Under the Lamp

The voice of subjective deliberation is muted in our Western world; the light of reason, science and objectivity are the valued norms of western thought, and they ordinarily rule over intuition and insight in our estimation of reliable notions. We have words for subjective thinking: pie in the sky, empty rhetoric, and baseless suppositions, and yet, as I have said before, in the last few years, my AH HA! moments seem to come from the subjective influences in my life: poetry, literature and writers like Thoreau, Emerson, Rumi, and others.
However, my argument with many philosophers is that they end their books as though there was no more to learn: at the end of their honored logic they pronounce, "The End." What no more to learn than what this man tells us? Is one man's reason, regardless of his intellect, enough to say "Enough?" I regret no book that I have read, no philosophy that I have studied and no religion that I have investigated, but often there are more answers in a few simple words or in a simple thought than in all the philosophy books written.
Consider Mullah Nasruddin: Nasruddin is a favorite character who tells stories that display uniquely subjective solutions to his problems. As I have grown older I begin to see the wisdom in oft-told tales; we can become rich with thought from the stories and oral history from long ago. Here is one of my favorite Mullah Nasruddin stories:
Mullah Nasruddin was on his hands and knees under the street lamp and his friend passed by. “Nasruddin, what are you doing on your hands and knees, did you lose something?”
“Yes,” answered the Mullah. "I lost an important key."
“Where did you lose it?” asked his friend.
“I lost it back there in the dark,” replied Nasruddin.
“Then why, may I ask, are you searching for it here under the lamp,” the friend wondered?
“Do you think I have any chance of finding it back there in the dark?” demanded the Mullah.
We logically assume that we can find things under the known light of reason easier than in the dark ambiguity of the subjective. We find comfort in the light of the scientific method and the rational world. Its apparent surety and control are captivating, but do we need to extend our thinking into the dark corners once in a while?
Westerners tend to avoid the dark, the doubtful, the unknown. We search in the best light and yet wonder why we sometimes find incomplete answers. In fear of our doubt and anxiety we frantically demand that others find the key where we want it to be--under the light of objectivity or the comforting cloak of perennialism. We silence all doubt in ourselves and others, thinking that more science, or more light, or more money will open up untold secrets. Given an objective example of threat to our nation, we jump into action, driven by historical precedents and never stop to look in the dark, to learn more about our enemies and search for answers that are not obvious or highlighted.
Deep in the soul we have to admit that the lamp of objective knowledge and historical tradition casts a flickering light and that we walk on infirm ground. We may doubt that our instinct or insight may lead us to better answers, but doubt is a part of faith. We sometimes have to search in the darkness of faith, not knowing what we will discover.
Thoreau said, “If I could not doubt, I could not have faith.” Each doubting step can bring us farther into the darkness and open our eyes to another step we might take, carrying our doubt with us. The search is all. The more the darkness closes over us, the more our reason is joined by our intuition, and the closer we come to a higher plane of thought--that universal, intuitive, searching energy that is the stuff of all life. The key is to be found in both the light and in the darkness working together.
I will go to my grave with my doubts and much of what I have found to be true is only present in bits and pieces. We are never able to see the whole, the completed tapestry of truth, but still we search. We walk through our field and gather our wild apples whether they are in the light or in the dark corners of hidden truth.

color of love

black is a color that for me is very wonderfull and funny and of course special . I say it is speacial because has not alternative and I say it is wonderfull and funny because you see to it you do not see his end . people are believe that black is a boring color but I say it is new for always . In most of country and of course in my country people wear black when their dear die but you know that in some country such as india people wear white . Any way black is for me is a lovely color .a popular singer(REZA SADEGHI) in my country say ,black is color of love .

Hammed

Sabber's letter to Miss Sahar

Dear Miss Sahar
I'm Sabber.I heard from Mr Taghdareh your interesting and funny story a bout English that you become sick for that,I think really you love English.
I know you are musician,I think that me and other students can use your knowledge in music.
I will be happy if I know that you are studing in what subject of music.
Good luck
Sabber

What did we do in the English class Last Friday?

Hi Sue,
Mr T. made a new decision, I think it is very useful for us. His decision was watching a video every week for about 2 or 3 hours.
Last Friday, Fattemeh and Bahman and I were in the class firs. Mr T. corrected our letters and we read your letters and writings in the class. This way helps us very much.
After 2 hours Saeede and Sahar came to the class(They are twice of my best friends like fattemeh).

