With their wedding just a few weeks away, Megan and Taraz have been busy fixing up the apartment they will soon call home. It is a sweet little 2-plus type of apartment, that is, a small living room with a kitchen alcove, a bedroom, and a bathroom. A circular wooden stairway leads up into their apartment, which is the entire second floor.When I first saw their apartment a few weeks ago, I thought the little house was so cute, off the back of an alley in the Stadium District, the historic part of town. Little flowers nestled in a front flowerbed, and the first thing I did when I got out of my car was to water them! It was a spontaneous gesture, given the hot day we were having.
Taraz led me up the staircase and into the main room. It was filled with color and texture, so like him and his interests. Asian motiffs and east Indian fabrics predominated, like an old inlayed chest with these lovely Oriental motiffs.
I put my camera down, very close, to look at the intricate handi- work. There seems to be a love story here, in this landscape, and I wondered what the relationship was. Has the young man just met his beloved on a garden path?
I saw a big begonia basking in the sunshine in one of the windows. All of the windows in the apartment are near the floor, so all of the seating is floor-seating, on cushions, much like the Japanese. There were so many details to absorb at one time, that I really had to go from room to room, quite slowly.
A candle lit a corner bookshelf in the small hallway leading to the bedroom, and I could tell that Taraz had lit them to create that peace that comes from candlelight.
He showed me the tiny kitchen, with its tea-kettle on the stove, and spices and tea lining the top of the stove.
This shelf displays their teapot collection. I espec- ially liked the way the ceiling was done, with the swirls of paint.
The bathroom has a big comfy chair by the old fashioned tub, right behind the door. I sat down in the chair, and thought 'all's right with the world'. This room seemed to say that, even though our morning newspaper didn't.
This is the window right next to the tub - why you can look right out while you are soaking. I like to see little candles on a windowsill like that. Even from the outside it looks enchanting and peaceful. And, of course, that is what I hope for Megan and Taraz, that their days will be filled with grace and good cheer.
We've been walking alongside them, during these last few months, helping to lighten the load in any way we can. Mostly, it is just with conver- sation, reassuring them. We're all glad that it is a small Baha'i wedding, which will be held at Megan's grandparents home. Once that is over, the families are planning a bigger celebration in October, for the Baha'i community and friends of the family.
