Poetry from Chimezie Ihekuna

Chimezie Ihekuna (Mr. Ben) Young Black man in a collared shirt and jeans resting his head on his hand. He's standing outside a building under an overhang.
Chimezie Ihekuna

(B)

See Life In Your Own Way

(i)

Deceptions try permeating my sub-conscious like a virus

Ugly events want to make me dance bad circus

I choose to see myself as the citrus

That grows in the field of peace

Never caught up by the weeds of disease

I’m hooked with creativity through my ability

To express my service to humanity

I see life my own way

Decided not to be in dis-array

It doesn’t matter the name;

Whose distraction is giving him the fame

For I know that’s his game

(ii)

I’m out for the money

but not down with the honeys

because they are monkeys

pretending to be like good mummies

I’m ahead of my time like time

That’s why  you don’t see me all the time

That’s the way I see it…My own way

So, see life in your own way!

Poetry from Sheila Murphy

Fault Lines

You talk like a waterfall. I’m lumbering

down rain. The plane of broken water toward

shame I do not feel. Your pain defines me.

Climbs down the fall to the splintered

pool I grab with both hands.

You blister my defeat with repetition.

You repeat my insignificance. I dissolve.

I hold my ears. I hold my own. Stones appear

as smattering blades of rain. Gainshares 

plummet. No runnels here. I hear your flint

voice voicing trauma you will never hold.

It’s cold again from here. You catch a spear

and wield what wildness might have glowed ago.

Simmering with strain. Fault lines beneath the strain.

Enclosed

Enclosed, we outlive our closeness. Beyond

the perpendicular pronoun. Warm we, 

second person plural, a better answer 

to the restaurant host’s “Just one?” The 

hungry body needs to lose itself, 

without strangling dangling participial 

others thirsty for speakeasy taunts, as if 

proximity meant all one, Alwun House,

a performance space in our western village 

bloated with population. In twos, shucking 

the status of MVP, a threnody 

before the spotlight on one deemed ideal 

for the role of icon according to

the ministry of prey, overcast 

with envy to carry forward an urgent,  

inextinguishable senseless oneness.

Recidivist

I’m on my way to taint the glyphs on trees. Freeze frame light of day. Board the traipse-mobile and go away (I’m on my way). Cliffs splay clipboards at play. Way north of gerunding, God willing. Recidivist splay. Rebel against the gains on hilltops retrieved.  A reprieve. Scope sequenced to fault the slow learn. Slow burn fallen (through). Who teaches you, the few. I wrap my head around the wrap around my head. 

Trawling the score named evermore, free lit freeway, smell of hay

Underpainting

Braille hums 

haptic heft, a fuse

lurking around 

future romp. Pomp 

and cirque-de-soleil.

Summer gardens

opaque with shine.

Toots Kinsky matte

finish. Surface gloss 

gone tame. Outer 

glass rough with 

source code grains.

With / Draw / All

With. 

Draw. All

morning. 

Raw

mourning. A longing. 

ensconced in 

brother 

broth once 

fair-minded, now

un-

mended 

sweat on brow.

Practiced 

preach. Long-

sleeved feral. 

skeet 

shot blood

on window

missing 

target by way

of cheap wheels.

Husbandry

Roller coast me close

to breeze viatical (remember

expectation. Bluebottle dit 

dot (pairs sans need 

(pared just enough 

for early breath. Shaped

pear pearl lid plot 

half 

injurious day-

glow (run from

penury (slow 

return to place-

based pain). Stain-

cropped (drum

plain page boy 

buoys no sprite

Just spit 

(split lip

Sheila E. Murphy. Appeared in Fortnightly Review, Poetry, Hanging Loose, others. Forthcoming: Escritoire (Lavender Ink). Permission to Relax (BlazeVOX Books, 2023). Gertrude Stein Poetry Award for Letters to Unfinished J. (Green Integer Press, 2003). Hay(ha)ku Book Prize for Reporting Live From You Know Where (Meritage Press, 2018).

Her Wikipedia page can be found at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheila_Murphy

Essay from Eshboyev Oybek Davlat Oglu

Young Central Asian man in a white collared shirt, black vest, and black tie sits at a desk in front of a computer.

Modern education and its advantages in the educational process

 Jizzakh State Pedagogical University, Faculty of Natural Sciences, 3rd stage student, Eshboyev Oybek

 Abstract: The article informs the teacher of the modern educational system about the use of various innovative methods, thinking about new views.  Also.    The issue of the role and importance of modern technologies in improving the quality of education was discussed. 

 Key words: information technologies, video textbook, electronic textbook, information and communication technologies, quality of education, personnel.