We watched one of the HardTalk videos. It was Roger Waters's interview. First, understanding their speeches was very difficult, After an hour it became better.
We heard some familiar words in that interview, some of them were those words which you use in your letters and writings. They reminded us of your writings content and we understood them.

Dear Sue, I and all of Mr T.'s students ask you to write us more if you have time because with reading your letters we don't memorize the meaning of words which you use and understand them because we love you and your letters, so we don't forget them.

I hope my letter is clear and I could say what I mean.
Have a nice day.
Faranak.

Sabber's letter to sue

Dear Sue
I'm Sabber.In this letter I want to say that me and all of other Mr Taghdareh's students are very happy that you help us to learn English better and when we learn it we never forget your favor,I'm sure you are a kind woman.
Always in class we speak a bout you and your guidance and we use all of them.
Thanks alot
Sabber

Bahman's Writing

Dear Sue,
Thank you for answering to my letters.
Yes, we go to mosque and cook it for the needy and other people. I think that my English is getting better, but I am not very good. I must practice more than before. I saw that interview for 3 times, but I cannot understand very words in that. I gave that dictionary last week. I don’t know good dictionaries. M.R T give us if he finds them. I think that it is very enjoyable that you go with our husband out for dinner. We usually go for dinner with my friends. We watch 3 hours interview on Fridays.
Take care,
Bahman

Faranak's Writing

Dear Sue,
Last week my aunt and her daughter, Roya and her husband came to Tehran. They live in Mashhad. It is the holy city.
Roya's wedding party is near and they came here for shopping. I went with them as a guidance.

As for learning English:
I learned English before to read scientific essays and books about my course.
After getting acquainted with Mr T. I knew life is not just studying lessons and science, there are more beautiful things in the life like Literature and having a good friend like you.
I thought we Iranians are much different than other people around the world and we just have great mystics like Hafiz and Rumi and others.
Mr T. talked about Thoreau and sometimes read his quotes in the class. Thoreau said the same things that our mystics said.

After that I knew you, a kind and wonderful woman. I think your words are like Mr T.'s speeches. I became interested in your character and like to talk you about different things and learning more but my English is week now and I spend 3 or 4 hours, sometimes more than it, for writing a letter.

After all that I knew that people are similar around the world and they are just different in their culture and human values are same everywhere.

I think learning languages specially English can help me to improve my information about my course and open my mind and expand my viewpoint.
Take care.
Your friend Faranak.

Apology from Mr. Soltani

Hi Mr. Soltani
I am so sorry that I'm answering very late.
Last week, I was very busy. Although, I know that I had to be answering to your letter on time.
I just can tell you "Excuse me".
I promise you that I will answer to your letters on time, after this.
My friend, I am very happy that I get acquainted with you. I hope that we can help to each other.
Every time you want, you can ask me your questions. I will answer them intent.
I wish best things for you.
Good luck
Your friend, Fattemeh Ramezani

Bahman's Writing

Dear Sue,
Nice to hear from you. I always enjoy your posts too.
Now, Tehran it is 5 a.m. I was in a mosque’s kitchen until now. We cooked food for people. This work is very enjoyable, but I am not a cook. I can just cook an omelet.
Oh, astronomy. I love it. I read a book about astronomy last Ramadan. Its writer is Meir Degani. Its name is astronomy made simple. Your grandson must be very happy. Astronomy is very interesting. I went to the balcony and I watched stars and moon. Abou Reyhan Bironi was an Iranian scientist in astronomy. Avicenna and Abou Reyhan Bironi were contemporaries. They saw each other. Many standards in astronomy are from Bironi’s books. For example magnitude that it shows distance of stars from earth is for Bironi.
Take care,
Bahman

Bahman's Writing

Dear Sue,
We watched an interview last Friday.
It was very interesting for me. It had an English dialect. Ali gave me a very nice dictionary that called Longman. It is supernatural.
I will go to university next month. I had lazy days in this summer. Sometimes I was in my bed. I think sleeping is the best rest.
Ali told me that we want to watch films for 2 hours after our classes. I enjoy it when Ali tells us its sentences. Some of them are very simple sentences. I must practice more than before. I tell myself, but I don’t do it. I read two section of a book from Faramarze Payvar called theoretical music book. We must ask to 105 questions after read it. Oh, Practice.
It is successfully security.
Take care,
Bahman