Happy Anniversary Maman and Baba!

34 years ago today, on May 1, 1972 , a young couple in Tehran walked down the aisle, looked into each other's eyes and pronounced the magic words "I do". Well, almost. They did it Persian-style and embraced traditions like sitting under a special ceremonial wedding cloth and having sugar sprinkled over them to ensure a life full of sweetness and joy... (Intrigued? Here's more.)

My maman and baba vowed eternal loyalty to one another and have kept their word through all of life's twists and turns. In London on this grey morning, as I compose essays on ethnographic cinema, a deeper part of me feels tranquil, comforted by the special significance of the day and the belief that love and true devotion do exist.

Thanks mom and dad for all that you have taught me. Here's to another 34 years!