The Ghouse Diary: Jeff Ghouse

Showing posts with label Jeff Ghouse. Show all posts

Monday, May 21, 2012

India bound - My kids go to India

Mina, Fern and Jeff Ghouse

My kids Jeff and Mina and my daughter-in-law Fern left to India last night for a 15 day visit to Bangalore. My most important wish was for them to meet my mother, and both of them did just before she passed away twelve years ago. My mother had learned a few words in English to communicate with them… what a reversal!

My mother was an open minded pluralist woman with a big heart and an open mind. She was one of the most loved persons in the town.

Yesterday, I was beyond happiness that they chose to go on their own and spend time with their family. It was a good feeling to see them off… I was lost for a fraction of a second, thinking I was to take them with me... heavens, they are adults – Jeff is a big time attorney, Fern is a big time research engineer and Mina just got her degree in Psychology… they are not kids any more. Get over it Mike!

It was an emotional realization that they are out of my bounds, although we affirmed it when they turned 18, I lost that for a moment… it was the same feeling, when I walked with my sister when she got married and left home with her husband for the first time… I was crying …walking on the railway platform in Yelahanka in January of 1970 and running along with the train until I could not keep up with it. I was sad.

But I was not crying today, I was happy that they are keeping connected with my family, Jeff and Fern have developed affinity with Tanveer and Tamanna (nephew and niece) and my brothers and in-laws, nieces and nephews – 10 of them in all. I hope Mina develops that relationship with her family as well, for her to go on her own…

Connecting with the families has its own rewards... it gives firm grounding in the moments of despair and joy. I hope we get over our egos and find our base. There is peace in it.

Mike Ghouse

Friday, February 25, 2011

Andrew's First Flight and Memories

Andrew boarded the plane in Little Rock, Arkansas to fly to Dallas; he walked into the plane and asked me if he could sit in the vacant seat next to me, by all means of course, I said. Then he asked me again if it was ok to have the skate boards with him, … It was his first flight and he was all nervous.

Jeff my Son was 8 years old when I took him to India, he did not want to take his roller blades off even in the plane… and in the Mumbai Airport he had a show, we had about six hours to kill in the airport to catch flight to Bangalore, so we stayed in the Airport from 2AM to 7AM... he was all excited and roller blading in circles. Before too long we had a huge audience circled around us watching Jeff’s show. In Bangalore Airport at that time, they pulled the ladder to the plane and then you walk on the run way and walk to the airport, he roller bladed his way. I was smiling all the way.

I recalled my own first flight, all nervous and worried sick about life… I assured him that it will be just fine. He was going on and on and on… within a few minutes I noticed that every one in the plane went on a HELP gear with him. The flight attendant to the lady on the aisle seat... I thought about it long and hard about the human inclination to help. There is a “HELP” node built into each one of us and it instantly operates on a need basis.

When the plane took off, he closed his eyes and he was trembling badly, I assured him placing my hand on his that every thing will be alright. I pulled the window shade down on the window directly facing him so he does not have to see outside. Once up in the air, he was alright but frightfully stealing glances of the outside to gauge if he is really up in the air… once we landed, he gasped.

The flight attendant and I asked him to take a deep breath he was such a good kid! I recall some of it happening to me.

Way back in 1982, “DW” and I took a 2 seater Mooney to Marshall, Texas, we could not spot the strip to land… so he took a dive and literally my heart was in my mouth and about to come out of it. Between the thin door and I, there was barely a 6” space and you look on the right, it’s the earth way below… we passed through the cloud into open… same feeling again. On the way back DW asked me to navigate while he was reviewing the Blue print of for the Sprinkler Systems were engineering for a plant in Marshall.

Memory is amazing, one small thing can jog your memory and you go places. Did you go places?

Mike Ghousehttp://www.mikeghouse.net/

Friday, July 3, 2009

Jeff and Fern Wedding Pictures

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This was one of the most happiest moments of my life and I am so thrilled that most of the friends and family members could attend and share their blessings with the couple.

