Peace is Patriotic! (Audio)

ITP #11: Why is it that we are only considered patriotic if we stand behind the decisions of our government? Peace is Patriotic, and protest is our right. Love is the only answer. Because an eye for an eye will only leave the whole world blind.
Links: Event information for Avon Walk closing ceremony
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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Peace is PatrioticI

Hi I'm Anush and welcome to Episode 11 of  inside the pomegranate. It is SO  hot in here today - 100 degrees,  and we have been living with the a/c on.  Since our Avon Walk is coming up next weekend, we had planned one last training walk.  I know, I know...probably not the smartest move in this kind of heat, but we did decide to take the walk to the ocean, where it was only in the upper 80's. Seriously.  So this morning,  Tamar, aka Sugar, and I set out at 7:00 a.m. to walk a circuit of what we thought was 12 miles: from Dockweiller Beach to head south to Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo beaches and back.  We had used an app called "Map My Walk" which basically routes your walk and tells you your mileage. We had walked a shorter version of this route before but thought we'd add a couple more miles so we started one beach down.  What we had mapped to be a 1 mile stretch of bike path, really ended up being more like 2 and a quarter miles. So we're thinking we'll clear the bike bath in about 20 minutes.  And we're walking....and walking...and walking....and 40 minutes later we're in Manhattan Beach thinking, why did it take so long....that was way over a mile.  Anyways, the walk went off without a hitch, and after doing the circuit we found ourselves back on the long stretch of bike path back to our cars.  By mile 13 we had run out of water, the sun was beating down on us and on both sides of the path, sand all around.  It was tough. Today we walked 15.5 miles, and those last stretch was grueling.  It was hot, the sun was right overhead, and the reflective nature of the concrete and the sand fried us to a nice crispy pink!  As I often do in times when I need to stay focused, I started thinking about my grandmother,  who was made to walk through the desert during the genocide.

It wasn't like today, I thought.  It's not like they she was wearing a cool tank top and comfortable shoes. The Armenian women of that time had long dresses on...with high collars and long sleeves.  She wasn't carrying a pack with water on her back like I was.  She was carrying her child  and their belongings.  Through the hot, hot desert.  Not able to stop in any shade she may have found.  Not able to stop for water or food.  And definitely not able to know that after the next mile or two it would be over and she'd be able to go home to their loved ones.  No.  She walked on.  Not knowing where she was were , or if she was  going to make it.  As I was walking that final mile, I was thinking about this all.  What would I do if I saw those that were walking on the same path as me falling down, unable to keep walking.  What if I couldn't help them...wasn't allowed to help them?  And the most horrible thing...what if the child I was carrying with me died in the desert and I had to bury him and leave him there?  My grandmother had to bury my uncle.  I can't imagine the tremendous grief she must have felt not only then but throughout her entire life.  

During my childhood, I remember going to the cemetary with my family to pay our respects to my grandfather.  My grandmother would always remember my young uncle at that time.  She would always cry that my grandfather was lucky to have a place of rest.  And mention her child who wasn't afforded that grave.  As a child, I didn't understand why she seemed so "mean" or "resentful" of my grandfather.  Once I became a mother, I can't imagine the pain she must have felt from her broken heart of having to bury her child and leave him behind.  I'm sure in her lifetime, she relived that terrible day over and over again. 

I gather a lot of strength from my grandmother.   Not only when walking the route, but when walking through life's difficulties and challenges.  The thing that got her through it was her faith in God.  It was the ONLY thing that got her through it.  And she remained strong because of it.  In such uncertain times, God was the only thing that she could count on as a constant..her only refuge.  Like her, I am a fighter, a survivor.   And I am inspired to stay strong in my faith because of her.  

Although we had to get in that last training walk, my heart was divided today.  There was a rally against the looming military action in Syria that I wanted to attend.  The walk, or the rally?  The walk? or the Rally? And although my heart was at the rally, I have made the commitment to walk 39 miles for a cause that I had to prepare for...so I had to train.  I have been reading the headlines about Syria, watching the news, and I have been praying for peace.  For wisdom for our president...and for the world leaders that make these terrible decisions of war.  I am against the war in Syria, as I was against the war in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and though I was too young to go to a protest rally for VietNam, I came from a household that opposed the war.  My earliest protest experience though was going with my parents to Pershing Square in Los Angeles on April 24 call attention to what had happened to the Armenians.  Back then, people didn't know too much about Armenians, and there weren't too many that would gather.  But my parents would take us with them and we would walk in protest.

