Art to a display of photographs and Art collections of Women in Art and Science, and the Greek bronze sculptures, I got myself cultured- Hahahahhaha.

Car Trouble?

2008-06-09T14:11:00.000-07:00

After a hearty breakfast and a champion pool game between Ali and I, we had planned to leave Scottsdale in the afternoon and make it on time to Tucson by 4pm. On our way we stopped at a gas station to fill up Nicholas' car.

As we pulled into the gas station we realized the car was overheating. Ali and Nicholas took a look at the car after the hood was opened and had cooled off. There was no anti freeze. Well, they got the anti freeze. Another realization, the car was leaking. More problems than we anticipated, so we needed a mechanic.

We got to a shop and the mechanic was ready to fix the problem, and he needed a lot of Benjamin's.Talk about major credit card swiping. We had no choice, so we stayed there for close to an hour to get the problem taken care of.

Fixed and off we went, a quick stop at Chandler mall for lunch on the go. From then on it was a smooth drive to Tucson.

Arrived just in time for the evening performance at the Baha'i Center. The friends welcomed us with so much love. It was a nice program, we sang for about 20 people. It was such a spiritual atmosphere. Some people were dancing in the back to our songs, others had the pose of meditation throughout the performance.

So touching was: There was this young guy about 11 years old, who welcomed us, and when we got into the building he brought us cool water refreshed with lime, then he came back and offered us lemonade, midway to our performance, he brought us more cool refreshing water.

A lady came up to us and said,
"I woke up this morning,I wanted to do something prayerful and meditate, but during the day I didn't get to it, and now you guys are here. Your music uplifts. I am so Thankful for your presence and music."

From the Baha'i Center we left for Navid and Chandra's-- our hosts who treated us to fine Indian dishes, in addition to bread, Persian tea and sweet cookies. They were such gracious hosts. We had a great time laughing to our humorous discussion on various topics.

Group photo Tucson Baha'i Center

Tempe

2008-06-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

In the afternoon, Nicholas took us to one of the apartment complex in the north side of Scottsdale for a home visit( an activity where Baha'is visit friends and new believers at their homes to share prayers and sacred writings)

This was in the company of Ali with the guitar, Nicholas our guide, Anya and Jessica from Chicago with their voices, and I was with my djembe as always. We went to the first apartment the guy wasn't ready for us, we then went to the next apartment. As we were searching for the right apartment number, a lady with a Jamaican accent, her head peering through her door, asked us which apartment we were looking for. We told her and she pointed at the next door. We knocked, the guy was not ready for us as well. As we were about to leave, the Jamaican lady said, "He didn't want to listen to your music?"

She came out of her apartment. She invited us. We sat at her porch and shared some prayers with her. We improvised music to accompany a prayer for Forgiveness and an incredible rendition of a Healing prayer. These were prayers of her request. Our harmonies and on the spot compositions were such a lift to our spirits. The lady had tears flowing down her face-- she was moved, we were moved. We did a Caribbean calypso song Ali had written long time ago on Unity and Peace-- the core message of the Baha'i Faith. The lady loved it and sang along.

I saw the power of music at work, especially with the use of Music in conveying the message from Sacred Writings.

Third Concert

In the evening was our third concert for Music for the Soul. It was at the Baha'i Information Center in Tempe-AZ. There were about 70 people in attendance. The acoustic of the room was amazing.

We started the show with a Persian prayer, then went into full swing with the music for Music for the Soul. The crowd was digging our songs. The response was enthusiastic. Smiles on peoples faces, others came and wanted to learn some of the songs to share with their communities and others asked us to come up with the next CD as soon as possible.

One of the noted points of compliment was that people thought the three of us, Ali, Amelia and I had been singing together for a long time. To their surprise, actually we started performing as a group as of May 29 2008 when we had the first Music for the Soul concert in Santa Fe-NM.

Just like a Boabab

2008-06-04T01:01:00.000-07:00

Imagine you are in Africa.Think of a Baobab tree. You know that tree famous on most pictures of Africa? That big tree with branches which provides shade in most hot and desert-like places in Africa?

Under that tree where you'll have a school meet, elders sit down and decide on important matters of the village, or transformed into a center of festivities as the occasion demands? A tree! Yes its like City Hall.

Now come back to the U.S.A, fly to New Mexico's largest city-Albuquerque and drive down a neighborhood, go to the side of a house, a modest house with a nice big yard,green grassy area. Look! There are two sky blue drapes hanging on a line, blocking the sun to form the backdrop of a stage. Three seats, potted plants on a carpet--That is the stage. Blankets spread out on the grass. All these under the shade of one big tree.

Now take in a whiff of the air, an aroma enlivens your sense of smell, its barbecue, grilling is happening on the far corner at the back of the house. All kinds of foods that make your taste buds jump and your mouth watery is laid out in front of you. Ice water and drinks, fruits and plenty of snacks that accompany barbecuing is set for your enjoyment.

You meet smiling faces, over 30 of them and make good conversation. You converse and take your place on one of the blankets, or if you prefer being at the back to lean on the wall of the house. You settle down.

A solo Djembe rhythm is played- its your welcome to an Under the tree Concert- Its Music for the Soul's second stop.

For about an hour, the musicians captivate you with soothing music, charming harmonies and their songs uplifts your spirit and warms your heart .

Ali

Gustaff

The Dynamic trio- Amelia,Ali and Gustaff

The concert is over, but some people want more, so the musicians give an encore performance of three songs, a rap and two Spanish songs--one of them being a prayer.

There is more food to eat, people to meet and acquaintances to know. You interact with new friends, catch up with old ones. You become part of this atmosphere of camaraderie. You are excited and then participate in a photo taking session,

Die hard fans who stayed till the end for a group photo
with cameras clicking here and there. Still more food to eat and people to talk to. So you walk around and make more conversation.

You go and give the musicians hugs, and compliments, thanking them for a job well done. Before you know it you are on your cell phone telling loved ones about the two CD's One Step Away and Village Nights you just got for a good deal of twenty dollars.

There is big smile on your face as you get into your car. You bring out the CD's, put one on and starts listening to it. You turn to your darling or children and say, "Wasn't that a wonderful concert?"
They reply,
"Oh, absolutely Amazing! It was like having a concert in the park, but this time it was at the yard of Caroline and Patrik Nkouaga. Ah! they are such a wonderful family. We are so glad they organized this."
And you conclude,
"And that tree! Just like a Baobab tree in Africa, so much importance, so much Blessing for the Village (Our community in Albuquerque)."

That is the story of our Performance in Albuquerque. Lovely photos courtesy of Sjona Bro.

Music for the Soul

2008-05-30T10:18:00.000-07:00

It is official, Music for the Soul tour has begun and the kick off concert at the home of the Talebreza's in Santa Fe was amazing.

It was Thursday May 29 2008, it had been a bright day all along, sunny and no clouds, just the big blue sky. In the evening, the sun was still blessing us with a beautiful New Mexico day, when friends started to show up at the Talebreza's. By 7:40pm over 5o people had gathered, each taking a seat, some standing in the back because all the seats had been filled. The seats arranged in a semi-circle, the audience sat facing the fireplace decorated with flower arrangements and works of Art. With an adjacent window providing a fantastic view of the city's hills, they could get inspired by our music and the enchanting view outside- What a blessing.

The djembe call was sounded and the chattering crowd became silent. It was announced that officially, Music for the Soul has begun and how happy and overjoyed we the musicians were by such show of support and encouragement. We introduced ourselves beginning with Ali, then Amelia and myself. After explaining why we have the tour as Music for the Soul and why most of our songs are quotes from Sacred Writings and inspirations thereof, the show began with the first song 'The Subject'--A mix of Hafiz's poetry and the sayings of Abdu'l-Baha on Love.

Seven songs later, we were ready for an intermission. The whole group singing Family Member in acapella in the likes of an African chorale. The song talks about being part of a family where only Love, Unity and Harmony exists.

During intermission, I got the chance to make new friends, chat with some old friends and bask in encouraging words and compliments.

Ten minutes later, we were back on the show. Ali started with a Spanish song 'Todos Juntos', which describes the beauty in the diversity of the world, and how we're all in this together. To close the show we ended with a prayer "O God refresh and gladden my spirit..." and the audience participated in singing a translation of the verse Purify my heart in Barombi- Tamba Mwem Meng. Barombi is one of my tribal languages.

We did our best to make the show inspirational, meditative and light with punctuations of humor, introduction of the songs and their sources of inspiration as well as recitation of a few Sacred verses.

All in all I will say that it was a great show. Taking into account that it was the first time Ali, Amelia and I were giving a concert together.
The atmosphere was that of Love and Encouragement. So many people came to us and offered compliments, best wishes and words of encouragement. We were showered with smiles. I felt this air of upliftment during and after the show. It was like sitting on Aladin's mat eating the sweetest apple and taking in the glories of the heavens.

Santa Fe Here we are

2008-05-26T10:43:00.000-07:00

Arrived in Santa Fe the afternoon of May 22nd 2008. I knew from the start it was going to be fun. Don't ask me why, I just knew, maybe it's that sixth sense of a musician thing.

Ali and the sister Amelia picked me up at the bus station after I had put my French language skills into use by translating for a sweet French lady who is traveling the U.S.A. Without waste of time as soon as we got home, I took a long shower, my body felt refreshed and we went to work immediately, rehearsing songs for a Holy Day
celebration and a friend's wedding.

Celebration of the Declaration of the Bab:

Held at the home of the Talebreza's, we had the bounty of starting the devotional program. Ali, Amelia and I sang two songs. The first one was a Hidden Word of Baha'u'llah (...Take Thou one pace and with the next advance into the immortal realm...) the second song was about the glory of this Revelation (...A new day is dawn, the hour is come, mankind can behold His face...)
After readings and excerpts of stories relating to the Declaration of the Bab, we sang a prayer "O God refresh and gladden my spirit..."
Then there was meal time and socializing. The food was delicious, the view from the house located on a hill was fantastic.