        Currently, the number of initiatives to improve the quality of education is increasing significantly.  One of the main tools for improving the quality of education is modern technology.  Today, almost all people know how to use the Internet: smartphone, computer, tablet and similar devices.  Children are no exception.  Children of school age can use these devices and networks almost without problems.  Of course, this is a happy situation, but at the same time, it requires good skills and knowledge from teachers.

      In contrast to the usual technical education tools, information and communication technologies.  (ICT) not only provides students with a large number of ready-made, carefully selected, properly organized knowledge, but also improves students’ intellectual and creative abilities, independent acquisition of new knowledge, and information along with various developments.  allows to develop the skills of working with resources.  The knowledge potential of teachers in the field of ICT is implemented by improving their skills. 

        In order to improve the quality of lessons, teachers should constantly improve their ICT skills, and to meet such requirements, improving their knowledge through individual education is a modern education system.  In addition, it will not be useful for teachers to use various scientific and practical methods. They can share their experience with colleagues through conferences, seminar materials, teachers’ forums, and social networks.  Thus, the introduction of ICT and the use of the Internet to improve the quality of lessons provide the following opportunities:         

 Opportunities in the field of professional skills of teachers; 

 Increasing students’ interest in the lesson; 

  Many opportunities for teachers to approach their profession creatively; 

 Wide opportunities for independent education and remote education of teachers;

            Today, the speed with which the education system is immersed in digital technologies provides a basis for serious analysis and pedagogical justification of much that is currently offered in the information space.  The purpose of this article is to analyze the possibilities of digital technologies, to determine the priority directions of the development of the educational process, their advantages and threats, based on the hypothesis of the need for their scientifically based implementation in the work of higher educational institutions. Digitization of the educational environment can be implemented in various forms.  :

   transfer of existing educational materials, including lectures, presentations, textbooks, tasks for independent work and knowledge control tools to an electronic environment;   

 creation of an interactive electronic environment for the cooperation of teachers and students, including the creation of electronic offices for teachers, conducting webinars, discussion forums, etc.; 

  creation of new types of educational tools: electronic textbooks, electronic problem books, video lectures, quests;  

 creation of fundamentally new forms of education using the possibilities of the electronic environment – expanding the scope of image transmission of information, simulating various situations during role-playing games, simulating competitive games, etc.;

1. Electronic textbooks: 

  Their use helps to solve the following didactic problems: acquisition of basic knowledge of science;  Systematization of acquired knowledge; 

 Learn to answer very confusing questions;  Formation of skills of independent work with educational materials using ICT;  Development of self-control skills; 

 Motivation to learn and study science in general;  Providing educational and methodological support to students in their independent work on educational materials;  Providing a comfortable educational environment and opportunities for independent selection and search of information sources, that is, preparing students for exams in a short time, forming many useful general educational skills in them; 

 2. Video tutorials: 

 The advantage of using video lessons is that you can pause during the exhibition, discuss what you have seen and ask students questions.  Children must draw conclusions from what they see.  The duration of the demonstration should not exceed 10-15 minutes, then the type of training should be changed. Students can also download video lessons for homework.  The video lesson itself can be in different forms, for example, there are three main types of lessons: Explaining a new topic;  Strengthening of knowledge, skills and qualifications;  Generalization and control of knowledge, skills and competences; 

  Advantages of e-learning include:

 1) solving problems of education: elimination of regional barriers to education;  removal of time restrictions – access at a convenient time for the user;  access to classes due to the division of classes into blocks;  learning from highly qualified teachers.

 2) Expansion of options: the ability to choose the teacher and the method of presenting the material;  emphasis on logic, images (associations) or practice (situations, tasks);  the ability to choose the method of assimilation of material: through auditory, visual, motor skills or interactive participation;  the ability to choose the depth of mastering the material – a wide range of courses;  the ability to choose a convenient way to test knowledge: tests, tasks, projects, interactive conversations with artificial intelligence, etc.

 3) Expansion of the forms and means of knowledge transfer: in addition to traditional lectures, performances and seminars, the use of project work, group discussions, role-playing games and competitive games, including with virtual participants, etc.

 4) Socio-economic advantages: the possibility of forming social intellectual networks based on interests;  relatively cheap (high investment and low operating costs).

  it can be said that improving the quality of teaching today requires a wide range of knowledge and skills from the teacher.  Because today students also have a certain level of knowledge about modern technologies.  I think it is good for students to learn the basics of ICT from the teacher, as well as learn about the environment.  Therefore, today there is a need to constantly improve ICT and innovative technological skills of teachers.   With the development of e-learning, the market for educational services is becoming increasingly global.   The goal of introducing information and communication technologies into the educational process is to familiarize students with modern information and technologies, to improve their literacy in this regard, and most importantly, to improve their skills in using this information.  The introduction of ICT capabilities increases the efficiency and attractiveness of the modern educational process.  Emphasizing the importance of expanding students’ worldview, we should not forget the rules of their use.

