October 14, 2024, Manila- We got word this morning that a longtime Baha’i resident of Metro Manila, who came from Iran, had passed away after a long illness. When something like this happens, plans change, of course, and a”all hands are on deck”. Being on the periphery of preparations for the funeral and memorial, two days from now, my immediate concern was to get a proper shirt and tie, and leather shoes, for the occasion. (I would have done that, anyway, in preparation for an event being planned for this week. That event is postponed until after the honouring of the deceased. ) I will help out, at the ground level, on Wednesday.

The other thing that happened, over the weekend, was that a major kitchen appliance went kaput. We looked at the matter from all angles, and while it may be repairable, the item does not, in other ways, any longer meet the needs of the community. A comparable appliance, different in capacity, will be purchased to take its place.

This is a most intense year of changes happening “on a dime”. There will, no doubt, be others-some of which can be deduced by an educated guess and the rest coming upon us with minimal notice. My time in the Philippines, this go-round, is down to two weeks. Then comes the Presidential election, and for me, on the ground, drives to Carson City, northern New Mexico, southern Arizona and either a flight or road trip to Grapevine.

Then comes 2025, the year of fruition, of tying up loose ends, and of “one door closing and another one opening”. What that means for your truly will somewhat depend on the next 2 1/2 months, as who knows what loose ends will still be dangling. There will, however, be no shortage of preparation, and repair.