Martha's Wedding Reception

Martha and Wakeel

Ali, Amelia and I on our way to the Reception

Sunday May 25th 2008, around 3pm we pulled in into a dirt road that goes along the banks of a river and parked the car close to an entrance of a bed and breakfast known as Cincerro. The surrounding valley green and verdant, tall trees waving to the will of the wind,the river full in flow. A great contrast to the background mountains of New Mexico that evokes the enchantments of desert life, very earthy and welcoming. Above us was the panorama of the big sky.

Well decorated tables of white cloth, blue napkins, glasses and eating utensils, plus an attractive arrangement of flowers in a small transparent vase set at the center of each table. A white tent pitched at a corner to provide shade for those who wanted to redeem themselves from too much sunshine.

In the midst of about 120 people of smiling faces, well dressed and pleasant demeanors, we (Ali, Amelia and I) sang two songs to begin the reception. The first song was about nourishing the tree of their union, the next song was Rumi's poem on marriage (May this marriage be blessed... may this marriage be sweet milk, full of laughter, a seal of happiness).

It was a beautiful day, the reception was amazing. I had a good time.

Music for the Soul

2008-05-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

Its a joy to announce that as from May 23rd when rehearsal for Music for the Soul begins, this blog will be dedicated to giving you updates on the tour.

From June 1- 28 2008, Ali Youssefi and I are going on a one month musical journey through the following cities: Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Scottsdale, Tucson, Los Angeles, Fresno, San Francisco, Visalia, Sacramento, Salem, Hood River, Portland, and Seattle.

Please have us in your prayers as well as make yourself one of our dedicated fans.
We Love you.
Enjoy the music:
http://www.myspace.com/ayoussefi (Ali)
http://www.myspace.com/besungu (Gustaff)

Potter's Cup

2008-05-07T22:17:00.001-07:00

Oh brother I feel your pain
I know your struggles
I hear your cry

This world seem cruel sometimes
But remember, waves come and go
Seasons change, flowers bloom and wither
It's all part of the evolution of growth

You grow in pain and become stronger
A mother cries at labor, smiles when the child is born
She knows the reward of her pain

Who I my to lecture you about Life?
Life is you and you are life
You know your soul best
And you'll find what makes you grow

I once met a potter who made only cups
I asked, "Why make only cups?"
She smiled and said,
"A cup holds only to give."

You are a cup, always ready to give
Give yourself to the universe
And trust, it will burn your veils
And let you see the light that you truly are
Worries are like sand in a runners shoes,
Dust them away, put them to the side
And focus on your journey.

2008-04-28T00:07:00.001-07:00

Make a vine into a basket
Weave it through the hands of craftsmanship
There is nothing that plays between imagination
That runs dry into the depths of reality
Intricate patterns intersect at numerous junctions

Shadow on the walls
The source of its light is somewhere else
Dark of night, only tells of the morn's light
A sweet rose wafts its breath
And give the bees a joyous feast

Flower into glory, I see your beauty
As hidden as it may seem
The song of your heart is meant to be sung
So go and sing
And let the birds hear your cry
They'll leave the heavens
And embrace your soul

?

2008-04-27T00:44:00.000-07:00

The sun shines in our faces,
Moonlight brightens the night sky,
Stars are just flickers compared to the sun,
And when rain falls, the air is refreshed.

Fresh, green and verdant, full of life the place becomes,
Pasture, feed for creatures of the fields
And we are just consumers
With a keen sense of wonderment
How come humans are so blessed?

Night Walker

2008-04-02T16:01:00.000-07:00

The night air was cool, almost refreshing, rain drizzled on his winter coat, the concrete paved streets of downtown Minneapolis was wet and some granite pavements of ritzy hotels and upscale buildings glowed under bright street lights.

Street life seemed dead, not the bustle and hustle that characterize the downtown life of most American cities. If there was any night life it was inside not outdoors. One or two buses working the graveyard shift passed by after a long interval, but men and women on bikes rode past him. The riders focused on getting to their destinations as a puppy ready for a treat of good behavior.

He walked cautiously, listening to the sounds of the air, paying attention to his environment, thinking of how a change of time makes a difference in human activity. Night and Day—what a difference that makes. Three or four blocks of walking, he heard a sultry voice coming from a speaker , he turned and noticed, he was in front of a Jazz club—Dakota Restaurant Jazz Club. He stood still and listened, he could not stay, it was night time, late at night, so he kept walking.

A few blocks up the road, he saw a restaurant closing for the day, a worker struggling with a big menu board on rollers, before reaching to give a helping hand, the worker was inside and the door shut. Not far from the closed restaurant was a busy pub, people drinking beer and having conversations. Through the glass he caught the eye of a shy woman by the window talking with a fellow so absent minded, beer bottle in his hand close to his mouth. He sighed at the sight, and thinks of how that could be a starting plot for a story-- The Shy Lady by the Window.

Not too long he walked by a place called International Corner, packed with people. Some playing cards, others on pool tables, at the far end were computer booths in the like of an internet café. Serious faces bent on chess boards and a greater number of supporters for the game of checkers, an obvious tournament of sorts was going on.

When he spotted the stonework building of a church, he knew he was closer to his destination. He increased his pace, took a right turn by a McDonald and in no time he was home. He opened the door, switched on the light, took off his shoes, hung his coat, and slouched on the couch, and called himself The Night Walker.

And that is the story of my night walk on Sunday March 30th 2008, in Downtown Minneapolis-MN.

Note that Downtown Minneapolis is a beautiful place, filled with sites of attraction-- a mall, museums, library and commercial buildings of interest and of course your high rise and pricey condos that are popping in every downtown of every major city in U.S.A I have been to, and believe me I have been to a lot them.

A Songslide Artist

2008-03-27T19:33:00.000-07:00

I am in Minneapolis, and getting used to the cold climate.
I spent the bulk of my day yesterday exploring the Mall of America--that gigantic shopping mall built to make you spend all your precious dollars. Its a place of entertainment, amusement, and off course the ideal land for a shopping spree, but also a nice place to sit, enjoy Chinese food and watch people go about their business of shopping and taking rides.

Ah!!! There goes a woman with three full sacks, she must have spent a fortune at Bloomingdales or she is a great bargain spotter.

Hey! Leave that child alone, he just wants some ice cream with his cinnamon roll...Daddy does not buy it.

That grin on the face of a seven year old boy in a water sled reminds me of how sweet life is, full of simple pleasures and fun.

To prevent my bank account from slipping down to zero, I went into Barnes and Noble, got me some multi-grain bagel with cream cheese and a cup of Godiva hot chocolate to stimulate my brain cells into reading an ancient book on Gnosticism. Having gone through many Thou's, Hither's, and Sayeth's it was time for some light reading. My choice! Happiness for No Reason-- well, can't tell you much about it because I am not done reading, but its a good read for all you Positive Psychology buffs.

Now I am sitting here thinking: What will it be like to have a gigantic mall in my backyard?

On another note, I spent the whole day today loading music into my newly acquired laptop. Being in a Music mode, I decided to upload some of my songs on SongSlide

Now you can decide on how much to pay for a song and help slide up my bank account, that way I can make more music and don't go exploring Mall of America- Hahahahaha.

Wilbraham-- A place of memories

2008-03-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning feeling really good. So I did the next best thing, complete a writing project, and then thought about blogging about my visit to Wilbraham. As godsent as it was, I happen to peruse the blogs of Jafred and Christina. Since I do not want to bore you, click on the title above : Wilbraham-- A place of memories and read Or go to:
http://mato-heaphy.blogspot.com/

Note: It was a fantastic time.

Indeed A Blessing

2008-03-10T07:03:00.000-07:00

Fazal and I---I am practicing Fatherhood skills-- Yeeeeehhhhh.

Sitting at the Rutgers Student Centre surfing the net, I see eager-face students focus on computer screens preparing hard for upcoming exams. I think its time to write about the travels of the past days.

Wilbraham-MA at the home of Christina and Jafred Mato, whose son Fazal was a bundle of Joy, a source of musical inspiration and my opportunity to practice chanting some African Lullabies to a baby's ear, was my command centre-- in other words the place of launch.
From the comforts of their home, our morning devotionals after very early breakfasts (It is Fasting time for Baha’is), and joyous reminiscing of the Glorious Days at the Holy Land (Haifa-Israel) as staff members, most of the time preceded my participation in the loads of activities they had put together to keep my drumming hands busy.

Nineteen Day Feast attendances, Cultural presentations, Ayyam-i-Ha celebration, a visit to Amherst and Bridgewater State College put me in touch with the friends in this part of the country. The dinners were delicious, the camaraderie superb, and the company very encouraging. At some of the gatherings most especially with the folks in Holyoke, we danced, letting our spirits fly.

Highpoint:

-A jam session where we played Celtic music, switched to Middle Eastern music, crisscrossed that with some Pop and rested on an instrumental improvisation was acutely energetic.

Reflection:

It’s always great to visit friends. Energy, revitalization, enormous support and encouragement, plus the pouring of Loving Kindness from these Angelic beings were indeed a Blessing.

The White stuff called Snow

2008-02-29T13:33:00.000-08:00

It was a long travel, the bus was comfortable and the layover was patient-teaching. New York City bus terminal (lower levels of Union Station) was teaming with people. As the saying goes, New York City never Sleeps, but the bus station was packed with people tired and weary from long rides to and from different parts of the country; Some sleeping on their luggage, others transforming metal benches into cozy dozing spots, a few read books, some listening intently to ipods and CD players, and a small band walking up and down the terminal making small talk and kicking sleep right off of their 2am sleep-deprived dreamy moods; eagerly waiting departure time.

