2011 with all of its extreme ups and downs is wrapping up. It has been an unforgettable year of reflection, inspiration, pride and occasionally pain. There has been a series of events that have shaped my life in the last little while but most importantly has been the passing away of my father.

In 2 weeks, we are going to celebrate his life and his memories in the first anniversary of his passing. My father is gone but his strong character, unconditional love and support for his family, friends and community, his big heart, his sense of good judgment, his intelligence and his hard working attitude will live forever.

As they say, you could cry, close your eyes, be empty and turn your back but you could do what he wanted; open your eyes, smile, learn and move ahead. I’ve tried to follow his will and I’m proud of the year I had but this was not going to be possible without the love and support of everyone around me.

I like to dedicate this post to all who supported us over the last year. I am proud and humbled to be surrounded by so much energy:

My mother, Azar, who her strength never falls short of surprising me, Ghazaleh, Mamani, Shohreh, Morteza, Mohammad Reza, Sima, Majid, Varooj, Anik, Afshin, Bahar, Ramin, Kian, Shayan, Saideh, Rasoul, Arash, Nina, Gloria, Sima, Dariush , Sara, Samira, Frank, Kathy, Sam, Parviz, Foroogh, Ali, Bijan, Zohreh, Esmail, Azam, Abbas, Pooneh, Mitra, Ali, Behnaz, Khashayar, Kathy Falakfarsa, Afshin, Shokoufeh, Kayvaan, Rouzbeh, Sepideh, Mehrdad, Bagher, Afsaneh, Ebrahim, Fereshteh, Tahamsebi family, The Amjadi Family, Bahman, Soheila, Farzad, Mojgan, Afashrpour family, Hassan, Soosan, Peyman, Roxana, Jafarin family, Panahi family, Tahoura, Mojdeh, Sidney, Parsi, Hormoz, Leyla, Hamed, Marjan, Behdad, Poorya, Pouria, Kiana, Ehsan, Arash, Ali Razavi, Ali Bangi, Aidin, Sahar, Pooyan, Hasti, Maral, Araz, Yashar, Andrée-Ann, Salek Family, Mehri, Ali, Saman, Sara, Shervan, Goli, Kianoush, Arvand, Hoda, Rubil, Nargol, Aidin, Arian, Arnold, Shaunna, Conway family, Esfandiar, Pouya Alagheband, Pouya Khansari, Rob, Erin, Naghshineh fmaily, Hamid, Niloufar, Golbanoo, Sam, Siamak, Valorie, Ronak, Saman, Navid Hossinian, Elham, Babak, Atee, Pendar, Hoda Gerami, Mahgol, Siavash Shabanpour, Natoosha, Narges, Hamid, Christianne, Katherine, Brian, Greg, Ladan, Leyla, Charlotte, Jhubin, Rosa, Thor, Harsha, Jeongwon, Kaveh and Kiana Rahnema, Arash, Ida, Narges, Ali Kamran, Mojdeh Ghodousi, Nima, Sina, Farshideh, Azizeh, Gilda, Galia, Siroos, Mehr Afarin, Nima Nakhaei, Kaveh, Alia, Sepideh Aghel, Sanaz Aghel , Shanaz, Fahimeh, Irandokht, Behzad Anvari, Negar Anvari, IBM Colleagues, Rotman classmates, Rest of the Farid Mojtahedi family, and last but not least I like to thank a special friend, Jasmin Panahi, who has been the ears I needed in the toughest moments of the past year …

I apologize in advance for any names that I might have missed.