Mira Matar

Where one is born, leads to others defining whether they are local or foreign. I have long had an outlook, sometimes confusing to others, of oneness without such boundaries. Rules and regulations in all jurisdictions however, force one to fall into a categorical box. Most people do not move from the place where they are considered to be 'locals'. Some however do. Whilst aspiration or desperation may drive such moves, the adaptability of the human being is the magic force that allows for such moves to occur successfully. I met with two 'foreign' medical students today; driven by aspiration. One was from Djibouti. The other was from The Maldives. Just like your grandparents in Australia, and the story that began in 1966 with your grandfather, their story is a blend of aspiration and perspiration. Vision and execution. The relentless pursuit of improvement. Great to see you attentive to their stories.. Formative times are here and now.. Use your sleep time as dream time..

The French are famous for their cuisine darling. Amongst the more unusual menu items are frogs legs and snails. Look what we found amidst the fresh spinach that we were about to use today. This little fella won't be cooked however; he's been given a home instead. Another piece of France was found in our home today. Pieces, actually. These were served up! It's an absolute mystery to me how this (& other meals) affect what you ultimately enjoy with mum. Fascinating. From France, and down to Italy... It is a reflection that I am drawing on from there today. A reflection, altered slightly, and originally attributed to an Italian friar (St Francis of Assisi): "Preach at all times. And if necessary, use words." Most of what we impart is unspoken.  Your actions, your example, your practices are key. Living with integrity, consistency with certain standards, speaks volumes in & of itself. I hope that you and your sister trot around the globe, not only for food id

When I was doing a project near the end of my school years, I ended up interviewing lots of elderly folk. I asked about regrets; "not traveling" was a common response. Another lesson that life itself has taught me is that: money spent on experiences with loved ones is usually money well spent. Finally, reading extracts from a book called The Good Life recently, I was provided with even more affirmation regarding the importance of forging and nurturing close bonds and relationships in life.  ... I was in Poland today. At lunchtime, I received an sms from one of my brothers-in-law. Namely, your Uncle Coyne. In visual synchronicity.. and then with literary eloquence.. the reflections on life, noted above.. were all, in unison, touched upon. The following video came through.  It was created by your cousin Noor: In case a visual recollection doesn't do it for you,  & a word by word transportation to the trip is desired,  Aunt Leila put on her writing shoes, and whipped thi

I took a photo today. When I did so, I had something in my mind. I had a metaphor in mind. A story. A particular translation of events. That was the photo. I showed it to a couple of people whom I saw today. I asked what they see and saw... Completely different interpretations!... Both from mine, and from each other!... A delightful chain of events. Each person brings to a situation the luggage that they have accumulated in life. That luggage is made up of experience, knowledge, and yesterday's main theme. Yes, imagination. The luggage proffers up potential lenses. Widen what you given yourself in the way of information, and you widen the potential translations. Remember that the metaphors are useful for different purposes. Keep in mind that the literal meaning, and the 'reality' of goings on, is also important to recognize too. Leaving behind metaphoric art, and returning to the art of you...  A masterpiece.  😇 You got a visitor today too by the way. No shortage of joy sp

Whilst listening to an interview recently, a line struck me like a thunderbolt: "My life is limited by my imagination". There is so much to unpack here sweetheart. You can choose from so many different life paths... You can choose with whom to share the life journey... You can choose what to pursue as a vocation...  You can choose where to live... You can choose what is meaningful to you and what is not... You can choose which hobbies to engage in...  You can choose what food to put into your body... You can choose what sports to play... You can choose where to invest your time, money and energy... Your imagination is the place you envision these things before they are brought to life. It's the place that you use to create your northern stars... Even more so, it's a place that is unique to you... and it's where you can consciously create stars that are visible to, and 'envision-able' by, only you. Back to the here and now... One of the friends that mum has

What is it about these photos? How can they lend light to understanding Australia Day? To the left.. To the right.. Centre down under.. Centre up above.. Except for one thing, the photos here sweetheart are identical. That one thing is the angle from which the moment (of you playing on the mattress) is viewed. It may just be me, but each shot evokes a different response; even if ever so slightly here. As you know, most of your broader family members and relatives live in Australia. In Australia today, many people celebrated Australia Day. Also, many did not. Why? Because they look at the same event, from different angles. The event, in the case of Australia Day, is the landing of the First Fleet, and raising of the Union Jack flag 235 years ago in Sydney. For those who landed in Australia from UK, it marked an era of territorial acquisition & expansion. A new nation began being formed. Hence "Australia Day". For those who then lived in Australia, it marked an era of terri

Whilst it is not yet complete, the Wall of Fam was updated today. Honored, are those from whom you emanate. Wishing every one captured in the snaps: good health; proactive realization of their aspirations; and peace of mind in their personal lives. Part of good health of course, is a healthy diet. So, I will hide what we ate for lunch and dessert. That is, dessert at breakfast and lunch 😁 I will note however, the divine roast beef and guacamole that Mum made for dinner. You sat beside us glowing.. A little earlier you'd made another glowing showing on a follow-up to the weekend call I'd had (..which you'd also joined). It was a special request this time. Looking forward to sharing more of life with you and your sister. Looking forward to helping you both, when & where & how I can, as you & your sister make your way in the world. Looking forward to seeing how technology & the world unfolds, for & with you both. Watch for where the puck is going; and prep