When the long awaited departure time was at hand, and the loud speaker announcement was made, lines were formed, a well dressed bus driver collected tickets and passengers filed into seats, and off we went. Four hours thirty minutes later, we pulled in into the bus terminal- Springfield-MA. Glad to be in MA, my first state ever lived in the U.S. The snow covered embankments and snow everywhere reminded me of my first encounter with the White stuff called Snow:

It was winter 2002, fresh from the heat and warmth of Haifa; I got to shovel snow in Elliot- Maine (Green Acre Baha’i School). It was an exhilarating first experience. Dressed in Thick Jackets, Jeans, Boots and warmly secured hand gloves, making sure no part of my body except for my eyes were exposed to the cold temperatures, I shoveled that white stuff out of the driveway. Dove into some of the piles and flung some snow balls. I was not as brave to stay and mould a snow man, (for love of my highly needed delicate hands for drumming) but in Boston I was a hero to myself for playing ultimate frisbee under the cold weather.

Now I can reflect on the good times had in Charlottesville-VA.

The Stage Is Set

2008-02-19T13:13:00.000-08:00

"The Stage is Set," were the bold letters that graced the backdrop of the music stage of the common area at the Sheraton hotel in Stamford Connecticut. Those were the welcoming words that greeted my entrance as a pop song was blazing in the air.

I walked to the registration desk and penned down my information on paper, and so it went, I was officially registered as a participant of the NEBY(Northeastern Baha'i Youth) Festival 2008.
http://www.neby.org/about.html

All through the weekend, from the performers to the plenary sessions and featured guest speakers, including workshops, their message revolved on the theme: The Stage is Set. The question is; The Stage is Set for what?
That is why I attended the conference, but on a more selfish note, the lineup of speakers and performers featured Rebequa Murphy(A beloved speaker) and KC Porter (My favorite producer).

Throughout the weekend, where I was opportune to be in the company of over 1000 Baha'i youth and their friends, listen to great talks, participate in a workshop, pray and got my spirit enlivened by heavenly devotional music, I got the answer to my question.

As Ms. Rebequa Murphy pointed out quoting from the Baha'i Writings "We have been created to carry forward an ever advancing civilization," I learned that the stage is set for us the youth (young adults included) to bring about the realization of the Oneness of Humanity-- the next stage in the spiritual development of mankind. And we can do it by living conscious lives, proactive lives, lives filled with meaning and of service to Humanity.

I also learned that activities known within the Bahai community as core activities are building blocks in the realization of this essential principle. Let me explain a little bit about these activities and we can see why they are such fantastic avenues for building Unity:

1- Study Circles: A group of friends come together and immerse themselves in a sequence of study of the Holy Writings as it relates to spiritual matters such as Life after Death, the Importance of Prayer, the Blessings of Sharing the Word of God, the Role of Children and Junior Youth in a Community etc. And each book in the sequence calls for actions which are of service to Humanity. e.g One of the practices of the first book in the sequence(Reflections on the Life of the Spirit) asks us to share a prayer. Just imagine the power of Creative Energy we infuse into the world as we share prayers with our friends, families, and neighbors.

2-Children Classes: A series of lessons for children based on the development of Virtues. These classes teach us on how to be better humans, bringing to light those pearls latent in us. Those "gems of inestimable value" that benefit the world.
And Oh by the way! One of the lessons is Unity. And the children memorize this quote: "So powerful is the light of unity that it can illumine the whole earth." AH HA. Meditate on that.

3-Junior Youth groups: This is about peer groups formed purposely to act as a support network of mutual respect and love for one another as well as being of service to their immediate community. This is my favorite core activity. Teenagers are filled with energy, more in tune with what is going on in the world, and have creative ways to address these issues. If we support them and offer them the tools, This World will be a Different world (a Better one I must add). Contrary to popular belief, teenagers are not spoiled brats who are only concerned with designer clothes and shoes, bling-bling and the latest technological gadget, they have intuitive and powerful minds as well, just get to know them and you'll be blown away.

4-Devotional Gatherings: This is when we gather to give Praise to the Lord. In an atmosphere of complete devotion we express our praise in whatever manner we deem conducive to this purpose: connecting our souls to the All Highest Essence of Creation, becoming One with the Friend as Rumi says.

Since the purpose of this entry was to report on my participation at NEBY 2008, I say, it was a blast. I had a good time. Got to converse a little bit with KC Porter, saw Rainn Wilson (Dwight of the the TV Show-- The Office) give a hilarious but touching account of his spiritual journey, Jam till 2am on Saturday night, played with Ali and Nasim Youssefi, Ben, Mike,and Dan on both the main and side stages, and had a safe drive back to Charlottesville-VA.

Just a side note, I got to eat at an Italian Restaurant close to Broadway(New York City), on our way from the Conference, after a short stop to say Hello to one of our friends' sister at Columbia University. What can I say? I am Blessed and You are Blessed too.

PS. No photos here, because I sold my digital camera to make money to attend the Conference (Just Kidding.

Party, Party

2008-02-05T10:02:00.000-08:00

Fareed and I at Mardi Gras
Fareed got his beads

From the seventh floor of the The Terrace, one could see the parking lot by the House of Blues in Downtown Dallas filled to maximum occupancy. A walk around saw the main streets that carve out Victory park teamed with people,and in the parking lot adjacent to the entrance to The W, stood a live music stage, vendors and a throng of colorful costumes of party goers. Lines to buy beer, craw fish, and Popeye's chicken was as long compared only to the lines to the restrooms-- two hundred or more people in two lines.

On the other side of the park, where the giant screen displays flashed all kinds of ads, the fountain was on display wetting the body of a dancer who apparently drunk was a source of entertainment to many onlookers.

The night's weather was cool(upper 5o's or so), and the people of Dallas came out in great numbers for their first Mardi Gras party. You could see the excitement in many faces, as they walk in numbers holding hands, saying Hello's or "Excuse me" as they make their way through tight corners of standing bodies chattering the night out.

The parade-a time that got so many people shouting, hollering and some jumping for beads, was as colorful as the rainbow although not as flamboyant as one might expect in a Mardi Gras party.

I am on my way

2008-02-01T09:49:00.000-08:00

I am a thirsty fish
longing to swim in
in the ocean's deeps

A bird trapped in sordid waters
flapping its wings, to
free itself from its mesh
and fly heavenwards

I am a child
tender in age
crying for Mother's breast milk and caress
wanting Father's touch
and the tenderness of his kiss on my forehead

A traveller
staging the course of his journey
seeking his pathway, navigating
readying for the challenges of an adventure
And I am, I am on my way.

Celebrating the Dream

2008-01-23T09:05:00.000-08:00

It was Monday, January 21, 2008. The afternoon's weather was cold, a little windy and temperatures hit the lower 40's. Notwithstanding, a group of people gathered in the Southlake Carroll Senoir High School auditorium to celebrate the Life, Dreams and Vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
As the diverse assembly settled in their seats, the commemoration began with a soulful song of praise by the Saint John Baptist Church Choir. A prayer for Unity from the Sacred Writings of the Bahai Faith preceeded an invocation by a Pastor.

A welcome note, a Mayoral declaration and an overview talk by Jack Guillebeaux were the next items on the agenda. After a lively song saying "We are One Family" with me on the Djembe leading the crowd, it was time for the most emotional and heartwarming part of the program:
Recitation of excerpts of Dr. King's speeches by children ages 9- 13. As the children recited excerpts from these speeches:
"Eulogy for the martyred children,"
"From the mountain top,"
"MIA mass meeting at Holt Street Baptist Church,"
"Paul's letter to the American Christians," and
"Where do we go from here,"
I was mesmerized not only by the brilliance with which they recited the speeches, their intonation which invoked such a deeper understanding of the message contained therein, also by the spirit of joy and knowing with which these children conveyed that spirit of Dr. King's message; a call to harmony, a fight for the establishment of justice and equality, and the recognition of our essential existence as humans who need to be treated with respect and dignity.

Then came time for some action. Jack called on the assembly to regroup in fours to discuss on how we can build a better Southlake using Dr. King's dreams and vision. A sample of the groups' ideas were shared on what an individual, neighbors, family and the city can do to make a better Southlake. It is important to note that most of the ideas shared were actions that could be implemented immediately with no need of grandious plans, just a commitment to a reorganization of our lives. E.g invite a neighbor to dinner and have them taste a meal from your culture or another culture, say prayers together, make a deliberate effort to make friends and meet people who are different from you.

Another lively song(Beauty) which celebrates the beauty in the diversity of the world proceeded the Awards and Scholarship Ceremony. Three students were awarded prizes ($250-1000) for the essay they wrote on building a better Southlake using Dr. King's Dreams.

Closing comments, a prayer for America, and a performance by the Saint John Baptist Choir brought to a close this ceremony. The first sponsored by the Bahais of Southlake. As the friends gathered around enjoying their refreshments, I could see faces beaming with joy, gladness and a realization that meetings of this nature can be brought to a neighborhood level, filled with enthusiasm, a spirit to get to know our friends and neighbors at a more intimate level rather than superficial salutes and "How di's" as we walk our dogs along paved sidewalks.

Heavenly Delights

2008-01-17T23:19:00.000-08:00

The journey was long and the anticipation of meeting the friends in Dallas made it even longer. Although a smooth drive, and the pleasures of listening to great music (Temple of Light CD, One Giant Leap) was soothing, yet my heart kept saying "Soon I'll be there, there will I be soon."

On time, I was in Dallas, the weather was cloudy and cold( somewhere in the 40's?)Not paying attention to weather reports, I was expecting some sunshine. What the weather didn't provide in sunshine, the greeting and salute of Fareed did. Even more so the treat, which was eating at a Moroccan restaurant.

It was then time for some enjoyeeeing!!!!!
The drive was short, the vicinity jiving with a Downtown revival spirit of Dallas Downtown projects: trendy shops, big screen displays, kool restaurants, and booming condos that exhibit the flow of Benjamins.

A short walk and a few How are you doing?, we entered Medina- a Moroccan restaurant owned by a lively Gentleman known as Sam. The decor was appealing, showcasing some aspects of the grandeur of Moroccan interior design without overwhelming the eyes.
The staff was friendly.

