Shally Zomorrodi – Persian host of a TV network in the US – threw an online party for Yalda. Yalda is the celebration of the winter solstice in Persian culture. It is a party on the longest night of the year with loved ones where there are summer fruits like watermelon, also nuts, pomegranates and lots of singing and dancing and reading poetry from renowned Persian poets like Hafez, Rumi, and Khayyam. At Shally’s party, she and her partner Bruce are hosts and have a number of musicians and other friends join them and share good vibes, music, poetry readings, and love.

At work, when there are commercial breaks – Shally puts on lively Persian music and starts dance parties in the news studio. Her non-Persian colleagues seem to have learned the dance through the numerous parties and join her in the dance, including fellow show host, camera-man, and assistant.

One lady who had joined the Yalda party was a new immigrant. She has had difficult times being away from friends and loved ones and friendly parties in her first 4 years after she immigrated to the US. She shared how watching Shally’s studio-parties at work inspired her and helped her do the ’emotional move’, and have experiences of being with a warm, energetic group of friends and family.

She shared about the difference that made for her in a difficult time in her life. And it was moving seeing how the sharing touched Shally and moved her to tears.

Life is good. Life is still good. And there is love, growth, inspiration and inspiring others, poetry, friendship, meaning, and of course yummy food.

Thank you Shally.

Happy Yalda.