 Used literature

1. Azamkhanov, B.S.  & Burkhanova, M.M. (2023).  Methods of formation of information competence of students of a higher educational institution.  Scientific-methodological journal of interpretation and research, 1 

 (17), 308-311.  

2. Burkhonova M.M.  CISCO network technology and its role and effectiveness in teaching computer networks.  Internauka.  2020. No. 36 (165).  S.  75-76. 

 3. Djalilov, M. L., Abdullaev, S. S., & Pulatov, G. G. (2016).  Improve the strength of hmac based on one time passwords using sha3 in hmac.  In Sovremennye nauchno-prakticheskie reshenia i podkhody (pp. 42-44).  

4. Kasimakhunova, A. M., Umarova, G. A., & Zokirov, S. I. O. G. L. The role of broad implementation of modeling on the subject of semiconductors in higher education institutions.

  5. Khoitkulov, A. A., & Pulatov, G. G. (2022).  Development of organizational and economic mechanisms to increase the capacity of textile enterprises.  Gospodarka i Innowacje., 23, 142-145.

  6. Latipdjanovich, D. M., Shavkatjonovich, A. S., & Gofurjonovich, P. G. Improve the strength of hmac based one time passwords using sha3 in hmac.  Nauchno-prakticheskie resheniya i podkhody, 2016, 34. 

Eshboyev Oybek Davlat Oglu was born on June 13, 2003, in Bulung’ur district of the Samarkand region.  Currently, he is a 3rd stage student in Jizzakh State Pedagogical University.

Poetry from Eva Petropoulou Lianou, translated from Greek to English, and then to Bangla by Md. Sadiqur Rahman Rumen

Middle aged European woman with light skin, hazel eyes, and light brown hair and a green sweater.

I miss the hug

A hug that they give you and you forget the weaknesses of your existence.

I miss a kiss

The kiss that someone give you and your stomach make those noise like is full of butterflies

I miss the smile

That childish smile that you have

U are smiling and all nature become

Pink

I miss the walk to the beach

The waves

The perfume of the salt

I miss the sunshine and the sunset

All the simple things that I had

I miss the generosity of people

I miss the kindness of grandparents

I miss the relaxing moments of drinking a coffee

Now, they all want your friend, your position, your talent, your contact, your potential, your life almost but no one…

Nobody want to get in your shoes

They are too tight.!!!! 

©®Eva Petropoulou Eva Lianou Petropoulou

………..

আমি আলিঙ্গন মিস করছি

একটি আলিঙ্গন যা তারা আমাকে দেয় এবং আমি আমার অস্তিত্বের দুর্বলতাগুলি ভুলে যাই।

আমি একটি চুম্বন মিস করি, কেউ আমাকে এবং আমার পেটে যে চুম্বন দেয় তা প্রজাপতিতে ভরা আওয়াজ করে!

আমি হাসি মিস করি

তোমার সেই শিশুসুলভ হাসি তুমি হাসছো এবং সমস্ত প্রকৃতি হয়ে উঠছে

গোলাপী!

আমি সৈকতে হাঁটা মিস করি, তরঙ্গ লবণের সুগন্ধি!

আমি সূর্যোদয় এবং সূর্যাস্ত মিস করি

আমি যে সব সহজ জিনিস ছিল, তা এবং 

মানুষের উদারতা মিস করি!

আমি দাদা-দাদির আজর মিস করি, আমি কফি পান করার স্বস্তিদায়ক মুহূর্তগুলি মিস করি

এখন, তারা সবাই আমার বন্ধু, আমার অবস্থান, আমার প্রতিভা, আমার পরিচিতি, আমার সম্ভাবনা, আমার জীবন প্রায় চায় কিন্তু কেউই চায় না…!

কেউ আমার জুতা পেতে চায়না, তারা খুব জোয়ার.!!!!

Author: ©®Eva Petropoulou Eva Lianou Petropoulou.

An Greek Poet.

Bangla Translated by:

Md. Sadiqur Rahman Rumen.

An Bangladeshi Poet.

Essay from Lalezar Orinbayeva

Central Asian college girl with long straight dark hair, brown eyes, earrings, and a white collared school shirt standing in front of a leafy olive tree.

A dream… When people hear this word, it sometimes brings joy to their faces, while at other times, it evokes deep sighs and regret. This is because as long as a person lives, they dream. They set goals, take steps toward them, strive, and work hard. Sometimes, fate grants them the fulfillment of their dreams, and sometimes, those dreams remain as mere wishes—unfulfilled and lost in time.