As a child of the 70's, we grew up this way.  We joined in rew up protesting for causes. I was involved with Greenpeace back then, and protested the hunting of whales and the clubbing of seals, and then later, was involved in the No Nukes campaign at Diablo Canyon.  Times have changed, but the right to protest hasn't.  Flash forward to current times.  Social Media is now the "street corner" where you can hold up your sign in protest.  You can "share" the banners that people are posting.  Add your comments.  A friend of mine reminded me just yesterday that a few years ago, we were protesting the war in Iraq on Friday evenings in Montrose, holding up signs in protest.  I remember on the opposite corner of this small town, stood a group of veterans...standing under the flag of the United States.  Holding up signs that said, "support our troops".  The corner that we were standing on, had an actual flag pole, yet the veterans had chained it so that we wouldn't be able to fly the American flag there and thus, not be able to stand under the U.S. flag and protest.  Wasn't THAT Un-American?

I found this so odd.  Did they really think that because we were protesting a war, that we were not supporting our troops.  As an American, I am grateful for those that are in the military service...who serve our country.  But as a Christian, as a mother, as a Child of God, I am opposed to war.  Yes, I support our troops.  I support them so much that I want every one of them brought back home alive.  Why is it that the flag of our country waves so proudly in times of war?  Why is it that the veterans stand under this flag during these times, waving it, and professing their allegiance to this great country of the United States.  Why are the peacemakers not allowed to stand under the banner of our country.  Do we only stand with our country in times of war?  Are we not allowed to work toward a model of a peaceful country?  I don't get the line of thinking there.  The last time I looked, in this country we have a right to protest.  So what was up with that?

So anyway, I started looking at all the banner posts that are going up on Facebook about what's going on in Syria.  Whether standing on a small corner in Montrose years ago, or standing in a large protest of solidarity with others around the world, or just posting your view on FB, it's all a way to "do something" with the insanity that is looming around us.

I had posted on facebook, "Peace cannot be achieved through violence. Ever." 
I received the following comment:  so... it's a good thing the world looked the other way in 1915?
I thought about this a lot over the past few days since the comment was posted.  I don't think it's ever right to stand back and not do anything about it.  That's what happened in 1915 when the Turks killed my people. People knew what was going on, and turned a blind eye to it under the umbrella of war.  No, I don't think it's okay to look the other way.  But there are other ways to solve the violence and hatred than through force.  Sanctions, negotiations, trying for War Crimes.  '

It was Gandhi who said “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.”  Isn't that the truth?

But that evening,  I received another response to my post.  And that said this:   I would agree with you in all cases except one: Isaiah 53 - "By His wounds we are healed"

Reflecting on this comment, I agree.  The only time that violence brought about love was when Christ was cruicified for our sins.  Because he loved us so much, we received His ultimate sacrifice.  If we are called to Christianity, we must follow HIS command:  

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love oneanother. John 13:34

What a concept.  If we could only Love One Another as Christ loved us, in other words, do our utmost - with our entire being - all the ten commandments would be addressed, right?  All things are achieved through love.  

I will continue to pray for peace and wisdom for the world and it's leaders..and for our President.  I ask that you do the same.  Pray for Peace. For our world. For humanity. We all belong to one another.  Peace is Patriotic.  I hope that someday, we can stand under our flag...and that our flag will wave as a banner of Peace.

Have a wonderful week everyone.  And if you would, please keep Fr. Vazken, myself, and the rest of us on Team in Her Shoes in your prayers next weekend, september 7 and 8, as we'll be walking 39.3 miles for breast cancer at the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Santa Barbara.  See the info below in case you're so inclined to come on down to the opening or closing ceremonies or find us on the walk route and cheer us on.