Then came the food. Ah the food!! Heavenly delights. From the Calamari salad to the Za'atar lamb chops,the pita bread, shrimp wraps and hakira sauce in between, are foods that awakens the taste buds, satisfy their longings, and conjures a Princely dinning, healthy and well suited for a boujoir lifestyle without its extravagancies.
Needless to say the flavor and aroma of the lamb chops, their tenderness and zest of the sauce was the perfect combination,that made me a hearty eater with ringing smiles running along my face.

Whisperings

2008-01-09T17:19:00.000-08:00

I dove into an ocean
And drank deep of its
Crystal clear waters

My ear drum got filled
With the whisperings:
The time is nigh
When Faces will be Faces
Beings are Beings
And the color of skin
Is a matter of
how much sun you've got.

Welcome to the Swamp

2008-01-06T08:48:00.000-08:00

No white picket fence
or manicured gardens
No scented rose petals
or the wafting sweetness of jasmines
No rosemary blossoms
or the attractions of hyacinths

This is a swamp
Where cypress and mangrove trees
provides the shade
The pond looks green
Frogs croak and toads produce the music
Cardinals harmonize in the distance
while sparrows sing their own tunes

Fungus and algae flourish
Moss and ferns are corridors
To a perculiar terrene

Welcome to the swamp
Know my nature, my ecology
Enjoy my beauty
And don't get stuck with a goose

Lover and Friend

2008-01-05T20:55:00.000-08:00

A Lover is a Friend
And the Friend is in the Lover

A Friend is the Lover
who loves the Friend

And the Lover is in Love
With the Friend

I am a friend, a lover and in Love

Message

2008-01-02T19:39:00.000-08:00

I felt like calling you
To talk about me and you
But decided not to
Something was holding me back
How does flame seperate from fire
And river runs away from the ocean?

I see planes fly and fish crawl
Not talking of dogs that pant on hot summer days
Snails creep into their shells
Causing the tortoise to feel shy
Wait my friend
you are running over your shadow

Finally I picked up the phone
Yes you were not there
How could I leave a message
when what I wanted to say was clear
Clear as sunshine at noon
My breath said it all
If you listened

Lover's Line

2007-12-27T21:04:00.000-08:00

I'll write a Love Song
And paint a Masterpiece
I'll sing the Sweetest tune
And dance the best Moves

Song Sing Paint and Dance
That I'll do for you

I'll climb the tallest mountain
And cry out my Love
Write the most poetic Poem
I'll fly your name on every banner
And give you a Call

Climb Cry Write and Fly
That I'll do for you

You occupy my dreams
Make my dreams
You are my dreams
You are in every face I see
Your actions and ways
Takes me to worlds beyond

The Smile, Kindness, and Radiance
The Service and concern for the well-being
Of others teaches me Humility and Patience

That smile Oh that Smile
That radiance Oh that Radiance
A spirit that Inspires

Now I am free to Love for Love
Wings to fly and arms to rest on
A caress that awakens my soul
And lifts me up to sing a joyous song

Song Sing Paint and Dance
Climb Cry Write and Fly
A Lover's line to say
I Love You,
With Love,possibility is all I see.

All I can Give

2007-12-25T19:26:00.000-08:00

There is nothing in the world I own
If I owned the Sun,
I will make it shine for you at all times
No darkness to follow the sunset's dawn.
If I owned the sky,
I will make it smile for you at all times
No thunder clouds to disturb the brilliant blues.
If I owned the mountains,
I will let them bow down, and give you a seat at their peaks
I will ask the green fields of the planes to caress your feet,
And the waves to soothe your skin, and
Call on gentle breezes to calm your spirits.

If only I owned it all,
I will beckon the nightingales to sing all day
Songs of my Love for thee
Carrying the message far and wide
Reaching every land.
These I cannot do because there is nothing in the world I own
But All I can give is my Word
And let my Love for Thee carry me through.

Life

2007-12-17T19:11:00.001-08:00

Life is a Business
Life is Love
Life is a Journey

The business of day to day living
Today I am in pain, tomorrow I am fine
Bills to pay and money to make
I draw my calender and mark every date for its due
With every step I take, there is a call to make
To seal the deal for my next move
Everywhere I am, Anywhere I go,
I am in a time crunch to meet with deadlines

The Love of Life
Where its all about living
Flowers to smell and get drunk by sweet fragrances
Laugh at my silliness and enjoy the company of others
Sleep like there is no tomorrow
Dance like its my last day on earth
And play like a child with no cares and worries

And then comes the journey
The preparedness for things beyond
I meditate to find my inner self
Asks where I came from and where I am heading to
Every step I take, I dedicate to the mysteries of essence
Where the lessons become the practical
Love is sacrifice, Sacrifice is death and Death is Life

Whether Life is Business,
Whether Life is Love,
And if Life is a Journey
Let me Live It, for it is worth Living

Life

2007-12-17T19:11:00.000-08:00

Some would say
Life is a tricky business
Others say it's Love
Yet another person
Would clap hands in the air
In prayer and being Grateful
for being Alive

From Picturesque drive to Persian Food

2007-11-14T09:11:00.000-08:00

The evening was turning to a good one, coolly mild. Good jams in the car from world DJ's to Persian pop, kept us hitting the high notes of our musical enjoyment as we drove from Nashville to Knoxville. Smooth drive, less traffic after we've made sure some smoothies take on the responsibility of satisfying our tastes buds while walking the fine line of healthy calories intake.

By the time we arrived the city of Knoxville, the night sky was upon us and a few stars dazzled in distant parts of the horizon. We pulled into a porch neighborhood, parked the car and entered the beautiful house filled with beautiful people of different backgrounds and races. We gave and received welcoming hugs and smiling hellos. No sooner had I relieved my tired legs, before I was kindly ushered into an adjacent room to the kitchen, were to the satisfaction of my gastronomic dreams, before my eyes, a spread of Persian dishes were beckoning for consumption.

From the sabzi polo (rice with dill, cilantro and green onions) , zereshk polo (rice with berries) to the salad, plus the sweet chicken, my plate was filled. I sat down to good conversation, happily eating away the fine foods. Which made it easier for me to follow the presentation of the evening: a fantastic presentation (with visuals) on the significance of the year 1844 by Joel Price.

By the time the night was over, the camaraderie, the joy of meeting old friends, the pleasure of making new friends, and that air of "Its Good to be here" had enveloped my being, and I knew from then on my stay in Knoxville and surrounding communities was going to be great.

And Great Indeed it was. The colorful trees and hills of the area was as colorful as the welcoming spirit of the friends here. Their gratefulness, enthusiasm, hospitality and above all, a high spirit of service to humanity, makes it an inestimable Blessing to be in their midst.

Chicken Wings and TV

2007-10-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

There is a time when ones attachment to TV is crushed by the sheer number of available TV's and programs. E.g the case of a sports bar in Pensacola Beach- FL.

I love TV, and rank it as one of the greatest invention of modern man including internet and cell phones, but when there is so many TV's around me displaying many programs at the same time, when I am supposed to concentrate on how flavor-full my teraki chicken wings are; I can't handle that.

Adding to the multiple screen displays I was surrounded by, was the loud volumes of the sets, the deafning cheers of football fans rooting for their teams, and most annoying, the odd variety of music playing clamorously in the "background".

This, after an intense enjoyment of waves splashing on my body, salty ocean water cleaning my taste buds, salinating my flesh, and the Florida sunshine basking some much needed tan on my skin (hahahaha). I love Vacation spots

An Operatic taste

2007-09-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

My late Sunday morning was fast becoming a lazy one, and the fact that Chelsea lost to Manchester United 0- 2 wasn't going to help either.

Then came that phone call,
"Gustaff would you want to watch a live simulcast of an Opera at the arts center?"
I immediately agreed for the benefit of having some fresh air and participate in something I have never done before-- watch an Opera.

Opera to me: was listening to the radio and hear high pitched vocals and trained tenors sing out sad love stories in Italian. And it was a hobby of Old rich people who didn't know what to do with their spare time. End of story.

That all changed after watching the live simulcast of La Boheme
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_boh%C3%A8me

It was a performance at the Washington DC Opera house, and I was watching it in Gainesville-FL--Thanks Technology!!!!!

I enjoyed it mostly because it was a passionate love story with intricate lessons. A poet falls for a seamstress who dies at the end because of an illness? In addition to that, there is Marcello my favorite guy-- he is the photographer (A painter in the original version as written by Puccini) whose love story is filled with broken hearts, with a good sense of humour.

The director of the show gave the original an update, bringing the characters lives similar to modern days. A milky-white couch as a prominent stage prop--something the college students can relate to, symbolizes college life and all that associates with it.

The goal of the simulcast to Universities and High schools across the country was to reach out to the younger generation and get them interested in Opera.

I would say for sure, they got that goal met. From that Sunday afternoon September 23 2007 at the Phillips Arts cennter then on, Opera is no longer a hobby for old rich people who don't know what to do with their spare time. Opera is more of a passionate and lively display of love stories?

Shadows

2007-09-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

Shadows on the walls
Of no reflection
Crawling along a hollow path
Of diced bricks, cobbled with pointy rocks
Leading into a dark room
Filled with the stench of misery and abandon

Memories of hate and famine crouching
On the faces of wasted hangers
Piles and heaps of dirt flirting
With the angers of scavenging insects
Who’ve built an empire of a flourishing garden
On the foundations of a desk of fine carpentry
With an inside rot giving way to the tempo of collapse

Shadows on a wall
Of no reflection
Rages on the backs of a mountain
Of macho granite crushed into sand dunes
By the fancies of flamboyant storms

Memories of hate and drudgery
Plastered as rickety carvings
Waiting to be swept into oblivion
By the bulldozers of woeful codes

May It Be

2007-09-02T18:26:00.000-07:00

There are times when you think things are not moving along
When you scratch your head for answers, but get more questions
When the path is narrow, dark and uncertain
When you think that the journey you've undertaken isn't worth the patience
And that your input and energy may have been of waste,
But
When your heart is still connected to your Life's goal
And your dreams are alive
And you are certain and believe in the Goodness
Of your sincere endeavours,
With glorious certitude,
The light will shine and bring you the dawn
You'll see the glimpse of a day of abounding Grace
And
Through your moments of meditation and reflection,
You wont give up.

