Wishing salaams for the season...

Hu, Erenler. as-salaamu aleykum!

Sorry it's been quite a while since I have posted. It's been a busy time, and full of transitions. I've been somewhat lost in the scramble, yet it has in many ways been a very productive and enriching time. A lot of papers have been graded, a lot of music has been created, a lot of ideas have been pondered. Another 'Eid (Kurban Bayram) has passed. We just passed the Urs of Hazreti Mevlana. I am preparing for a visit to Myrtle Beach with my family-- I am a Muslim, my sister and her family are Jewish, and our parents are more-or-less nominal Christians. Every year from Thanksgiving until Christmas, I like to listen to the Dar Williams song "The Christians and the Pagans". I highly recommend it to anyone who has a religiously mixed family, particularly one in which the parents have had a difficult time with the religious choices of their sons or daughters.

Selma and I just returned from a lovely day trip to Charleston-- where we had a very refreshing long conversation with Sermet. I am guessing that many readers of this blog know him. It is so nice to speak with Muslims who have challenging and interesting interpretations, who are deeply Muslim yet also have an inclusive spiritual vision. Mashallah! We had a wonderful time. Elhamdullillah.

Well, I'm back to packing for a week long trip and hoping to get at least a little sleep tonight, inshallah.

I pray for all a time of renewal and contemplation, of a reconnection to the deepest parts of our humanity. May we all become beautiful human beings, inshallah.

Huuuu....

Nedim