CEREMONIES

OPENING: CHASE PALM PARK | CLOSING: CARPINTERIA STATE BEACH

Opening Ceremony
Chase Palm Park
323 East Cabrillo Boulevard
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
MAP

Opening: September 7, 2013 | Walker Arrival 5:00 - 6:00 A.M. | Ceremony Begins 6:30 A.M.
Closing: September 8, 2013 | Ceremony Begins at 2:30 P.M.

Complimentary shuttles to the Opening Ceremony at Chase Palm Park will run from Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort between 4:00 - 6:00 A.M. Saturday morning.

There is also weekend long parking available at Chase Palm Park (the Opening Ceremony Site). Parking is limited, please carpool to this site.

Please note that due to the Closing Ceremony location being at Carpinteria State Beach, you will need to take the shuttle from the Closing Ceremony site back to Chase Palm Park in order to get your vehicle. These shuttles will not depart from Carpinteria State Beach until after the Closing Ceremony has concluded (approximately 4:00 P.M.).

Closing Ceremony
Carpinteria State Beach
Linden Ave & 3rd Street
Carpinteria, CA 93013
MAP

Friends and family are encouraged to bring picnic gear to Closing Ceremony as the beach is open to the general public. It’s also a great time to explore the local businesses bordering the park on Linden Avenue.

Shuttle buses to the both the Fess Parker Doubletree Resort and Chase Palm Park on Sunday will depart immediately after the conclusion of the Closing Ceremony.

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Branches of Love (Audio)

ITP #10: After experiencing the Magic of last week's Feast of the Assumption, Anush shares how the lesson of the week - being tied to the vine - help us become the branches of love, extending Christ's love to those in our lives.
Article: The Business 9 Women Kept A Secret For Three Decades
--by Lori Weiss, syndicated from huffingtonpost.com, Jun 29, 2012
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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Branches of Love

I hope you all had a great week. My week was full and nonstop, but a really good one. After attending Asdvadzadzin services last Sunday, it just kind of left me pumped up!  We had just gotten back from our vacation in Oregon in time for Sunday's Service, and the following day was our homeless outreach to Skid Row.  I wanted to share about that outreach today, and just talk about the idea that Fr. Vazken spoke about in his sermon last week.  Tying into the vine, which is Christ.

So just a little background for those of you who don't know about our homeless outreach.  We started visting Skid Row 6 years ago.  Skid Row is the area in downtown Los Angeles, that has large homeless populations on the streets.  The poorest of the poor.  Some who are fortunate, have a tent to sleep in, others have a flattened box to lay on, and still others have nothing at all.  When we go out to visit our homeless brothers and sisters, we take two large thermoses of hot water, many cases of Cup o' Noodles, water bottles, wrapped snacks, used, donated clothing, and always after The Feast of the Assumption, we take blessed grapes.

This small gesture, of taking grapes to the homeless, is very well received and appreciated. Food and clothing are always appreciated by those that have very little.  But sharing a blessing is different.  And I don't know who it's more special to: the deliverer of the blessing or the recipient.

 First off, receiving any kind of fresh fruit is a treat.  Those that live on the street are used to eating the leftovers of others.  Finding food in the trash, or if lucky, receiving the doggy bag of someone walking by.  So here's what happens.  We drive around the streets finding encampments of people and pull the cars over and serve them.  When we pulled out the grapes and offered them, their eyes lit up.  I didn't tell all of them that these grapes were special, but to those that questioned our new menu item, I would tell them.  "These grapes are blessed.  And we brought them for you to receive the blessing as well."   When I talked about the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, some of their eyes would soften as if remembering something in their teaching from long ago.  Others knew.  One young man was very moved.  He told me, "I am going to eat these grapes and receive God's blessing.  Thank you so much."  And he turned to his friends and told them "If you don't want your grapes, you can't throw them away...give them to me...they've been blessed.  In church."

The blessing of being able to reach out to the homeless is one that I so appreciate.  As much as I have a soft spot for the homeless, and my heart hurts for them, I am spoiled.  I complain about my job.  I complain that I can't get a grip on the housework.  I can be wasteful in my ways.  I focus on stuff that is so trivial sometimes.  Stupid stuff, like, for example, maybe my pillow cases don't match my sheets, y'know?  Does that really matter when my brother doesn't even have a pillow, let alone a sheet, a blanket..or a bed.  So you see what I'm saying? It's humbling.  And being able to share God's love with them helps me, helps all of those that participate on our crew, to put things into perspective.