Someone did an incredible job, visually bringing to live a wonderful song by Enya. A song filled with Hope, evokes Beauty and the reach of a Promise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww8wqEgFIA8&mode=related&search=
Hope by sharing this, Your soul will be uplifted in your moments of Meditation and Reflection and keep you grounded in your Life's goal.

Light on Her Face

2007-08-30T07:34:00.000-07:00

In an empty room
A half-naked kid leans
On a shattered wall
Riddled by shells and bullets
Darkness over her frail body
Subtle lightning on her face
Mother, father, sister and brother
Lie lifeless on the floor
Their white clothes colored in blood

Where’s the light
Within this heartless scheme
What’s this light
Where is the promise of salvation

Her painful tears
Shake off the worst her eyes have seen
The quiet sounds of Peace,
A distant Cry of her Dream
Her hands consoles
Her patched lips,
Reminding her belly not to wait for food
For Cornmeal days are over
Gone with the sounds of Hawks
She knows her day is near
But she dives through the crumbling windowpane
To seek the source of light shining on her face

Where’s the light
Within this heartless scheme
What’s this light
Where is the promise of salvation

Kindness of a Stranger

2007-08-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

There are times when having enough one dollar bills in hand is worth more than the fifty dollar bill in your wallet.

Yep that happened to me on Sunday Aug.26.07. I woke up that morming- very early, unusually early (6AM), got ready so as to catch the trirail from West Palm Beach to Ft. Lauderdale-FL. I got to the ticket place hoping to see a human being selling tickets, instead I found a machine (I had forgotten I was in the U.S.A-hahahaha). I looked into my wallet, there was two dollars and one fifty dollar bill. At that moment the fifty dollar bill was useless since the machine does not accept anything above twenty.

The cost of my fare? four dollars. I looked around, asking the nearest guy behind me if he coud lend me two dollars, he had nothing, just his fare amount. Looking desperate, another guy who had overheard me asking for two dollars, came up and gave me two dollars, saying I should not worry about it.

Yep!!! I got my ticket and walked to the platform to wait for the train. I was moved by his kindness that I thought he deserved something. Since I had with me my drum and music CD's, I gave him one and thanked him enormously. We stroke a short conversation, just before the train made its arrival.

I hopped in and sat thinking to myself, what a way to start a Sunday morning.

In the Middle of the Lake

2007-08-25T13:23:00.000-07:00

He was at the middle of the lake loafing over the gentle waves in a kayak he had paddled all the way. The breeze tingling his tightly curled hair, that has been begging the visit of a comb since the official announcement of the hurricane season.

An island forty five hard-stroke paddles away, flourishes in trees and shrubs of a tropical caliber he has no clue what they are. Pines maybe? The spread of a golf course, bike paths and well intentioned green lawns that make up the park, contrast the water, posing as a fantastic backdrop of an ideal picture for someone in a kayak in the middle of a lake.

The sun was up, generously delivering its heat, to swell up the body temperature, that generates perspiration at a rate known only to those who are blessed by Florida sunshine and cooled by its humidity.

A lovely bird in dark green and a blue beak drank joyously at the bank of the lake, carefree and anchored on a branch. Water lovers in paddle boats,relaxing and conversing.

From a distance, the lovely couple Vahid and May synchronize their paddles and chart their course along, making their away around the island.

He follows their move to circulate the island the second time. With over thirty minutes under his belt, it was time for some soccer in the park. He paddled to the shore.

With green grass and a lively soccer mate (Vahid), he played for a while, took a break, drank some water and continued playing goaly and kicker in turns with a youth (introduced as Alex) in red shirt and jeans who knows his way on the soccer field. Flanked by a family having BBQ at the park, and a fire rescue team in training, there was a lot more to see and hear, but soccer was all that his was into.

He heard the call, "Time to go, Lets go." He waved goodbye to his soccer mate and rushed to the car, sweat cooling off like drippings of water from a cold bottle left on a counter.

At home he took a long shower, thought about the tasty Pei Wei sweet and sour chicken waiting for him, he murmured under his breath, "What a good day. I feel so vivified, refreshed and off course got a good workout."

And that is the story of how I spent today with May and Vahid at the Okeeheelee Park in West Palm Beach Florida.

I'll Give My Life for You

2007-08-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

I will give my life for You
I will do whatever it takes to be with You
There is something about You that keeps me on my feet
The calm and drive You bring to my life is Imense
You inspire me into Action, provide cautious advice,
treat me with kindness and shelter me in Love.
The things you do; how you do them is beyond belief
You never cease to Tickle my Imagination,
The strength that exudes from your Charming personality
is gentle, yet Penetrating,
the Power it provides nourishes
and the exuberance it Generates,refreshes.
Words are incapable to clearly define how much you mean to me
Thankfulness and Grace are remote
descriptions of the depth of Adoration I feel towards you
May we continue to leap from strength to Strength
heaven to Heaven and
From bliss to Bliss

Service the Way to Go

2007-08-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

Whao!!! It's been a while since I penned a few words. I am back from a summer and travel hiatus and hopefully by the will of Grace and Blessings I'll be writing more often.

Let me get to the point. What do you think about Service?

I am sure there are myriad of thoughts going through your mind and many ways of responding to the question. All what you are thinking is true and exact.
After spending the last two years on the road, playing music, giving presentations and engaging in many other Fun and Artistic endeavours, I have come to the realization that Service is the best way to go.

Imagine a world where everyone is in Service to everyone. And when I talk about Service I mean that Human Virtue (Spiritual Quality) of giving to others and making a difference in their lives, making the world a better place. That attitude of looking for ways to be of help, working with a spirit of joy and enthusiasm, of doing your very best, contributing to the advancement of the world; be it in small or big ways.

Imagine a world, where people get up in the morning and their thoughts are fixed on making the world of their neighbor a better one (and in this age of superfast internet connection, that neighbor can be anywhere in the world).

Just imagine the joy and excitement it will generate when people consider their jobs,professions and other means of livelyhood as a channel of Service to Humanity rather than a duty, a source of income.

This might sound like am a preacher on a pulpit. I am saying this because I've experienced that kind of environment. It was four years ago in Haifa-Isreal, where I did Voluntary Religious service at the Bahai World Center. You might say that is ancient history, what about Now?

I just came back from a Youth Summer Service Project known as Project Badi in Florida. Three weeks of learning and practicing to be of Service to Humanity through conducting Classes for Children, guiding a Youth Empowerment program, sharing prayers with people, giving presentations on the Healing Message of the Oneness of Humanity by Baha'u'llah, was an experience of tremendous Joy and Enrichment, reminiscent of the experience of service I had four years ago.

The Laughter, the Courage, the Dedication and Enthusiam of the youth participants was trully a sight of cherished memories.

How then can we replicate such experiences so that it becomes a common experience not only for a select few, but for all of Humanity? That is the question I leave you to ponder on. That is my Quest,and I pray and sincerely hope we can make the World a better place in the ways we Dreamed of, guided by the principle that We are Members of One Human Family.

"Ye are the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch."
"The Earth is but One country and Mankind its Citizens."
-Baha'u'llah.

Wishing you a Joyous Day.

Expert in Everything African

2006-12-06T17:32:00.000-08:00

Yes I am an African, an Expert in Everything African especially History.

If there is a word that has a plurality of meanings and implications but at the same time integrate those meanings and implications to one reference point (me), is the word AFRICAN.

People introduce me as:
A friend from Africa
A brother from Africa
A fantastic drummer ‘African Style’ from Africa.
All the above = AFRICAN

Where are you from?
I am from Cameroon.
Where is that?
West Africa
Oh! You mean Africa
Yes the western part of Africa
That’s = AFRICAN.

I like the clothes you are wearing. Where did you get those?
From home, my mother sent it to me as a gift.
It looks AFRICAN
Thank you

You have such a beautiful smile
Thank you
It reminds me of my last summer in Africa
Where and when?
I was in Ghana five years ago
Wonderful
It was unbelievable. The AFRICAN people are very open-minded and extremely welcoming.
(Big smile on my face)
What did you do in Ghana? I asked
I was in a village outside Accra, working on a health project by UNICEF. The children there had such white teeth—it’s miraculous. Dentist here will sigh for in vain
Blame the genes; I concurred (Her face beams with a sense of understanding)

Hey guys meet my friend from Africa (AFRICAN). He is good in soccer.
You mean Football? Another friend clarified
Yes! That is how they call it in Africa.
That’s freaking awesome!
I was at the zoo lately, they have this huge elephant, and the guide told us it was from Africa.
That is great, when can I go see it? I inquired
You mean you’ve never seen an elephant before?
Not up close, except in movies, magazines, etc
You are kidding right?
Nope! Not in my blood
But you are from Africa
Yes I am: African
Ok I will take you to the zoo tomorrow. You will love it. There are so many exotic animals there from Africa
Exotic animals? African?

The next day I was an African in an American zoo looking at African animals—nothing beats that kind of exotic display.

You’re with me so far?
If not then you do need an African friend. Now is the time to make friends with one of those exotic human beings who are flooding the streets of American suburbs, metropolitan centers and wherever they want to lay down their roots. When they speak, their accent is striking and their English diction has a British twist with a Native flair, or showcases the influence of Spanish, Portuguese, and French and in some remote ways German and Dutch.

Since I behave like an African and above all Look African, hence I am an Expert in Everything African. I never thought of becoming an expert in my life, and especially an expert in current affairs and their historical connections.

Growing up in Cameroon, all I wanted to do was play football (soccer, pardon my accent) the whole day, take a long bath at the stream, and go home for a delicious meal and then sleep. Life continues. Life is great. History in secondary school was boring until I had to write it at the ‘O Levels’ to cash a 20000 CFA (about $50) reward promised me by a friend of my mother. I have no clue what I did with that cash, but I remember getting it with so much satisfaction. Nothing in the world beats getting cash from your mother’s friend who’s like an Aunt and no sweats for it.