Reception pictures Professionally taken:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157620745819277/show/

Wedding pictures:
http://www.lynnmichelle.com/fernandjeff

Wedding Pictures by my Camera: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157618797747822/show/

Wedding pictures featured in by Dallas Wedding Planner
http://dallasbrides.wordpress.com/2009/06/22/real-wedding-fern-and-jeff/

Some of the pictures prior to marriage
http://www.ewedding.com/sites/fernandjeff

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Monday, May 25, 2009

Momentous week of my life

This was one of the most momentous weeks of my life, I have endured three peace giving events three days in a row. I want to thank each one of my friends for being with me in those precious moments. Thank you for your friendship.

May 22nd - Friday
Prayed and paid respect to my late wife Najma on the morning of her death anniversary. My friend Yasmeen and I visited the cemetery and placed a bouquet of Roses on Najma's resting place. May her soul rest in peace. http://www.mikeghouse.net/Articles/Life-is-a-poem-of-love.asp

May 23rd - Saturday
My Son Jeff married Fern, it was one of the most beautiful moments of my life, we held a reception for the couple in the evening and shared some Indian traditions. Celebrating Jeff and Fern Ghouse's wedding - http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157618797747822/show/

May 24th - Sunday
Yasmeen and I are engaged now. We are pleased to have the blessings of family and friends on this occassion and now pleased to share it with out friends at large. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157618725112511/show/

Mike

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INTRODUCTION

Mike Ghouse is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions to media and to the public on important and complex issues of the day and is available to speak in a variety of settings such as schools, seminars, conferences, and places of worship, or the work place.

Mike is a frequent guest on Fox News, (The Hannity Show), and has been interviewed on nationally syndicated Radio shows along with Dallas TV, Print and Radio networks and occasional interviews on NPR. He is a member of the Texas Faith panel of Dallas Morning News and writes on issues facing the nation every week. He has spoken at international forums including the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions, in Melbourne, Australia, Middle East Peace Initiative, in Jerusalem, the International Leadership conference, in Hawaii, and in Washington

The Foundation for Pluralism champions the idea of co-existence by respecting and accepting the otherness of those different from ourselves. The World Muslim Congress is committed to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam. Heavily involved in both, Mike Ghouse is committed to building cohesive societies and has produced outstanding public events to bring Americans together of different religions, ethnicities and races on common grounds of building a safe and secure America.

He is a speaker, thinker, collaborator and a writer on the subjects of Pluralism, the interfaith movement, cohesive societies, Islam, India, hope and world peace. Over 1000 articles of Mike’s have been published worldwide and two books are poised to be released this summer. His work is reflected in 4 websites and 27 Blogs indexed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/
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oncerned by the divisiveness, he saw the need to bring Americans together and founded America Together Foundation committed to building a cohesive America, indeed it is in response to ACT America which is bent on pitching one American against the other. We will be holding series of educational programs, conferences and workshops to address the issues that divide us such as Civil Right, GLBT, Quraan, Abortion, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, Racial Profiling and Stereotyping.

The Annual Unity Day USA is in its 7th year now, it is a purposeful event to bring Americans together, on this Unity Day, we the people of the United States of America of every faith, race, ethnicity, culture and background will gather to express our commitment to co-existence, unity, prosperity and wellbeing of our nation.

Thanksgiving Celebration is in its 15th year showcasing cultural diversity.

The 5th Annual Reflections on Holocaust and Genocides is to learn and to acknowledge and reflect upon the terrible things we have inflicted upon each other and commit to avert such tragedies. Through this event non-Jewish people have consciously learned about Holocaust for the first time, it was also for the first time that people of 14 faiths came together to join in to commemorate the Holocaust that commemorated within the Jewish Community for years. They are not alone anymore in their anguish, we are all in it together with them, and it is a Muslim initiative to effect a positive change.

The programs, seminars and workshops conducted by the Foundation for Pluralism have become a part of the America Together Foundation. While the Foundation for Pluralism continues championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other, the commitment to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress continues.

Mike is a speaker, thinker, collaborator and a writer on the subjects of Pluralism, the Interfaith Movement, Cohesive Societies, Islam, India, Hope and World Peace. Over 1000 of his articles have been published worldwide and two books are poised to be released this summer. His work is reflected in 4 websites and 27 Blogs indexed at http://www.mikeghouse.net

To engage Mike in a dialogue, conference or a talk, write to Ghousespeaks@gmail.com and email dedicated for this purpose or you can call him on a short notice at 214.325.1916