It's a privilege to serve.  Once we load up the cars for our outreach, we gather in a circle on the lawn of the church for a prayer.  We thank God for the opportunity to be his hands and to reach out.  We ask for protection and  that He help us not to judge.  And that He allow us to bring His light and love to those in need.  Last Monday we fed and clothed about 160 people.  And that helps the rest of the week seem a bit lighter.

And then on Thursday, when I listened to this week's episode of the Next Step with Father Vazken and his conversation with Linda Zadoian about the Feast of the Assumption...and grape blessing, it made sense about why this week felt so different.  I was at church last Sunday, and I felt that magic they were talking about...and it did carry forward thoughout the week.  We were still riding on the wave of that day and its lesson.   I think that's the beauty of these special days...that they are supposed to carry us with their meaning so that we can live the message not just that one day but for the remaining 364 days of the year.  

So I started thinking of ways that we can reach out to others...and be tied to the vine.  It's not only about feeding the homeless.  Maybe that's just not your thing.  But there are other ways to extend the love.  We can show others the love within us...the love that God has empowered us with.  When we are loving and compassionate, we understand that we all belong to one another.

We can be kind to one another.  And to ourselves.  If we view everyone, including ourselves, as gifts of life that God has created, we can see in one another the possibilities for greatness and change in the world.  By encouraging one another, being kind and nurturing, we can increase that potential to make the world a kinder and more loving place.  And sometimes it's easy to be kind to others, but not to ourselves.  How many of us are hard on ourselves?  How many of us are forgiving of ourselves and our failures.  Let's say we're walking down a flight of stairs and we trip.  Should we then throw ourselves down the whole flight because we messed up and didn't do things perfectly?  No, right?  So then in life, why are we so easy to toss in the towel when we make a mistake...or have a set back?  See what I'm saying?

We can show, every day, that we are instruments of God's love and peace by living that love and peace.  Be loving.  Make peace with those that have wronged us (or that we've wronged).  As for forgiveness, don't be a party to negativity or gossip.

We can extend the hand of friendship to those we don't know...or those that need a friend.  Don't be shy.  What about that new guy you see at church who is just standing there at coffee hour.  Be welcoming.  You know, one of the neatest men at our church, Baron Sarkis, is part of our church family because we took the time to say hello.   He went to two Armenian churches before ours and  he said no one even said good morning.   After watching Fr. Vazken on television, he decided to try our church.  And he is now part of the family. Why?  Because he felt welcome.  He's 76.  His family lives in another state. He is here all alone, and we are now his family.   He tells us that we extended friendship to him.  Just a smile and a hello is all it takes sometime.

And finally, I read a beautiful article today that I wanted to share with it you, and it's about this very thing...spreading the love and how a group of women made a difference in so many lives and how the lesson of sharing that love spread to others.

The Business 9 Women Kept A Secret For Three Decades

--by Lori Weiss, syndicated from huffingtonpost.com, Jun 29, 2012

Somewhere in West Tennessee, not far from Graceland, nine women -- or "The 9 Nanas," as they prefer to be called -- gather in the darkness of night. At 4am they begin their daily routine -- a ritual that no one, not even their husbands, knew about for 30 years. They have one mission and one mission only: to create happiness. And it all begins with baked goods.

“One of us starts sifting the flour and another washing the eggs,” explained Nana Mary Ellen, the appointed spokesperson for their secret society. “And someone else makes sure the pans are all ready. We switch off, depending on what we feel like doing that day.

“But you make sure to say Nana Pearl is in charge, because she’s the oldest!” she added with a wink and a smile.

Over the next three hours, The 9 Nanas (who all consider themselves sisters, despite what some of their birth certificates say) will whip up hundreds of pound cakes, as part of a grand scheme to help those in need. And then, before anyone gets as much as a glimpse of them, they’ll disappear back into their daily lives. The only hint that may remain is the heavenly scent of vanilla, lemon and lime, lingering in the air.