What caught my fancy in school was the ‘Sciences’. I preferred cramming biological processes, chemical equations and experimenting Newton’s laws with mango fruits instead of knowing what revolutions took place in Europe, and on which date was the Magna Carta signed? Magna Carta isn’t that Latin or something?
Why was History boring?
There are many reasons but let me say:
There was too much to read because it was sub-divided into three major sections.
A) Cameroon. B) Africa C) World, and that was not all; each major section was subdivided as well. I had no time for huge volumes of books that cut short on my time for football playing. That’s why the ‘Sciences’ were kool. If I spend 10 minutes cramming a Physics law, I can use that law forever. If I crammed an equation (X+Y=Z), I can use it to solve all math problems—life is great and life continues.

After five years of studying (relegating it to a day before a History test), what did I learn from History? The quote from my History teachers says it all
“History has taught us that people do not learn from History”
What that quote meant to my brilliant 12-year-old mind then was: We are a species of profound mental retardation (pardon my French) who do the same things over and over again. So why will I want to learn about the mistakes of Yesterday today which I know Tomorrow it’s going to happen anyway? Why not wait and see it happen tomorrow then, makes perfect sense? Brilliant! Light bulb. Let’s see some Historical aspects in general terms
A. The Scramble for Africa was a mess (one tribe divided into two/three different countries. I wonder what Geography lessons the surveyors took. Hey man this river here seems like its not navigable, lets put the boundary of a country right here, more importantly I am tired of those big mosquitoes.)
B. Europe was going from one Revolution to another, even though the last one was a disaster
C. Kings fought Kings because they were in love with the cousins, wives or sisters of other Kings
D. One person fought to liberate his people only to be killed by the same people he liberated, talk about patriotism gone wild
E. And what was Napoleon thinking anyways?
F. Don’t get me started with the Far East, China and the Middle East
G. An ethnic group was almost wiped out because of corn, and now corn is the leading agricultural commodity. Thank you corn syrup.
And so on and so forth.

As an expert in Everything African, I have an excellent idea for all the questions put forth to me. Nowadays a majority of them is all related to History somehow- darn it. I wish I didn’t skip those History classes.

Where can we eat good African food? I know exactly where to salivate your taste buds
Where can we listen and dance to great African music? Somewhere in town, we’ll be gyrating
Tell me about African Culture. Oh yes! Plenty of anecdotes ensue from my lips like Victoria Falls.
I saw this documentary about Africa, is it True that they…
What do you think about Rwanda and now Darfur? It’s an Historical conspiracy my friend
What about AIDS and the starving children? It’s an Historical conspiracy, just that we’ve added women and children into the equation as a throw-off variation, pretentious for that matter

As an expert I have the perfect answer: Its TRUE but where I come from is different. That answer works like a charm. You see!!!!! Just like X+Y=Z it works perfect. The equation remains the same even though the X, Y, and Z’s vary.

After all the black-and-blue of History, what do I have to say about Africa and its History? A lot.
I will be willing to share with anyone who asks. For simplicity sake and educational purposes, certain generalizations pertaining to Africa might be helpful.

(Please take it from an Expert, I know what I am saying, I was born to do this, hope to get paid for it as well!! Big laugh. If that does not convince you; the mere fact that I am an African is Great Qualification in itself—nothing beats that, not even a specialty in African Affairs, African History, and certainly not a PhD in anything related to Africa, from Egyptology to Afro-Religious Studies.)

Hence here are my insights on Africa:
 Africa is the second largest Country in the world after Asia (the birthplace of Bamboo culture, can you believe the tensile strength of those plants!!), but unfortunate to have at least 54 presidents ruling at the same time, a catalyst for confusion, that is why nothing gets done in Africa.
 The national language is Swahili, Zulu, Afrikaans, Shona, or some obscure Bantu tongue depending on which African you meet
 The landscape is rainforest, jungle or desert blessed with wild animals and primeval cultures reserved for National Geographic
 The people live in blissful nakedness, and cover themselves only for photo shoots and TV cameras, but most importantly Christianization
 They learn French, English, Portuguese, or Spanish through leaflets dropped by military helicopters
 Diseases on the ground are highly contagious—the kind of diseases that only Medicins Sans Frontieres can scope the ramifications
 There is no belief in the God-ordained religions of the world. They are so caught up in Voodoo and Black Magic, and for that they are all going to hell.

(And that’s the Word from an expert), the guy who looks like an African, behaves like African, talks like an African, and certainly knows Everything about Africa.
Long Live the Mother Continent.

PS: My colleagues in the Research Department just sent me a note saying every Homo sapiens was an African at some point. Therefore everyone is qualified to know everything about Africa—darn it. Then I am not as special as I thought I was. Well!!!! I still believe I am an Expert—whatever that means and I am holding unto that till my becoming extinct.
Peace out.

A deal over a cup of Starbucks Coffee

2006-11-27T14:46:00.000-08:00

The Deal over a cup of Starbucks Coffee

He opens the glass doors to the coffee shop, steps in and looks for available seats. He decides to settle on one of the two blue sofas separated by an embellished coffee table tucked at a corner as if on purpose: an ideal seating for two lovers to chart their love lives while listening to soothing music, and encouraged to bare their souls with each sip by that scent—an aroma that awakens the taste buds of every Starbucks customer; taking them to the door steps of their nighttime dreams.

He dusts the seat with a handkerchief, reclines to the far right, adjusts for comfort, and makes sure his red silk tie is in place, before reaching for his super fast laptop that had been begging to be used. It’s his latest toy, customized to his liking, delivered by a polite-face FedEx employee. He had signed the delivery sheet with the sheer excitement of an innocent boy. He opens his laptop and streams to the Internet, launches his Myspace account, and scrolls down the names of his friends and clicks on the profile of his date to double-check.

Not that he isn’t familiar with who she is as exhibited by her profile description, numerous photos, Blog messages, and phone conversations that stretched to the wee hours of the morning; he wants to look at her photos to imbed her image before it gets secluded to the world of memory. In a few minutes he’ll see her in person for the first time. Everything is going to change?

The question running through his mind like a jet on a runway is: Is she all that she is? He leans back, rubs his palms and slides them between his ears to make his hair look sleek, wipes his face, and then beams forth a demeanor—a pose of an assured young man, highly accomplished, a veritable gentleman in an age of virtual feats.

He looks at his wrist watch (Versace with diamond initials BNG) two minutes had elapsed. That fast?
“ I just came in seconds ago.”
He is curious about the meeting, wants to be cautious, but never to appear intimidated by any over achievers, especially a young woman, a bright woman. Not on my first date please.
He preferred this particular Starbucks coffee shop, it’s a five minutes walk from his office—a consulting firm making big bucks from oil companies. The idea was that the walk from his office to the shop would do him some good; times to contemplate, think things through, and decide on a strategy of approach. More importantly, he needed the exercise.

He leans forward and decides against the impulse to check on the markets. The final bell of trade at the New York stock exchange will sound out in approximately three minutes his time. The same time his date is to make an entry into the coffee shop. No lady wants to see a guy surfing the net on her first date right? He closes the laptop and cases it. With the latest Apple product aside, he can focus on the big task ahead of him: pulling off a first date in person with the woman of his dreams?
He leans backwards again, crosses his legs, makes sure his red silk tie is resting perfectly on his right thigh—an elegant match for his designer pants, the one he got during a seasonal sales at Kohl’s. He places his fingers together forming an inverted V inches away from his nose—that alluring facial feature readily telling everyone at all times of his handsomeness. He starts to think, many thoughts racing through his mind.

The image of his date flashes through him, a vivid image. That photo of her in the Bahamas (A birthday gift from a friend of hers. It was a surprise photo taken by the photographer, the genius behind those enticing billboard images of Victoria Secret’s models, images propelling the craze for lovers, husbands and wana-be lovers disguising as romance connoisseurs, who flood Victoria Secret’s stores wanting to buy that special gift for their-one-and-only). It’s a perfect image, one that he approves and looking forward to match up to. In her two-piece bikini, flashing a healthy smile, a slight sunlight that enhances the glow of her body and exotic skin color, plus the heaven-like beach in the background, makes it a memorable image in his mind. An image of delight—a tease, a classy appeal, glamour, invitation and dreams rolled up in one. He sees in that image liveliness, a romance in heaven. What a concept.

The music playing in the background had changed from a love song by a well-known singer he can’t pinpoint (Al Green, Barry White? he has no clue), to an instrumental rendition of ‘Ballerina Girl’, the Spanish guitar plucking the melody in that spirit of L’Amore understood by those who’ve been affected by the spell of romance ushered by the Mediterranean lure of Costa del Sol. He looks to his right and sights a couple two seats away, grooving to the music. From their mannerisms, he could tell they were newly weds. Look at that, him fixing her hair, both of them drinking a tall mocha from the same cup, how romantic.

He looks at his watch, three minutes gone. Anticipation has a way of prolonging time, stretching it almost to the reach of eternity. The coffee shop wasn’t busy—very unusual for the day and time. Most of the orders were coming from the drive thru—too slow as well. Since he stepped into the shop, apart from the lovey-dovey couple, the only person who came in was a guy in a black leather jacket, wearing the same designer pants he would have won if not for the red tie (the stripes would have been competing with the tie, too flashy). He thought, what a coincidence of dressing it would have been. He had paid 35 bucks for those same pants instead of the original tag price of $125 (one of the things he learned from her). The guy gave him a what’s-up nod, and he responded with a how-do-you-do nod and out the door, the guy was gone. He has good taste in dressing; I dig his style, highly metropolitan.

Back on his watch, four minutes had elapsed. In a minute his lady will make an entrance. Those glass doors will open, and thoughts started speeding through his mind. What will be his first reaction, the first impression of her on a face-to-face encounter? Will she come across as a confident, I know-what-I-want-and-I-am-going-for-it kind of woman who loves surprise gifts? Will she be as lively as she appears in that photo of hers with her multiracial and diverse ethnic friends in a trendy nightspot in South beach? Or will she be a snob, enjoy a cup of coffee with him, polite in conversation and then say goodbye? Never to be seen again, change her location, delete him as a friend on Myspace, even leave the country? Some of the options will never happen to him he concludes, but shit happens you know!

