It has been a rollercoaster of a ride since I last wrote. I have formed my own Middle Eastern Dance Ensemble, along side my husband who is an amazing percussionist. Together we form TribElation which has taken off much faster than I anticipated. This is a dream come true for me, as I am surrounded by amazing friends and talent.

But during the midst of the joy, I was struck with an unbelievable family tragedy. My step-brother, whom I have known since he was a 12 year old kid commited suicide in April, at the age of 34. I suddenly find myself living in someone else's headlines. We've all seen it in the news...."man kills wife, then self"....I watched these same endless headlines and remember thinking to myself, "what a rotten b******" Now this has struck home. My step-brother who has always called me his sister found himself in such a dark place he felt he had no other course of action. He is of course, protrayed as a monster by the media. Only those closest to him understand .... He was a decent guy. He loved his kids. He was a genius on the computer and made an exceptional income designing software. He was funny, he was sensitve and kind. He just reached the point of no return. They say that every man has his limits....I fully understand that now.
It has made me think a lot about tolerance and endurance. I believe with my whole heart and soul that we are all here for a reason. We are here to learn, to evolve, to become closer to that God that has so many names. Be kind to one another. Be understanding.
I am also turning 40 next week. It's almost funny to me in a way....like having my own deliciouse little secret....only it's not really a secret now that I've spilled it. This little cleft girl grew up to have an awesome husband, amazing kid and a performance group that packs the house. Not too shabby. I am going off to California next week to see family, watch my step-son graduate from high school and perform on one of the biggest Middle Eastern Dance Stages in the U.S.
While I do carry the weight of tragedy inside of me, I am still me and have my life to live. Ultimately, I think that life is about how we choose to handle the bad stuff that happens. We can either let it wreck us or we can accept it and grow from it. I think I will just dance my way through.