Even the UPS driver, who picks up hundreds of packages at a time, has no clue what these women, who range in age from 54 to 72, are doing. He’s just happy to get a hug and a bag filled with special treats. What he doesn’t know is that he’s part of their master plan. A plan that began 35 years ago -- when the “sisters” got together for their weekly card game -- something their husbands referred to as “Broads and Bridge.”

“Pearl says it was all her idea,” Mary Ellen teased, “but as I remember it, we were sitting around reminiscing about MaMaw and PaPaw and all the different ways they would lend a hand in the community.” MaMaw and PaPaw are the grandparents who raised four of the women, Mary Ellen included, when their mother passed away; and they took in Pearl as their own, when her parents needed some help.

“MaMaw Ruth would read in the paper that someone had died,” Mary Ellen remembered, “and she’d send off one of her special pound cakes. She didn’t have to know the family. She just wanted to put a little smile on their faces. And we started thinking about what we could do to make a difference like that. What if we had a million dollars? How would we spend it?

So the ladies began brainstorming.

“One of the sisters suggested that we should all start doing our own laundry and put the money we saved to good use. I admit, I protested at first. There’s just something about laundering that I don’t like. But I was outnumbered! So among the nine of us, we’d put aside about $400 a month and our husbands never noticed a thing. Their shirts looked just fine.”

And then the women started listening. They’d eavesdrop -- all with good intentions, of course -- at the local beauty shop or when they were picking up groceries. And when they heard about a widow or a single mom who needed a little help, they’d step in and anonymously pay a utility bill or buy some new clothes for the children.

“We wanted to help as much as we could,” Mary Ellen said, “without taking away from our own families, so we became coupon clippers. And we’d use green stamps. Remember those? We’d use green stamps and we’d make sure to go to Goldsmith’s department store on Wednesdays. Every week they’d have a big sale and you could spend $100 and walk away with $700 worth of merchandise.”

The Nanas would find out where the person lived and send a package with a note that simply said, “Somebody loves you” -- and they’d be sure to include one of MaMaw Ruth’s special pound cakes.

The more people they helped, the bolder they became.

“We gave new meaning to the term drive-by,” Mary Ellen said with delight. “We’d drive through low-income neighborhoods and look for homes that had fans in the window. That told us that the people who lived there didn’t have air-conditioning. Or we’d see that there were no lights on at night, which meant there was a good chance their utilities had been turned off. Then we’d return before the sun came up, like cat burglars, and drop off a little care package.”

For three decades, the ladies’ good deeds went undetected -- that is, until five years ago, when Mary Ellen’s husband, whom she lovingly calls “Southern Charmer,” started noticing extra mileage on the car and large amounts of cash being withdrawn from their savings account.

“He brought out bank statements and they were highlighted!” Mary Ellen said, recalling the horror she felt. “I tried to explain that I had bought some things, but he had this look on his face that I’d never seen before -- and I realized what he must have been thinking. I called the sisters and said, 'You all need to get over here right away.'”

So 30 years into their secret mission, the 9 Nanas and their husbands gathered in Mary Ellen’s living room and the sisters came clean. They told the husbands about the laundry and the eavesdropping -- even the drive-bys. And that’s where their story gets even better -- because the husbands offered to help.

“They were amazed that we were doing this and even more amazed that they never knew. We can keep a good secret! All but three of them are retired now, so sometimes they come with us on our drive-bys. In our area, all you need is an address to pay someone’s utility bill, so we keep the men busy jotting down numbers.”

It wasn’t long before the couples decided it was also time to tell their grown children. And that’s when happiness began to happen in an even bigger way. The children encouraged their mothers to start selling MaMaw Ruth’s pound cakes online, so they could raise money to help even more people. And it wasn’t long before they were receiving more than 100 orders in a day.

“The first time we saw those orders roll in, we were jumping up and down,” Mary Ellen said with a laugh. “We were so excited that we did a ring-around-the-rosie! Then we called all the children and said, 'What do we do next?'"

That’s when the 9 Nanas moved their covert baking operation out of their homes and into the commercial kitchen of a restaurant owned by one of their sons, where they can sneak in before sunrise and sneak out before the staff comes in. They even hired a “happiness coordinator” (whose code name is “Sunny,” of course). Her identity needs to be a secret, too, so she can help out with the eavesdropping.

