The first time that I met with Karen Lotter, I was with my beloved friend Nazia Peer. It must have been in Ramadaan last year when I visited Durban for a few days. We met at the Botanical Gardens and had a peacefilled and provoking chat about oh-so-many things. Today, we met without Nazia, and missed her no doubt! But the chat was just as charged as it was the first time, with much positive enlightenment and all things inspiring. Karen Lotter is such a person. And her choice of eatery, and the 'at-home' ease with which she engaged management at the Corner Cafe (well-known to her) are all just tiny but significant markers of who she is. Multi-dimensional, culturally fluid and a heap of colour and energy. And so we sat down to a lunch of litchi juice, coke and Brinjal&Sundried tomato Samies in heart-shaped homemade bread. And we chatted. About those oh-so-many things. And my soul was nourished along with my mind, and my tummy.
And then, when I had said goodbye and retreated finally to my faithful stead, to be saddled up to take me back up the mountain to my place of work, I smiled because, once again, I had a chance to discover an antique bookstore in this new town that I am passing through. Books speak to me in languages unwritten.
In appreciation
Shafs :)
10 comments:
Oh Shafinaaz/Kimya you blew into my life with Nazia - both of you so unbearably talented and beautiful and smart, not just intelligent - really,realy smart. I grow from each encounter with you, just as I delight in the magic dance of your words.
dear friend. I saw the heart shaped sandwich and I just wanted to be there. It feels so unfair that I cant be with the two of you. I am missing out on all those fun times. I miss u too- so much.
who can resist a bookstore? i'm spending more time reading than writing. darn those summer book sales.
@ karen: when i grow up, i want to be even half as dynamic and inspiring as you are. even a mini fraction. and i will be competing with sunshine!
@ nazia: we're going to take you for some heartshaped sandwiches as soon as you get here kiddo! durban truly bluely misses you!
@ organharvester: im in durban just a few short weeks, almost a month.. and have already scouted around for all the under-the-rock old bookshops where i can while away the hours and get my stash of reads.. oh and then theres the mainstream stores too.. but when you get to do battle with thEm and you have some scars to prove, then you kind of amble by with little appreciation..
but for the lure of them books!!!
mmm looks yummy!
Wow, youre an author and youve written about such an interesting concept. I had no idea that you were a writer (should have guessed considering your write so wonderfully well) and a lecturer! I also had no idea that youre a lecturer in social science :-) I did my MSc in Social Psychology.
This is my first ever visit to your blog!
Oh and i always think this but dont think ive mentioned it- i think you have a lovely name! :-D
hi zahera :)
thank you for so many kind words :)
and for the visit to my humble blog. (i have a more pretentious one, of course, but this one's a place to call 'home' -kimya's home)
we should chat about your research too! i would love to hear about your work.. and in the meantime, check out my student tutorial blog and feel free to add to the discussions generated there :)
http://contemporaryself.blogspot.com
You are most welcome! :-)
Excellent! That sounds great (although i doubt i have as much knowledge and experience as you and i am also far from as articulate as you)! Would be great to have a chat. I did quite interesting research for my MSc (which in honesty could have been executed alot better if there had be more time and mor importantly if i had the discipline-lol) and the first year of my PhD was also very interesting- although i have now quit that. Most of my research has always had some relevance to mental health/illnesses.
Will check out the other blog inshaAllah! :-D
hey Zahera
your research sounds fascinating! why did you quit?! perhaps i can lure you back into the realm of bookish things? :P
i would love to read some of your work, possibly suggest publications and the like, that is, if you;r interested?
mail me? shafinaaz_hassim@yahoo.com
Shafs- please find yourself bored for atleast 10 minutes of reading my email! lol.
xx
Ah! I see it. Its so cute!
Glad to see you enjoying Durban and discovering things, its easy to forget about discovery when you've lived in a place for so long.
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