The Happiness Box Initiative Winter 2018

Another year has come and gone. It's hard to believe how 2018 flew, especially since the year buzzed with activity and laughter. Here is a recap.

The year of photography! In March, the Audubon Society of Pennsylvania invited me to take over their Instagram feed for a week and post my photographs of Mid-Atlantic birds. I posted shots mostly from Mill Grove; Instagram followers loved the photos of Odin (Great Horned Owl), and the late Sam Adams (Screech Owl). The Audubon staff loved my photos as well and invited me to post again. Maybe in 2019!

I also joined a photography club at my full-time job and learned many new techniques. The club has helped and I was able to put the new skills to use while I was photographing the Diwali event for my part-time library job.

I’ve photographed my adventures through Washington, D.C., Atlantic City, and Asbury Park. Washington, D.C. was a day tip for the Cherry Blossom Festival. The sight of the Tidal Basin highlighted in pink from the cherry blossoms were breathtaking. I was in heaven as I spent the day photographing different scenes. I traveled to Atlantic City for the day to welcome in Memorial Day. The water was cold, but I loved being in the sea on a warm May day.

Asbury Park was the only vacation I took in 2018 and I had the chance to visit some friends. I met Joe, Wayne, both Dans, and Natally on July 26th and enjoyed watching Juice perform for Jams on the Sand, held by the Anchor’s Bend. I loved Juice and I loved how the waves added more soulful melodies to their songs. I enjoyed others day on the beach and an impromptu trip to New York City—my first time seeing the city at night! It was rainy, but New York City is gorgeous at night!

September flew in with the Ravens when I took my dad to see a Baltimore Ravens game on September 23rd. He hadn’t been to a game in a while and finally making good on a Father’s Day promise from 2011, I bought dad tickets for Father’s Day 2018. The Ravens beat the Broncos and we were both elated. Dad had a blast and I want to take him to a Ravens/Steelers game in 2019.

2018 was the year I wanted to meet people from different backgrounds to understand not only my spiritual journey but my humanity better as well. In the past few years, I unintentionally cut others out because I was unsure as I began to navigate my journey; this year I let love in.

At the end of January, I received an invitation from the Jewish Federation of Philadelphia in the mail. After ripping the envelope open, I received an invite regarding attending a Board of Trustee luncheon. Last year I donated money for the restoration of a Jewish cemetery, and they wanted to thank those of us who donated. I accepted the invitation right away.

The luncheon was on 7 February, and the experience was beautiful. I sat with two rabbis (one female rabbi, it was nice to learn that a female spiritual leader is kosher) and I was a bit too nervous to chat. I introduced myself and listened before the Board of Trustees meeting started. It was informative, and when it came time to discuss the Mount Carmel Cemetery, I raised my hand to speak about why I decided to help; I believe death is sacred and final resting places should be preserved. I was glad to help in any way that I could.

After the meeting and lunch, I introduced myself to the Board and met the board member I reached out to in 2017 about helping. It was nice to meet them all face to face finally. Before I left, I took a schedule of events and gave out my e-mail address for volunteer opportunities.

On 26 October, I attended my first Shabbat. The event hosted by the Jewish Federation’s Next Gen program was beautiful. First, they blessed the bread, then the wine, and said a prayer. Afterwards, we ate and mingled with others. I met a bunch of new people, some of which gave me their contact information to keep in touch. Very kind people and I can’t wait to attend other Shabbats in the future.

I love celebrating the Chinese New Year. The Year of the Dog and of course Philadelphia went wild. I filled prosperity envelopes, and instead of handing them only to the dragon dancers as a gift for their performance, I decided to hand an envelope to each person I met throughout the day. Of course, I did give a few envelopes to the dragons that sashayed through the streets, their golden yellow and red skins blurred by firecracker smoke. However, watching excited children rip open the envelopes was priceless. The police officers were grateful too—prosperity for everyone! 18 February is a day that will go down in infamy: my love affair with phở began!

June is Pride Month for the LGBTQA Community and cities around the world celebrate. Toronto and the Toronto Blue Jays celebrated on 8 June, as did New York City, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Philadelphia. I didn’t realize Philadelphia was celebrating until I listened to NPR. I decided to check out the block party that the Gayborhood was holding after I finished roller skating.