“We swore her to secrecy -- her parents think she works in marketing. And, really, if you think about it, she is doing public relations and spends a lot of time looking for people to help at the supermarket!”

These days, The 9 Nanas are able to take on even bigger projects, given their online success. Recently they donated more than $5,000 of pillows and linens and personal care products to a shelter for survivors of domestic violence. And this August, they’ll celebrate their second consecutive “Happiness Happens Month” by sending tokens of their appreciation to one person in every state who has made a difference in their own community.

And that million dollars they once wished for? They’re almost there. In the last 35 years, the 9 Nanas have contributed nearly $900,000 of happiness to their local community.

But that doesn’t mean they’re too busy to continue doing the little things that make life a bit happier. Sometimes they just pull out the phone book and send off pound cakes to complete strangers. And if the Nanas spot someone at the grocery store who appears to need a little help, it’s not unusual for them to start filling a stranger’s cart.

“Not everyone is as lucky as we were to have MaMaw and PaPaw to take care of them, to fix all those things that are wrong.

“So this is our way of giving back,” Mary Ellen said. “We want people to know that someone out there cares enough to do something. We want to make sure that happiness happens.”

So there you have it!  The blessings that we receive from loving and sharing are contagious to those on the receiving end of that love.  Let's pray that God continues to allow us to be the branches and that we remain tied to Christ, the living vine, and that He  fill us with His light and love so that we can shine for others and produce the sweet fruit that is His unconditional love for all of  humanity.

Off to School (Audio)

ITP #9: It's time to head back to school. Whether you're a student, or a parent, the new school year can be an emotional time. On this week's Inside the Pomegranate, Anush takes a look at letting our kids go so that they can learn some of life's lessons on their own.
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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Off to School

We just got home today from a week's vacation.  It's kind of sad to have it come to an end because we had such an amazing time.  For several years now, the state of Oregon has been calling to me:  "Anush.....anush.....come to oregon..."  Okay, not spooky like that...but I've had this feeling that I have to go to Oregon for some reason.  Neither my husband, nor I had ever been there, so this year, when we were thinking about vacation, I pulled a double whammy and said, "Hey Neddy....this year, for vacation, I want to go to Oregon."  "Okay...what's there?"   "I have no idea."  Always up for an adventure, he agreed.

Then the second part of the whammy.   "Let's go camping up the Oregon coast!!"  Although I have quite a bit of camping experience, and Ani and I have gone on mother/daughter camping trips, this was my husband's first time camping.  And I figured he's either going to love it or hate it, but I thought what's the harm of trying.  So I made the reservations and booked some very beautiful campsites on the Oregon Coast and off we went.  And I've got to say that it was incredible. And I have created a camper out of him!

The beaches are wide and expansive and clean.  If you love looking for shells, like I do, this is a great place to go shell collecting.  And rock collecting.  There are some really interesting agate beaches with beautiful pebbles.  And there are trees, trees and more trees.  The drive up the coast is lined with forests.  Huge redwoods.  And just the sight of it all makes you really appreciate God as the greatest artist of all.  The trees, the birds, the scenery, and colors in the sunset were all miraculous.  Sure, I live in California which also has the coast right there, but in Oregon there were miles and miles of pristene beaches...unspoiled.  The industry up there is timber and fishing, so great little towns dotting the coast and lots of friendly people.

We roughed it...slept in a tent.  Cooked out on the coleman stove, and although we weren't hugely successful at keeping our campfire going, it was good enough!!  So the whole experience was great.   My husband's one indulgence, or goal was getting a Dairy Queen every day for a Peanut Buster Parfait.  He's from Chicago, and I guess Dairy Queens are common there but not in CA.  So when he saw the Dairy Queens dotting the coast, all was right with the world.  Did you know there's no sales tax in Oregon?  And you can't pump your own gas.  Seriously.    We covered from Brookings to Astoria and back.  And on the way home we made a stop in San Francisco to visit my younger  brother and his family before heading home.  All in all, in 8 days we drove a total of 2015 miles! I'll post some photos of our trip on my blog.  If you'd like to see, please visit www.pomegranateandeye.com.