Since my youth, I, too, have had dreams—visions that guided me, inspired me, and fueled my determination. I have worked tirelessly to achieve them, pouring my energy into every step forward. Dreams have the power to elevate a person, to make them feel like they rule the world, to transport them into a realm as magical as Alice’s Wonderland, where everything seems possible. Even now, I continue to chase my dreams—I study, I strive, I push forward.

Some of my dreams were born in childhood, while others emerged during my teenage years. I am grateful for those I have achieved. Of course, not all dreams are easy to reach. Some may seem utterly impossible, as if fate itself has placed an insurmountable barrier in the way. But no matter how difficult it may seem, one must never surrender. One must never give up.

Because a dream, no matter how distant, is always worth the pursuit.

I, too, have lived chasing my dreams. Yet, those unfulfilled dreams still linger in my heart, my thoughts, and my mind—like distant peaks with no way to reach them.

When I shared my dreams with my parents and loved ones, I often heard discouraging words: “That is impossible,” “It doesn’t suit you,” “It’s not appropriate for our culture,” or “A girl should not pursue such a path.” I faced resistance and opposition.

One of the dreams that turned into a mirage was my deep desire to enter the military. My passion for this field began when I was in school. I was so captivated by the idea of serving in the military that I often imagined myself in uniform, standing in formation, marching with pride, singing military anthems, and taking an oath with unwavering determination. I could see myself walking with honor and discipline among my fellow soldiers.

When the time came and people asked, “What career do you want to pursue?” I confidently answered, “I want to become a soldier.” I had planned to apply to a military academy after finishing school. But, unfortunately, I was met with strong opposition and countless restrictions.

Even then, I refused to give up. I didn’t want to surrender my dream so easily. I graduated from school and began preparing my application, determined to fight for my place in the field I loved. Yet, once again, I found myself under immense pressure—barriers I could not break through. In the end, I was forced to choose a different path. My dream, once vivid and full of life, faded into a distant mirage. And with deep regret, I buried it in the depths of my heart.

But that was not my only dream. There were others—many others. And for them, I have studied, worked hard, and pushed forward. Some I have achieved, while others have slipped through my grasp, turning into mirages just like my military dream.

Yet, I refuse to stop dreaming. I continue to strive toward my future aspirations with the firm belief that I will succeed. There are still so many dreams ahead of me, waiting to be turned into reality.

Lalezar Orinbaeva was born in 2003 in the Turtkul district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. She is of Turkmen nationality. In 2021, she became a student at the Faculty of Primary Education at the Tashkent University of Applied Sciences in Tashkent. She is an ambassador for three international organizations and a member of one international organization. Her creative works have been published in Kenya, Germany, Albania, Azerbaijan, Russia, Belarus, and several other foreign countries, and are indexed on Google. She is the recipient of various international certificates. She has also founded her personal “Anthology”. Lalezar is a holder of international medals, statuettes, diplomas, certificates, and invitations. She is a professional curator of Dreams That Turned Into a Mirage.

T.A. Ahrens on Leaves from the Vine, interviewed by Cristina Deptula

Book cover image with the title in white script and green block letters. Gray background with a new plant emerging from the ground with two leaves.

Curious, I consulted a psychic who confirmed what my chart had suggested: that my family had endured shame rooted in a past event—something that happened long before I was born. I couldn’t shake the feeling that my writing was somehow tied to this revelation. So I asked my father about our lineage, and he quietly shared a difficult truth: that his great-grandfather was a Dutch slave master, and his great-grandmother had been an enslaved woman in his household. He directed me to his eldest sister, Aunt Daphne, for more.


Aunt Daphne told me what little she knew about “the Dutchman”—that he was both a pastor and a Justice of the Peace, and that his name was Cornelius. The moment she said his name, I froze. Cornelius was the name of the grandfather pastor in the story I had written all those years ago. I had even described his favorite candy as licorice—a detail that, to my surprise, is a traditional Dutch treat.
It was in that moment I realized I hadn’t written a work of fiction after all—I had written a remembrance. My hands had merely transcribed what my spirit already knew.


That was when I knew this story wasn’t meant to stay on a hard drive. It was meant to be shared—both as an act of remembrance and as a tool for healing. The research wasn’t traditional, but it was guided—by dreams, divination, and a deep listening to my lineage.


Question #2:How much of this book is from your ancestry and how much is made up?

