By Mahshid Hager My son, Sacha is turning 18 in about a week. Last night while I was cooking dinner, he joined me in the kitchen and we started talking about his birthday celebration. He is not sure if he wants to do something big or something small. He is…
Photo by Luca Upper on Unsplash Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever. – Walt Disney I am 46 years old. 46 seems harder than 30 or 40 were. I have always thought of 45 as “The Middle”. I guess now I’m past the middle… I am softer…
By Mahshid Hager I don’t even remember the season. I just remember walking between them and feeling for the first time that I belonged somewhere. ― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower My mother was born and raised in Mashhad, Iran. Her family lives there to this day.…
By Kimberly Means My daughter Emerson loves to tell me about her dreams. Upon listening to them I realize that they’re more “stories” she creates in her head to connect things that have happened throughout the day or the week, things she wants to hold onto as significant, or perhaps…
It’s been a while since I have written you one of these. The occasion of Father’s Day, seems like a good time for another letter. This is my 13th Father’s Day without you. Every year I honor you on this day, by remembering some of my favorite memories with you,…
By Mahshid Hager His name is Patrick and he is the love of my life. He was born in Florida and grew up in Colorado. This month we will be celebrating 12 years together as a couple. We met at a friend’s engagement party in San Diego. He was a…
By Mahshid Hager I love to dance! It makes me feel alive. A few nights ago, I had an amazing dance experience in Sydney, Australia. I attended an event hosted by No Lights No Lycra with some friends. NLNL is a dance community, promoting and supporting dancers from all walks of life. Their…
By Mahshid Hager I am currently sitting at Los Angeles International Airport. I’m about to take an over-night flight to Sydney, Australia. This will be my second trip to Sydney in 7 months. I am assisting at another Somatic Experiencing training and I’m really looking forward to reuniting with the…
Khoreshet-e-Karafs (Celery Stew) is one of the first recipe’s I learned to make. I had just moved to San Diego and I was living with my uncle Tony, an avid cook and entertainer. He showed me how to make this dish (and some others along the way). I use the term…
By Mahshid Hager “Are you religious?” I get this question sometimes, from friends, from clients, from co-workers. What follows, is me, mumbling something about “more spiritual than religious”…. “I believe in a Higher Power”…. “Pretty sure I’m not an atheist”…. Frankly, it sounds like a hot mess! Truth is,…