Well, how has your week been?  You heard that mine was great.  If you have children you know that either last week or this week is when schools are starting back up.  I was thinking back on the start of the new school year when I was in elementary and junior high school. Until recently, I think, the start of the school year was right after Labor Day, right?  For some reason it's in August now.  Anyways, there was great anticipation in  starting a new year at school  New lunchboxes, new notebooks and PeeChee folders (remember those?).  And then on the first day you'd need to bring your books home and cover them all. We'd use the brown paper bags from the grocery to cover our books.  New markers or crayons for projects...and a new eraser...the pink kind.  The Asian girls in my class always had the really cool plastic erasers from Japan that smelled sweet.  I was always jealous of them because of their scented erasers.

New school clothes.  The funny part about living in CA and back to school clothing is that mom would buy us fall clothing....the plaids and the socks and tie shoes and sweaters.  Of course we'd want to wear new clothes on the first day of school, so there's everyong all in their fall finery, except that the temperatures here in So Cal are in the 80s and 90s...hardly the cool crisp weather the clothing is meant for.  But back then, in the 70's, there were dress codes.  Shorts and tshirts were not allowed in school.  Neither were sandals. So we dealt with it. 

So as I mentioned earlier, on the way back down from Oregon we stopped in San Francisco for one evening to visit my younger brother, sister in law, and my nephew Vartan who will be starting Kindergarten this coming Monday.  After spending a very fun evening playing Pengaloo and Pikachu with him in his little igloo tent in the living room, the following morning were were able to attend Vartan's play day, a nice little get together of all the kindergarten classes at Vartan's new school.  We all met at the park, and each child was given a lei that coincided with the class they'd be in.  Vartan's lei was yellow....so immediately, he went in search of other children that had yellow leis on the playground.  It was neat to see his interaction with his new classmates....and in turn, it good to see the interaction of my brother and sister in law with the parents of Vartan's new classmates as well.

To those of us who have been there, and done that with our children, we know how difficult it is that first year.  Sending your baby off to school to fend for themselves can be very emotional.  As my brother and I stood together at the park, taking it all in, I saw him searching the playground for Vartan, making sure he was making friends.  Wanting to go up and check in with him, but being a strong daddy and holding back and letting him out there on his own.  But yet still present.

There's so much to learn when you're just starting out.  How to share, how to take turns, how to listen and not interrupt.  And then the realization that you're not the center of your teacher's universe like you are to your parents.  Being that we were visiting, I was trying to get some pictures of him and went up to him on the playground to see whta he was up to. There was a play train in the yard and Vartan was behind the wheel.  In front of him was another compartment...the engine compartment, and behind him other cars.  When I approached him he looked concerned.  When I asked what was bothering him he said,
"That girl is in the engine compartment."
I said,"Well, maybe she's the engine mechanic?"
 He answered,  "But I'm the engine mechanic".
 I said, "Well, you're behind the wheel...I think you're the engineer...and she's the mechanic."  "But I'm both!", he said.  "I am the engineer, AND the mechanic...I do everything on this train!"
I think this is the big lesson of kindergarten and of course, of life:  You CAN do everything yourself in life, but it's so much more fun when you allow others to share in your adventure.  I told him that Kindergarten was going to be different. He'd have a lot of friends that would all want to share in the fun.  And that everyone had to play together. I don't know if he bought it, but I could see him thinking about it.   And as I walked back toward my brother, I looked over my shoulder and Vartan had turned to the kids in the passenger cars behind him and was saying,  "Everybody get ready.  This training is leaving and it's going to Los Angeles!"  : ) And the little girl?  she was still in the engine compartment...as the mechanic!

And then there's us parents.  The start of school is an adjustment for us as well!  My sister in law has been a stay at home mom since Vartan was born.  Embracing motherhood and makiing sure that my nephew had diverse and challenging experiences, she signed Vartan up for all kinds of classes, workshops, activites that the both of them would attend.  Because of this, he's very well adjusted, social and makes friends easily.  And he has a super imagination too.  Now, suddenly, it's going to be different for his mom as she'll find herself alone while he's at school.  It's tough to let go now and allow all those experiences to come to an end and let the love and nurturing to do their thing.

