The Weekly R.E.P.O.R.T.
yearning final boss, the real oscars' winner, & playing with (literal) fire
I am currently writing to y’all on the first day of Nowruz, the Persian New Year and the spring equinox. And what a beautiful 1404 it’s been. On Tuesday, I jumped over a candle in my apartment with my husband, Matthew, while on FaceTime with my sister, Ava, and my best friend, Ariel. With each leap, I let go of something I didn’t want to carry with me into the new year. Together, we watched videos of Iranians celebrating Chaharshanbe Suri across the diaspora and cried. We wished for a free Iran. عید مبارک.
This morning, I woke up to messages from my parents, aunts, cousins. I watered my haftsin. When the rebirth officially began, I was holding a plank in Friday pilates, my sister by my side. After class, we bought fresh flowers for our apartments, symbolic of a clean slate, a fresh start. A new beginning, should you choose to take it. We chatted and drank matcha and soaked up the first sunny day all week, harkening in the Spring.
When I got home, I began blasting Persian music. I tidied my room, slipped on a green sweater and a brand new pair of red underwear for self-love. In the afternoon, I wrote down 12 gratitude affirmations, tore them up, and buried them in the soil. I set a timer and let myself meditate for 20 minutes, feeling an overwhelming rush of emotion. There is so much pain in the world right now, but I am so blessed. I have a beautiful life. Immediately after, I unearthed a long lost song from my childhood. Now, I am using my hands to do my favorite thing in the world: write to you. Tonight, I will eat polo mahi sabzi with my family. After, we will dance.
My mother always texts me my horoscope. Today, it read: As the Sun enters Aries on March 20th, marking the Equinox and the beginning of a new astrological year, something begins to shift for you. Your focus returns to yourself, and this is a time to move forward and act on what feels right without overthinking it. You may feel a renewed sense of energy & direction, and how you choose to use it now begins shaping the months ahead. Repeat:
“I move forward with clarity and confidence, trusting myself to take the lead in my own life.”
What beautiful energy to carry into the new year. Friends, Nowruz lasts 13 days. It’s never too late to forgive. It’s never too late to start again. Here’s the report:
Reading: I had the absolute loveliest reading week because I had the privilege of reading advanced copies of two novels by my dear friends, Peyton Corinne and one Carley Fortune. Let’s get into it.