Catching himself swearing in his head, he wipes his face, changes his pose from a consultant-minded, risk calculation frame of mind, to the posture of a sweetheart waiting for his beloved. At this state, the mystery of her choice of location is mind-boggling. Coffee shop for a first date? He cannot wrap his brains around that choice. She had basically given him two choices: a coffee shop or a bookstore. He opted for the coffee shop since it’s a walking distance from his job site. Knowing that, she begged him not to come with his car.
“Call me superstitious or crazy, the kind of car you drive tells of the kind of relationship you will have.”
No further explanation. She wanted to prove wrong her theory based on the experience of her past relationships.
“Please I beg you don’t come with your car. Would you do that for me honey?”
“Yes I will,” end of story.
If they decide to go somewhere else, they’ll ride in her car, described as
“Not too fancy or too ghetto either, just perfect for the woman I Am.”
No further details.

From the conversations they’ve had over the phone, online chats, and sometimes-phony text messages, he knows she is a lady of refined taste, cultured, intelligent, funny and vivacious. She had educated him on the excellent offerings of fine cuisine, where to shop for the best chocolate in town (his most delectable weak spot to a point of addiction), how to spot an elegant apparel and pay less for it, and so many other things about life that she says,
“Experience and Association has blessed me with.”
But why will she settle for a coffee shop or a bookstore for a first date? Why not a porch outing—a limousine tour of the metro, an evening serenaded by the best live Jazz music the city can offer? Go to a theater or listen to classical opera, sitting on those elite balconies? Why not a trip to the conservatory for an eclectic encounter with the symphony? Or a romantic dinner in that revolving restaurant so famous for its zest? And off course why not a get away to the Caribbean—that land of her utmost adoration?

This he could not decipher, but content that in a minute some of his questions will be answered as soon as she walks in through those glass doors.

The jolly couple exits the building, clinging to each other like lovebirds in a nest on a cozy afternoon of blue skies and refreshing breeze. The waiter with a ponytail is busy laughing with another red-faced employee, with a true sign of blush flashing all over her face. He must have said something real flattering to cause her to blush so… Throngs of birds fly by and swarm a tree of red leaves close to the window. The music slows down to Nat King Cole, he hums the words “…it will be forever…” inaudibly.

As soon as the song subsides, there is a pause, everything in the room seems to be in a trance of anticipation, the world around him is streaming to a moment, and the universe is playing along. He looks at his watch, five minutes to the dot. He gives the whole room a quick glance; the corner of his eye catches a figure approaching the glass doors. He turns his whole body and focuses on her entrance. She is on time. She swings the door open, sees him standing, mesmerized as if she is from another planet—that planet of dazzling models and charming souls. He opens his mouth, his heart throbs, the wait is over, and the words came out, “Maria!!!!” his mind beeps: a creature nonpareil.

Journal

2006-11-13T21:23:00.000-08:00

The journal is that special place where we transform thoughts, actions and other aspects of life into a language that we consider best expresses the observation, maintains the record, etcetera.

Its actually a fascinating process: there are millions of thoughts running through our minds, a host of actions taking place, behaviors and patterns, and so on and so forth. How do we select what to write in our journals? What influences us to jot down a thought today, cascade over a favorite quote tomorrow, revisit a darling moment the next day, and then reminisce in subsequent lines? Why is there a pattern in what we journal?

Does it reflect our personality or is it a revelation thereof? When you go back and pick up that leather cover journal and dust it off; open its pages, read a few lines here and there, or gleam through specific notations, can it still bring out the same emotions that prompted its recording years ago? Or does it offer clues to an understanding of yourself today; things you missed in the past? Does it drive you into regrets or does regret itself becomes pity of a sad decision? Does it propel you into action, to make a change and foster an incredible belief in your strengths?

The journal itself as an entity has its own life doesn't it? It grows from rambles, blurbs of words and sentences, to phrases cramped into meaningful expositions, which in time becomes an historical witness

(Yes on the twenty first of March 1804 I had boiled eggs and potato salad that made my stomach growled in agony. I wish I had the courage to tell that girl who invited me for dinner that she is a lousy cook. I wonder what she'll be cooking when she is twenty. It's over with her)

The Journal is our friend at least to some of us, and to others, more than a friend. We can talk (in writing off course), lash out at her, reveal our most private/intimate thoughts whether sublime or plain nasty. The best listener she is. We can talk and talk (write and write) till ink runs dry and yet she would still be waiting for more. She is the one who lets us flesh out our anger and frustration, celebrate our glories and achievements, question our motives, defend our manners, destroy and rebuild.

She says nothing but takes it all; all emotions to her are spills of ink in all its fancy manifestations. However, she gives those very spills back to us into packages of intelligent, carefully orchestrated responses that resurges, vivifies, clarifies and invigorates (At least that's what we think we are getting).

No matter how we put it, it's always different from the worlds of thought to the flow in our journals. Something magical happens as soon as those thoughts are penned within her confines. She does something that encompasses us; who we are, where we are heading to, where we stand as individuals, vis-à-vis our world and the universe.

It doesn't say it's a mirror image of our personality (Whoa! I didn't know mum was such thoughtful human being. When we were young she was always playing with us like we were her buddies. She was always playful, never knew she had time for deep thoughts. I tell you! Her journal is freaking awesome. I wish she were still alive)

Nor does it point out the mirage of our dreams, or does it even surrogate the myriad impasse for validation. The least and the best she can do is take our words, sentences, phrases, paragraphs as an ink imprint in whatever form we decide to record it, to be left for interpretation by posterity or hidden in the locks of memoirs as a thread to eternity. Vivre le Journal.

Let the Music Playing

2006-10-30T15:05:00.000-08:00

Have you ever waited for something so long that your heart hurtS?
Yep you might be thinking Ah that guy has finally fell in Love with his hearts-desire. Nope that is not it. Keep trying. In that department I am still searching-- another good excuse right there. Don't blame me, just take care of my heart. I know she is out there. Mmm where is this going?
Yes you got it. AH NO You missed the right guess once more.

From May 2006 when the band The Light Combo did a live recording at the Train Depot in Norman-OK till October, my heart has been anxiously waiting to see the design and all the funky stuff that goes on a CD. And finally I saw it and heard the music. Yes I am at ease now. I can tell everyone who asked me the question "Do you have a CD?" Yes I do. There is one right here, would you like a copy for your listening pleasure?

Mmm Music takes my soul to places, spaces and beyond. To worlds as far as my soul can soar. So please Keep the Music playing and if you want to add to your collection of Inspiring music give The Light Combo a holler.
You might see me in your backyard playing the Drums. AH yes Music, Music Music, What will I do without you?

Southern Breeze

2006-10-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

Being in NABI-The Native American Bahai Institute has been a time of inspiration, fun and excitment. I thought it appropriate to share with you what I wrote for their Newsletter coming out soon.

Southern Breeze

In Yukon-OK, at the home of a young interracial couple, a group of friends sit around a table enjoying freshly brewed Persian tea with goodies taking pleasure in the strengths of friendship as they study Book Four.

In Albuquerque-NM, in a gorgeous house facing the Watermelon Mountains, a handsome number of diverse participants gather for a devotional gathering, followed by a musical fireside on “The Greatness of this Day.”

Under pretty blue skies and the wafting of refreshing breeze, in a park in Santa Fe-NM, young adult collaborators of a Book One study circle say prayers with family and friends, enjoy a hearty breakfast, and listen to live music that combines African rhythms with the haunting sounds of the Didgeridoo (An Australian wooden pipe musical instrument).

At a retirement community building in Taos-NM, elderly folks get together to complete Book Two in an atmosphere of joy, laughter, conversation plus singing.
An assembly of mostly Native people of the Navajo Nation offer praises to the Great Spirit in different languages, in the Prayer Hogan (That Sacred and Spiritual circle at NABI), sharing stories and later on has a delicious meal in a spirit of cheerfulness and gratitude.

I was blessed to visit these Bahá'í communities recently, and felt privileged to be part of the above mentioned activities. I think the catchphrase behind a blue van at the NABI campus that clearly states, “Got RUHI?” summarizes the outlook and motivation of the friends who are involved in the core activities of the Five Year Plan, and it’s even more fitting to say “Got Core Activities?” (Smiley faces).
Having the bounty of traveling around the U.S and more recently the South West; it’s a source of great joy to experience and see first hand the magic and transforming power of the Institute process. The involvement of the friends and communities who enthusiastically carry out core activities (Study Circles, Devotional Gatherings, Children’s Classes and Junior Youth Classes) and their allied achievements is beyond expression. “People are more unified, they are focused on the institute process and eagerly prepare for Entry by Troops,” are the words of a youth in Santa Fe which echoes the brilliant changes the Institute process brings to a community.

When I posed the question, “What changes do you see in your community as a result of the Institute process?” the response from a young adult in Santa Fe was, “A LOT.” With a voice of contentment she continued, “We have a community of many Bahá’ís participating in one, two or more activities regularly, instead of a community of a few burned out Bahá’ís who had to participate in all community activities… I feel more comfortable inviting my non-Bahá'í friends to study circles where they can share and learn directly from the Holy Writings rather than the interpretations of individuals… since the friends are busy with core activities, it leaves no time for backbiting (another laugh of satisfaction).”

In all the communities I have been to, from the suburbs of Chicago to the mountains of Arizona, the friends exude a confidence second to none. They see a bright future and they know their investment in the Ruhi courses, core activities and goals of the Five Year Plan; be it in kind, cash, sweat and blood (Yes! some youth have bled for the core activities) will yield incredible rewards. In the words of my interviewees from Santa Fe; the youth affirms, “I pray for more youth involvement. The future of our community is bright.” The young adult concludes, “I see my community growing, ready and executing Intensive Growth Programs, becoming a recognized group in Santa Fe and providing valuable services to the general community.” Feelings I wish for all Bahá'í communities.