It's like this for all our lives, no matter how old our children are.  My sister had posted photos of my two neices on their first day of school and wrote a comment on Facebook about how they were growing up and she remembered that song from Mama Mia...about how her kids were "slipping through her fingers."  One just started 5th grade, and the other high school.  I was thinking, "Just wait....til they start dating, and college...and weddings..etc."  It all flies by so quickly.

And then there's the big move if they're attending college away from home.  Suddenly after high school graduation, our kids are packing up and moving out....clothes and dorm room stuff, hot pots and ramen noodles.  Bedding and blankets.  And their rooms are empty until they come back for holidays or summer.  And then life after college:   I remember last year when I wrote about my "empty nest" and how I felt after my daughter got married.  It's much the same as that first day of school.  All of life is like a series of hills....start school, climb up through the grades, graduate.  Start a new school and you're down at the bottom of the hill again...you start the climb... freshman, sophmore, junior, senior....graduate...then start over with college back down at the bottom.  And then after school, real life. And the same with new jobs...starting at the bottom, working your way up.  If you change career's you're back at the bottom.

We love our children.  We nurture and provide for them. We teach them life lessons that we've gone through but that they can only learn if they experience it themselves.   It's our job to instill in them self confidence, curiosity, compassion, love, kindness, self-preservation and faith.  We pray for them....for their safety, for wisdom, for good friends and good judgment.   And then, when it's time, we have to let go...and let God guide them.  We have to have faith that we have done our best....and then believe that all our prayers are being heard and that God is holding our children in his loving hands and wrapping them safely in the wings of his angels.

To all of you starting off a new school year...whether students or parents. If you're a student, I wish you a successful school year with happy memories, new friends, a natural curiosity and a joy of learning.  And wishing our parents out there peace and faith in knowing that our children are right where God has intended them to be when we have raised them in a love-centered/God-centered home.  Oh, and one more thing:  College students....be patient with us parents and realize that it's hard for us to let go too.  Send us a text message and check in once in a while. Call home on the weekends.  Because we miss you more than you know.

And finally, I'm writing this on Asdvadzadzin, the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.  I wanted to wish all of you Mary's out there...Mariams, Mar's, Marianas, (And all you Mary-name derivatives) and my sister Susan - who is a Surpouhi, a very blessed Name Day! Anoonovut Abreek!!

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If you'd like to hear the audio version of this blog, it's available for download on epostle.net, iTunes, Stitcher radio and blubrry.

PHOTOS of our TRIP to OREGON!!!

Day 1: Prairie Creek Campground in the CA Redwoods.  Car camping in my car.  Me, the Tree Hugger!  

Day 2:  Loved the bridges, the Heceta Head Lighthouse and the Sasquatch Sculptures as we made our way to our campground at Cape Lookout

Day 3:  Sand Dollar collecting on the beach at Cape Lookout,  Tillamook Cheese Factory, Seaside and Astoria Oregon.

Day 4: Yaquina Head Lighthouse, Whale watching at Depoe Bay, Tidepools at Nye Beach in Newport and watching the Sunset with Jiffy Pop back at our campground

Day 5: Finishing up the sketchook project, Driving down to our new campsite at Sunset Bay, driving through Northbend and crossing the 45th Parallel

Day 6:  Picking berries at our campsite for breakfast, packing it up and visiting Coos Bay, and Bandon by the Sea and some of the beautiful beaches at Ophir and Cape Sebastian...ending up in Crescent City

Day 7:  Driving down to San Francisco and making a stop at Coppola Winery to visit our vine (tagged in 2009)  Spending time with our nephew Vartan

Day 8:  Time with family and our drive back home!  2015 miles!!!

My Armenian Orthodox Rosary (Audio)

ITP # 8: Ever wish the Armenian Orthodox church had prayed the rosary? Anush does. Tune in to learn about her own Armenian Orthodox rosary (and even how to make one yourself!) It's all on this week's episode 8 of Inside the Pomegranate!
Links: Blog: www.pomegranateandeye.com
I Confess with Faith
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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