Let me tell you; I am glad I did! I met a handful of people, chatted with them, and enjoyed the festivities. One couple I met welcomed me to the first Pride event I ever attended not at a university. I was an ally while I was a student at West Chester University and I found that once an ally, always an ally. I danced and even tried to ride a mechanical shark. Unfortunately, staying on the mechanical shark wasn’t successful.

On Sunday when I woke up, it wasn’t raining, and I decided to go. I am so glad the rain held; the parade was not only cheerful but colourful and lively. I also met many wonderful people that welcomed me into their fold, and I was happy that I could celebrate with the LGBTQA community

At the end of August, I found a Fringe Arts magazine at the train station and was happy to see there was an Arabic performance of Gardens Speak, an interactive by Tania El-Khoury. Across Syria, many gardens conceal the bodies of activists and protesters who took to the streets during the early days of the uprising against al-Assad; Gardens Speak relates the oral histories of ten ordinary people buried in Syrian gardens.

Since I used to see Arabic performances from time to time while I was studying Arabic at West Chester University, I wanted to immerse myself again in the language and thought this was a great opportunity to learn different stories.

I could only hear Gardens Speak at Bryn Mawr College. When I arrived at the theatre and checked in, the student asked me if I spoke Arabic. I was honest: I know a bit but might need an English program as an aid. I was glad for the aid, but only for the activities before and after the interactive.

Before the show, I met a couple, Sofia and Mohammed, and we chatted before Gardens Speak began. We were the only three in attendance for the Arabic performance, Tania gave us quick Arabic instructions, and hearing the call to the garden, we had to dig until we heard a voice. I listened to Ayat the Martyr for a half-an-hour and oh my!

She was an activist and fighting for a better life for her child. As her story ended, I turned on my back, and a dirge played. Tania threw dirt next to us with white flowers. Gardens Speak represents the dead sharing their space with the living and tells their stories to the individual so the truth can be passed on.

After I wrote my letter to Ayat and buried it in the garden, I walked to the campus garden for the speaker’s series and to wait for As Far as My Fingertips Will Take Me. I ran into Mohammed and Sofia—I asked them what they thought, and Mohammed shared his stories from Egypt.

The speakers’ series ran a little over an hour, but it ended before my 6:15 appointment with As Far as My Fingertips Will Take Me. A volunteer placed headphones on my ears and handed me a translation of Basal Zaraa’s story of his journey from Syria to Sweden. Zaraa is a Palestinian refugee. I listened to his rap as he held my hand and he drew his journey on my arm. I had the chance to meet him afterward, and I felt too verklempt to say much except for “wow! You are amazing!” and “shukran, shukran!” I wanted to hug him, but I was too shy and opted for a selfie instead.

What a breathtaking experience and I am glad Bryn Mawr College had this. Zaraa’s “tattoo” lasted for a few days and since his story was intertwining with my story, I decided to create a little project for my Happiness Box. For as long as the “tattoo” stayed, I wrote (in Arabic) all the things I did with the refugee such as writing, walking, working, and drinking Starbucks to deeper meanings of how he taught me to love. I took photos of my arm each day, and I can’t wait to see this project when I open my Happiness Box on 1 January 2019.

I am grateful that different communities welcomed me this year and for the learning opportunities that I experienced. I look forward to scrapbooking these memories in my Happiness Box 2018 scrapbook, and I look forward to spending more time with new friends in 2019.

I also changed my hair style in the fall. I won a free haircut earlier in the year and I decided to use the prize in October. I cut a few inches off and an undercut. The underneath of my head is shaved. Change is good and I'm enjoying the new style.

Many of these adventures went into my personal Happiness Box and through my Happiness Box project, I have been able to share the concept with others all over the world. I created the Happiness Box Project Initiative in April and it has grown in such a short time. I've inspired others to tap into the creativity and collect moments throughout the year. I'm hoping they will find similar surprises as I did -- we truly are blessed and we take it for granted. I know this project has helped me not take it for granted as much and I hope others will learn too.

I can’t believe how quickly 2018 went and I can’t wait to see what 2019 creates! Whatever 2019 brings, I look forward to it. I hope you have a wonderful year ahead too.

May the happiness and joy of the season be with you now and throughout the coming year. May peace fill the hearts of all you love.