To be perfectly honest, I’m not entirely sure where memory ends and imagination begins. When I first began writing Leaves From the Vine, I had no conscious knowledge of what I was channeling. It wasn’t until I later explored my family’s history that I began to see startling
parallels—details in the story that echoed my great-great-grandfather’s life and the legacy of his descendants.

That’s why the imagery is somewhat elusive, set in a quiet town “in the middle of nowhere,” a place that could be anywhere—or nowhere at all. It reflects that sense of mystery and ancestral whispering.
What I did craft intentionally was the dialogue, the rhythm of the language, the emotional texture. I used artistic license to shape the tone—infusing it with wit, symbolism, and sentiment.


And while the story is deeply rooted in family lineage, I also chose to include something profoundly personal in the Afterword: the Invocation for Sacred Sexual Embodiment (from the Ascension Glossary). That was my offering—a healing remedy for those navigating sexual trauma. While that part isn’t inherited from my ancestry, it’s a conscious and heartfelt contribution to the legacy of healing.

Question#3: How do you think people reconciled being people of faith, and even pastors with being slave owners and perpetuating injustice?

I’m not sure they ever truly had to reconcile it—at least not in a way that disturbed their sense of righteousness. Many slaveholders, including pastors, used scripture—like Ephesians 6:5—to justify the institution of slavery. Verses such as “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear…” were interpreted literally, providing a moral and religious rationale for what was, in truth, a deep injustice.


But faith without compassion becomes blind obedience. And privilege, when left unchecked, can distort one’s understanding of justice and mercy. In many cases, those in power may have believed themselves to be the ones under threat—viewing any resistance from the enslaved as rebellion rather than a cry for freedom.


This perception of fear allowed them to see themselves not as oppressors, but as protectors of order, which further reinforced their actions. It’s a painful paradox: using faith as a shield to avoid reckoning with cruelty. And yet, it’s this very contradiction that makes the truth so vital to examine today—with humility, not blame.


Question #4: How do you think it’s possible to break generational curses or generational patterns of course dysfunctional behavior?

Breaking generational curses isn’t just about changing behavior—it’s about transforming identity at the root. We must approach healing as an act of Identity Alchemy, a sacred process of rewriting the unconscious contracts we’ve inherited.

First, we must Expose the Ancestral Root—identify the patterns that have been passed down, the pain that still echoes through our choices, and the beliefs we didn’t even know we adopted.


Then we Shock the Pattern with Radical Reversal. That means doing the opposite of what the curse expects—speaking the truth where silence ruled, choosing joy where shame lingered, or creating boundaries where chaos thrived.


Next, we Implant a Future Memory by consciously visualizing and anchoring a new narrative—one where we are free, whole, and deeply loved. The subconscious doesn’t know the difference between memory and imagination, so we use that to our advantage.


We then Sever the Quantum Energy Cords, energetically and emotionally cutting ties with the trauma and limitations that no longer serve us. We release the old without fear. Finally, we Embody the One Who Was Never Bound—our truest, most divine self. This is the
version of us who lives not from pain, but from power. Who walks not in shame, but in sovereignty.


This is how we heal—not just for ourselves, but for those who came before us and those yet to be born.


Question #5: Did your ancestors ever repent of enslaving people and how might we begin to heal that wound as a country?

Yes (my great- great -grandfather)—he’s repenting through me, his descendant, his soul-scribe. Through my voice, he’s asking for forgiveness. He’s sorry for abusing his power and manipulating his privilege to oppress others. He now understands—through my own
suffering—that in enslaving others, he also enslaved himself: to greed, to ego, to the seduction of control.


He became a prisoner to the very forces he thought he controlled. A prisoner to fear, to lust, to legacy. Slavery robbed his victims of their freedom—and robbed him of peace, love, and the humanity that connects all souls, even across lifetimes.


His spirit seeks redemption now. He knows that true power doesn’t require domination. That true privilege uplifts rather than oppresses. And that true faith is never rooted in fear.


The wound of slavery cannot begin to heal if we continue to reopen it—whether knowingly or unconsciously—through daily practices rooted in a painful past. Each time we glorify “soul food” without acknowledging its origins in survival, each time we discipline our children with the same tools once used to control, each time we overlook the spiritual traditions of our ancestors in favor of the religion that once justified their bondage—we unknowingly press salt into the wound.

On the other side, the wound festers in silence each time privilege built on slave labor is denied or dismissed. Every benefit drawn from generational wealth, every institutional advantage, every opportunity rooted in the unpaid labor of others—left unacknowledged—prolongs the ache.


Healing begins when we commit to the uncomfortable work of unlearning: unlearning inherited superiority, and also unlearning generational servitude. It begins when we honor the full truth of
our history—not just its victories, but its violations. Only then can we move toward wholeness—not as separate sides, but as one people reckoning, remembering, and rebuilding.