Between you and your sister, there is a space of almost thirteen & a half years. In between the two of you, there are lots of relatives who were born and are yet to be met. You and your sister are of course by blood, the closest of anyone on earth to one another. So much is yet to unfold in your lives. So much will be available to be share together. As you know, I celebrate every single of day your lives. In my mind, the opportunity to live is a miracle. You both are miracles.  A moment 10 years ago: ..looking at her eyes A moment today: ..you looking at my eyes Moments with you both are priceless. 💕💕💕 By the way, you hopped on a call with me first thing in the morning today. It was a Leader to Leader call with the Global Speakers Federation. Participants from Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia, and South Africa were on board! President Charlotte sent me this screenshot, together with a lovely message about you and your future! Later in the day, you had your monthly health c

Poems, such as Borges's "Two English poems", can be like medication. They can alter our state, and have us see things in a new light. They can make us feel things that we were unaware of, before the encounter. So it is with you of a morning, & not only mornings, sweetheart. You evoke emotions that beyond enamoring; they are empowering.  Your eyes, your sounds & your gestures: they give energy. They are a source of life. You and your sister have a special power. It's a power that requires no words. It's a power that is fueled purely by love. Thank you both. And thank you to your mum. The kindness, the wisdom and the fun. All in one. As you and your sister grow, I hope that your relationship only grows stronger. Half of each of you carries the exact same history. Both of you carry enormous potential. No one on earth is genetically closer to you than you are to each other. Wishing you unity, love and support. With one another, and for one another. If you ever

Friends of ours just acquired a new place. It is a big step in their lives; and they wanted to share the transition. It was a pleasure to take pleasure in their new surrounds. We sat and enjoyed the specially prepared barbeque. The meat had been marinated for 3 days! You sat on a bouncer beside us,  and radiated like an indoor sun. As your angelic mummy carried you post dinner, you began to stroke my hair. Uncle captured a moment of it. Wishing you and your sister friends in life, that take joy in your joy. Wishing you both the conscious development of courage, discipline, and fortitude. That is, wishing you development of the character traits that it takes, in order to bring your imagined future to life. Wishing you both the awareness that: every moment is priceless, and every second counts. One thought that I can't leave without sharing today is that: "if you want a friend, be a friend".  It is amazing what we receive in the world, if we initially give. Love you both, m

You got to hang with some of my friends again today sweetheart. They regard themselves as Aunts and Uncles to you and your sister.  They are ready to share with you both Dunia and Mira! Aunt Teresa wasn't visible. Uncle Michael was on a flight. The time that we regularly share together is not only stimulating intellectually & emotionally; it is a source of energy!  As Dr Waldinger and Dr Schulz notes in their co-authored book "The Good Life", having good relationships is a cornerstone of happiness sweetheart. It's worth a deeper inquiry. A clever idea they put forward was the following:  Basic education is referenced as "the 3 R's" (Reading, Writing, & Arithmetic). It should be "the 4 R's", and the fourth one should be Relationships! I wish you and your sister relationships in the future that evoke the same emotions that are captured here.. ..and here ..and even here. Always remember sweethearts, relationships require awareness, att

As I wrote down the title above, the football team Manchester United came to mind. Not because I am a fan of football. Not because it was a name I often heard in childhood. Not because there are numerous different positions & roles to fill (..as, in that case, it could have been any football team).  Rather, it was because of the word "united". At least, that is how I explain it to myself in retrospect. Who really knows how the creative and connective process really works??? United is key.  United means support. It means wanting the best for one another. United meaning seeking to understand. It means having patience, & striving, in the face of misunderstanding. United means giving ones best for one another, and it means trying to bring out the best in one another.. It means more, with the spirit manifested in the examples here being borne out.  Unity is a source of energy. It is a source of creation. Some families grow into unity organically, informally, fueled by love

Some things words don't capture. Some things pictures try to. What is a moment? A transitory event. One just happened. And again. Another.. & another.. & another.. Fleeting by. Over and over. There is a remarkable irony in the concept of a 'moment'. Certain moments, leave an indelible imprint. They leave a mark, that lasts long after the 'moment' is gone. You and your sister have a knack for creating such moments. The joy.. The search for certainty.. The finding of comfort.. The knowing.. The zoning out.. These moments on your bouncer were enjoyed whilst Mum & I's breakfast was being served up. Some time later, you enjoyed brightness on the playmat.. Finding the mirror.. Stuck in the mirror with you.. You fell asleep on my shoulder today.  That was a moment, that was not just a moment . There is song titled "I don't want to miss a thing". I was taken to it today. I am taken to it when I think of both you and your sister. I wish you both