Part one of our first Windtalker Podcast show highlights an interview I did back in April with a dear friend Shadi. Shadi is from Iran and came to this country seeking asylum and the opportunity to pursue her dream as a doctor in the United States.
It was an unseasonably cold April afternoon in Chicago. I was racing down Michigan afternoon with the Galician in tow, snow pummeling us from head to toe. When I finally reached the Intercontinental Hotel, I was greeted by a warm cup of coffee and a warm smile from Shadi. We were all covered from head to toe in winter apparel-our clothes as dark as the skies outside. But despite the weather outside, we were eager to meet. The uprisings in Lybia had started a couple of weeks prior and many similar demonstrations were springing up all over the Middle East, including Iran. I was excited to hear Shadi's story and she was excited to share it.
We were seated on a veranda overlooking the large marble entryway of the front lobby. Security guards stood close by to make sure no one would interrupt the interview. Shadi unwrapped the soaked pashmina from around her head, her hair falling in a sea of black silk around her shoulders. She smiled brightly at me, eyes reflecting the light from the chandalier above us. I felt so plain sitting across from her. Well, to be honest I felt like a drowned sewer rat. Shadi radiated joy and pure happiness as she realized she was going to share her story-a story she was very proud of, with the rest of the world. The interview went on for almost an hour. We shared laughs and opinions, anecdotes, and the joys of being in control of one's own future. Shadi was a successful doctor in Iran, but risked everything to come to America leaving behind her husband (whom she intended to return for) and her entire family in the hopes of a better future. It was the first time in a while that I had felt divinely out of control. It was a moment when I let the universe take hold and could just bask in the happiness of a good conversation with a good friend. Moments like that only happen a few times in one's life. Here's hoping this season of Windtalker Radio Podcast will bring many more stories and moments to share! Blessings,
J
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