Question #6: How can individual people begin to make amends for systemic injustice put in place by their ancestors?

I’m not entirely sure there’s a single answer, but I do know that making amends begins with a willingness to sacrifice comfort for justice. The obvious place to start would be to embody the spirit of modern-day abolitionists or even modern-day hippies—people unafraid to disrupt the status quo in the name of equality and compassion.


To truly make amends, descendants of those who benefited from systemic injustice must first acknowledge that they’ve inherited not just wealth or status, but also a moral debt. And they must be willing to pay it forward—not in shame, but in service. This might mean using their influence to challenge systems that favor them. It might mean divesting from privileges that came at others’ expense.


But here’s the real question: Who among them is willing to risk losing inherited power, privilege, or prosperity for the sake of justice? To go against the grain of their lineage? Because making amends is more than a performance of empathy. It’s a courageous reordering of values—a revolutionary act of love.


Question #7: What role does faith play in Leaves From the Vine and why/how can faith and spiritual practices help people?


Faith is the heartbeat of Leaves From the Vine. The town of Charlestown itself is built on a foundation of faith, family, and fellowship—where the Big Church stands not only as a place of
worship but as the town’s schoolhouse, meeting hall, and sacred ground. It’s quite literally the center of their lives. So when young Jones Jr. begins to question his Christian beliefs, it shakes
the town to its very core.


But as the story unfolds, we see how each character is tested. Jones Jr. must find faith in himself to lead the church when his father falls ill. Mrs. Jones clings to her unwavering faith that her son is still alive, even when others doubt. The twin sisters, Anna and Annie, draw on their shared faith in each other to face the nightly hauntings.

Every soul in Charlestown is pushed to their limit—but it’s their faith, especially faith in the power of love, that ultimately breaks the curse.
Faith helps people by creating a sacred space for love and joy to dwell—even when the world outside feels harsh or unkind. It serves as a spiritual retreat, a quiet refuge from life’s noise and cruelty.

When doubt clouds the mind and uncertainty shakes the soul, faith becomes the balm that steadies us. It reminds us that we’re not alone. That there’s something greater, something divine, that holds
us even when we can’t hold ourselves. Faith gives people something to believe in, especially when belief in themselves feels like too much to carry. It softens the edges of pain and sharpens our vision for hope.


At its most tender, faith teaches us gratitude—for the small mercies, the everyday miracles, and the unseen grace that carries us forward.


Question #8: Why did you write this book and what do you hope to accomplish with Leaves From the Vine?

I wrote this book because I began to sense that I was simply the messenger—entrusted with a story that needed to be told. Over time, it felt less like something I was creating and more like something I was uncovering. I came to see myself as a voice for my great-great-grandfather, someone whose truth had long been buried. Through me, he could finally speak—offering confession, seeking redemption, and hoping for peace. In telling his story, I also hoped to bring healing to his descendants, including myself, and perhaps offer a mirror for others to reflect on their own generational wounds.


This book is my personal call to courage. I hope it inspires others to bravely uncover their own family stories—the ones hidden in silence or shame. I want readers to feel empowered to confront the spiritual and emotional battles their ancestors may have left unresolved. My hope is to awaken a generation that seeks healing with humility, gives and receives love with openness, and chooses to leave behind a legacy rooted in truth, honor, and redemption. If this story stirs
even one person to begin that journey, then it has done its work.

Question #9:Who are some of the authors you admire?

I admire Iyanla Vanzant for her bold, unapologetic voice and her willingness to speak from personal experience. In books like Yesterday, I Cried and In the Meantime, she holds herself
accountable for her own shortcomings, and that honesty creates space for true healing. I respect that she doesn’t just “preach” to her readers—she walks the talk and invites others to do the same.


I also admire Caroline Myss, particularly for her work in Sacred Contracts, where she introduces the idea that each of us is born with twelve core archetypes that shape our purpose and path. Her teachings helped me recognize the unconscious roles I’ve played and the agreements my soul may have made before coming into this life. That framework has been key to understanding both personal and ancestral patterns.


Don Miguel Ruiz, through his book The Four Agreements, helped me embrace a liberating perspective—especially the powerful lesson of not taking things personally. That one idea alone has protected my peace more times than I can count.


Lastly, I admire Eckhart Tolle for his deeply grounded spiritual wisdom and his conversational approach to writing. The Power of Now is structured as a dialogue, which feels intimate and
refreshing—especially for those of us raised in spaces where questioning was discouraged. His work helped me come home to the present moment and discover freedom in simply being.

Each of these authors has been a guidepost on my own spiritual healing journey, and their work quietly echoes through the pages of Leaves From the Vine.