As I listen to the birds sing early in the morning, watch inspirational sunrises and sunsets, gaze at the majesty of nearby mountains, witness the color changes of Ponderosas, pray and meditate in the prayer Hogan with NABI staff, I am convinced and thrilled to learn that the next community I am honored to visit, is passionately working to establish God’s Kingdom on earth one core activity at a time. The Beloved Universal House of Justice declares, “The elements required for a concerted effort to infuse the diverse regions of the world with the spirit of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation have crystallized into a framework for action that now needs only to be exploited.” So! Got your Core Activities Yet?

In His Service,
Gustaff Besungu.

Bahai Service

2006-09-17T22:52:00.000-07:00

The friends gathered at the Unitarian Church of Lubbock-TX to participate in a Unity Feast by the Bahais of Lubbock. It was a program to share with friends of the Faith, certain aspects of Bahai worship, to share some principles and Teachings as well.
The program was simple, well organized and fun. There was a brief introduction of the Faith that included History, Teachings and Present conditions of the Bahai friends in Iran. That was follwed by a Devotional program that consisted of reading Holy Writings interspaced by chants, and music performance. After an audience participation in song to close the devotionals, it was time for socializing. The camaraderie was great. It was a nice and wonderful program.

The Light Combo

2006-09-10T09:55:00.000-07:00

September 9. 06
The evening was warm, the backyard was green and tidy, and the crowd was vibrant.
It was an evening of joy and merriment. We had gathered to celebrate the pre-release of the CD "Village Nights" by The Light Combo. The band played orginal songs and a good number of cover songs. The crowd danced, they associated with each other and feast on outdoor meals from burgers to potato salad; from soda to ice water.

It was such a blessing to play with my band mates Darrel and Mark after a long time due to my travels. The CD is ready. I cannot wait to start sharing the inspirational songs with the World.

Traveller as Usual

2006-09-03T13:09:00.000-07:00

I spent two weeks in Fayetteville-AR, visiting Ashu in the company of his mother and nephew. It was one of those periods I considered highly creative.
I was able to rewrite and finish the manuscript of a short novel I was working on. The creative juices were flowing so much so that I have started working on another story which will be in the form of a social commentary. Looking forward on how it will turn out. I still have beaucoups of research to do though, but the momentum is there.

Now I am in Oklahoma getting ready for my band The Light Combo to play at a gathering of our friends and fans come Sept. 9. 06. Its going to be fun. That is when we will showcase the release of our live CD 'Village Nights'. A show we did for an Arts N.G.O sometimes back.

From then, I head on to Lubbock Texas for an event and the life of travelling continues.
Raise your hats and pray for your dreams--- You never know They might Come True.

Photography

2006-08-14T23:16:00.000-07:00

The Interesting thing about Photography is that it conveys a message in a concise manner but at the same time leaves alot of room for interpretation. It brings objects, subjects and situations into a focus where one can visualize. It educates the world through a combination of angles, speed, light density, apertures and all the technical terms photographers use.

In all, the photographer interpretes her surroundings from a certain perspective and can only hope that the lesson is being learned by those who see the photos. Maybe they'll see something that will catch their attention. Something that will intrigue them, something that will enlighten them, something that will elate them and something that will change the way the look at the world. For every photo we see expands our view of our world, giving us a deeper understanding of who we are as individuals, socities, communities and above all Humankind.

A Cry for Change

2006-08-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

A cry for Change

In a world full of pain and calamity
Bestial with no amity
Seeking no end to its conformity
Let the words come crying
The world come singing
A joyous song of friendship

When humans are pointlessly slaughtered
On groundless fallacies uttered
With vehement convictions awfully fostered
Let the words come crying
The world come singing
A joyous song of friendship

When children die in poverty
While we care for our property
With no sense of dignity
Let the words come crying
The world come singing
A joyous song of friendship

When women lay bare their body in quantity
In shameless fashion of no magnanimity
Satisfying lustful delight of zero nobility
Let the words come crying
The world come singing
A joyous song of friendship

There is no need to be boastful
Of selfish accomplishments so pitiful
Mindful of no intriguing benefits to being helpful
Let the words come crying
The world come singing
A joyous song of friendship

In an era of overflowing potential
That seeks genuine participation so essential
In peaceful living without being inconsequential
Let the words come crying
The world come singing
A joyous song of friendship

Let the song echo in every locale and neighborhood
In a global reach of our shared human hood
Actions of the believers in universal brotherhood
Let the words come crying
The world come singing
A joyous song of friendship

Where have you been?

2006-07-31T13:53:00.000-07:00

You may be asking where is this guy and what is he up to?
I have been to many places recently from Oklahoma to New Mexico and Colorado to California. Now that I am in Dallas-TX after a short visit to Austin-TX, I can tell you that I have been enjoying myself tremendously.

In NM I was enjoying the hospitality of the Navajo people who came to the Bahai Summer School at Kamp Kiwanis. It was five days of reading, studying and socializing. The atmosphere was of spiritual energy, vitality and excitement. The vibrancy of the friends came through their devoted service as clearly exemplified by the children and pre-youth who served meals, did clean-up and participated in activities with such high spirits second to none.

In Modesto-California, I was blessed to be part of the wedding of Cellas and Jamie Awoh Tabe on July 23rd 2006. Their marriage ceremony was a testatment to the principle of Unity in Diversity. He is from Cameroon and she from the U.S.A. While the country was experiencing a heat wave of deadly consequences, these friends were basking in the heat of Love. At the ceremony, prayers and Holy Writings were said in many languages ( Farsi, French, Spanish, English...). Marriage Blessings in Native American and Buddhist cultures was a unique addition to the ceremony. The friends who attended exuded the feelings of joyfulness that I have never witnessed in any marriage ceremony before.Then it was dancing time. We danced like there was no tomorrow and sang a catchy Cameroonian song "On My wedding day".

In Austin-TX it was at the Bahai center that Farid gave a wonderful talk on Human Rights. He stressed the link of the abuse of Women to the spread of terrorism. In simple terms, we cannot ignore the rights of women and hope to have peace. Now is the time to enhance the conditions of women around the world.The three case study he showed of women from Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan were really heart-breaking. I thought to myself, that is a mother or a sister suffering like that, so severely for being a woman. Where is the world heading to? It was such a graphic and gripping image of the plight of women.

In San Marcos, Saturday July 29th 2006 it was the 33rd Bahai Annual river float. I had such a great time floating down San Marcos river. The temperature of the water was cold but perfect for the hot weather. In my pimped-out tube given by Anlo, I floated down the river like a tycoon. At the pavillion, fresh beverages were waiting to quench my thirst. After a few conversations here and there with some friends and new faces, it was time for soccer. I played soccer on and off for about three hours. Men!! my bones and muscles got a good deal of it. It was a good match at the end.

2006-06-30T16:28:00.000-07:00

Yep!!! You are looking at a selection of photos of the Yellowstone National Park.
The World's first national Park is amazingly beautiful and enchanting. A place for the lovers of nature and outdoors. A place to garner energy and inspiration. A place to see curious tourists, and a place to look for wildlife like children searching for candy.

Well!! My quest was to answer the question- How Yellow is Yellowstone? The stone that gave birth to the popular name Yellowstone is yellow as yellow can be for a rock (Top photo). However, the park is mostly green during this time of the year. I was blessed to drive through this enchanting landscape, Thanks to my hosts- Sharon and Fred Cline of Billings-Montana.

I hope the photos give you an inkling of the beauty of the area. Keep on Travelling and Discovering the world.

Photos:
The Yellow rock that inspired the name Yellowstone
Old Faithful Lodge-A magnificent wood building close to a geyser known as Old Faithful.
Wildlife at the Lamar Valley
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

2006-06-26T16:13:00.000-07:00

It was 8 pm on a Friday night, when a young man boarded a Greyhound bus from Oklahoma City to Billings-Montana. After a long ride that composed of chattering with strangers, listening to music from around the world, taking quick stops to energize the body with junk food and liquids, it was time to say Hello to the "Treasure State." Arriving on a Sunday afternoon of blue skies and warm weather, he was glad to step out of the bus and breathe the air of a new State--a State he is visiting for the first time.

Without delay, he claimed his luggage, made a phone call to arrange for his ride and then engaged in a short conversation with a young and hip couple from Orlando-Florida, about the benefits of raising American children in small towns. The couple had their young baby with them. He was the cutest thing ever. His smiling face was even more brilliant when he slept peacefully in his bluish cradle tucked in with soft baby cushions. In his restful sleep, little did he know his parents had decided to raise him in the small town of Missoula-Monatana.

It wasn't long when the glass doors aligned by metal sheets of the bus station slowly opened to reveal the face of the young traveller's ride (Aunty Sharon). Followed by a hug and the greetings "Welcome to Billings..." from Aunty Sharon, was an excited hop into the Dodge van. As the van made its way uphill through a corner, bringing a spectacular view of the rimrocks into clearer focus, the young man noted in his heart, "Three weeks here will be just fantastic... look at that view..." Making things even better, the house where the car pulled into, made his heart pound with fascination.

A gorgeous three levels red wooden house by the rimrocks with well-laid out gardens and a little river (constructed by the owners) flowing in the back yard into a ravine not only enhances the beauty of the surroundings, it also blends with it. The strategically placed living areas with gas fireplaces, rock walls, selected trees and grasses, pathways of concrete, step-ways of alligned rocks that flow out on both sides of the river, creates a breathtaking terrace for the lovers of natural outdoor living, and an inviting retreat that will inspire the minds of both connoisseurs and avid horticulturists.

He was ushered into the house, showed his room and welcomed by friendly faces and a curious dog. In no time he started enjoying the camaraderie of his host family. A good swim and delicous BBQ at the pool of a neighbour, plus the restful sleep he got to rest his tired bones was just a prelude to all the fascinating and enjoyable time he'd be having in the "Treasure State".