T.A. Ahrens’ Leaves from the Vine may be ordered here.

Essay from Ismailova Hilola

Young Central Asian woman with brown eyes and straight dark hair and a white blouse and school uniform sash stands in front of a large school building with big windows, holding a red diploma.

MY PROFESSION IS MY FUTURE

 Scientific supervisor JDPU, 

 senior teacher H. Shukurova

 1st grade student Ismailova Hilola

 Abstract: This article describes the opinions on the teaching profession and the inner experiences of the 1st-year student who has just entered the university.  The article focuses on glorifying teachers and the fact that this profession is an honorable profession.

 Key words: New Uzbekistan, teacher, sweet memories, teacher, profession, knowledge, dedication, speech, skillful pedagogue, top class, selector, selfless student, president.

 “New Uzbekistan – from the threshold of the

 school,  begins with the education system” 

   Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev

 When I remember that the President did not say the above sentence in vain and that only individuals lie at the bottom of it, my hands tremble and a strange feeling appears in my heart.  The role of our respected teachers who gave their whole lives to work in such a blessed position is incomparable in educating honorable people.  In this place, our respected teachers are accepted and honored with kindness and great fame among the people.  Of course, I think this is true.  It is natural for the people to be happy to see that he gives equal love to all his students with his selflessness, sincerity, and kindness in the path of his profession.  I still remember the day I first stepped into my school.  I was a naive girl who didn’t know who I was, cried like a newborn baby and was capricious, who didn’t know what life was all about.  When I remember the day I first saw my teacher, I think that he is the second reason for the results I am achieving now.  My first teacher was my grandmother, because before I went to school, she took me to kindergarten, taught me how to count, and raised all my joy. 

 When I remember the first pen I held in my hand on the first day of school, my respect for the teachers swells.  One day, my teacher wrote the letter “A” on the blackboard and asked me to write according to this pattern.  That was the first letter I wrote then.  Do you believe?  It turned out so ugly.  When my teacher saw what I wrote, he stared blankly.  I was very afraid then.  I was afraid that they will fight now.  No, my teacher didn’t.  He came to me and said: “You are such a beautiful girl, why don’t your letters be so ugly, in case you become a bad-tempered girl in the future?”  “If you don’t write well, if you don’t learn to speak fluently, you won’t have a place in life.”  I was ashamed and almost crying.  I stared at my writing while blushing, and I couldn’t bring myself to write back, so I couldn’t pick up the pen.  At that moment, my love and interest in the mother tongue faded.  My teacher noticed this quickly.  I can’t forget one piece of advice he gave me the day he started working with me individually.  “Don’t stop fighting, but also get strength from fighting.  Do not forget that no matter how many attempts are made, they will not be useless.  “If you don’t stop moving until you get out of your grip without success, you have lost your life today,” he said.  After that, he sowed the seed of knowledge in my heart and became a person of great value to me.  I was young at that time, I did not know the meaning of such words, what kind of concept they mean.  After that, I confidently continued to write the letter “A” again and again.  Yes, I tried a lot.  It is not the same in one, but it is the same in the other.  The same thing happened to me.  The result of my efforts was not ineffective.  When I remember such sweet memories, every moment I spent with my teacher is vivid in my eyes.  I think that whether a great person or an ordinary person remembers his first day at school, he feels a special impression and happy mood.  They yearn to return to that era, sometimes crying.  So, what do you think is the reason for his longing?  Of course, in the people who left sweet memories along the way with us as we come to life.  The reason why we remember that time and miss it is because of our teacher’s love.

My grandmother is currently working as a skilled pedagogue, a high-class primary education specialist.  I envied my grandmother when she taught, and I also considered the profession of a teacher worthy of me.  But my grandmother told me that it is not easy.  I used to think about the difficulties in the difficult profession of teaching.  However, if you want to achieve this from the bottom of your heart, no one and nothing can stand in your way.  See, my intention is devoid of truth.  I am a student of the Faculty of Primary Education of Jizzakh State Pedagogical University named after Abdulla Qadiri, which has a great history of 50 years, is powerful and has good results in our country. 

 It is an honor for me to become a teacher.  Think for yourself, from the janitor to the president, from the builder to the businessman, from the driver to the pilot, from the marketer to the breeder, from the specialist to the lawyer, there are all professions behind which lies the result of our teacher.  Our teacher will be our guide who will help us understand our past, understand ourselves, and know our abilities.  They do everything seriously.  In fact, both the scientist and the worker come from the same teacher and the same classroom.

 It is clear that mature and great people will emerge only from a teacher who can awaken love for his profession.  No matter how difficult it is, my passion for my profession does not fade.  I want to remember these professionals with a sweet memory for a lifetime.  Besides, justifying the knowledge they have given me, I will continue to achieve great results.  I need to find the right way to do this.  The main thing is that I should instill in myself the feeling of loyalty and dedication to my profession.  Along the way, I was accompanied by a team of teachers from the Faculty of Primary Education of Jizzakh State Pedagogical University. 

 After all, even though it has been less than a month since I came to the faculty, I was very happy to see the opinion and trust of our teachers during the introduction process.  Our teachers, who spoke, explained to us that we will join the ranks of talented students, and at the same time, that our state has created many opportunities for talented students, and listed the talented students of the previous academic years by name.  The university has a website “Akademiya.uz” for the promotion of talented students, and the articles and published works of all talented students are evaluated on this website.  I thought about all the ideas and carefully weighed them.  Our teachers are truly showing us the true path.  Besides, the trips we made around the university with our teacher were very enjoyable and interesting.  During such an intense trip, we also visited the palace of culture of our university. Our team liked the equipment there.  Students interested in guitar, piano, flute and trumpet are spending their free time here today.  In particular, we were convinced that the presence of books in the library in both paper and electronic form is a comfortable environment for any student.  I believed that it was a library full of books, so that we could not look for a lecture on any topic.  Seeing that our university is currently working on the “Hemis platform”, I thought that this was the first example of efforts to ensure transparency in education.  Strict action will also be taken against those who stay in class.  A credit module system has been launched for each subject.  Our teachers called us to be vigilant by telling such warning deeds.

Indeed, after hearing about the opportunities available to talented young people in our Republic, I felt a desire to join the ranks of talented students.  The number of our students using this opportunity is unlimited.  I can emphasize that Aziza Amonova, a graduate of the Faculty of Elementary Education of Jizzakh State Pedagogical University named after Abdulla Kadiri, received the Navoi scholarship for the 2023-2024 academic year, Umid Kadirov “Mard” boy.  Ergasheva Mehriniso, who is one of the proud students, is the owner of the scholarship named after Navoi.  Fingers are not enough to count our proud young people.  It was the team of our university that made several of our students achieve great success in their personal lives.  As a result of their success, they were admitted to the master’s degree as a student on a preferential basis.  We are currently monitoring the results together. 

 Look, let’s think about it.  If you ask such people the reason why they achieve great results, they will point to their teacher without hesitation.  Sometimes there are those who show their parents.  Now I will turn to the question why there are students who show their parents.  Let me give an example of this question.  My dad is a hero to me.  Because he was able to restore everything from scratch, he ensured that we grow without discrimination among our friends.  Currently, I am far from my parents, but I did not refrain from money or sweet words.  For me, he is my teacher who has an incomparable place in life.  The way they brought up my mother with sweet words and taught me what life is is still ringing in my ears.  Both of these people are my wings, my first teacher and people who have reached the level of being my whole body for me.  I am proud to say that all the people who are fighting shoulder to shoulder with me in my life path are my teachers.  In particular, I set myself the goal of joining the ranks of exemplary and selfless students at the university.  My teacher Shukurova Halima Sunnatullayevna, who understood this goal and helped me earnestly, became a teacher.  Many students ask, why did you choose this teacher?  Have you thought about whether he will be strong enough to work with you when he is older?  they say.  But Ustazim’s many experiences, his motherly way of delivering his thoughts, and his kind eyes drew people to him.   I have witnessed many times that my teacher also has intuitive abilities. 

 In conclusion, I can say that receiving the status of a teacher and working faithfully to it is an honorable task only for patient, persistent and proud people.  In particular, teachers of primary education should not have such a difficult profession as teaching students from zero, bringing them to the level of a great person, and supporting the student to reach perfection in any situation.  A doctor’s mistake kills a patient, a teacher’s mistake kills the whole world.  As I grow up to be a teacher, I think that the opinion of my teachers, my grandmother’s trust in me, and the attention of my family members are behind me.

References:

 Sh.M. Mirziyoyev “We will continue our path of national development and raise it to a new level.” TASHKENT “UZBEKISTAN” 2017.

 Abdullayeva N. “Kasbim-fakhrim” “Mannaviyat” newspaper 2021.

 Ulug’bekova O. “I bow to my teacher” “Jizzakh Haqikatii” newspaper  2023 year

Ismailova Hilola is the daughter of Alimardon.  She was born in Urganch district of Khorezm region.  Currently, she is a 1st-year student at Jizzakh State Pedagogical University named after Abdulla Kadyrov.  She has a national certificate of the Uzbek language and is a proud student of Academic Lyceum, holder of a red diploma.