Message in a Matchbox

It all started during our family reunion in the summer of 2006, when I discovered an invaluable treasure: my oldest brother's memories of growing up. His name is Mohsen, and he was born in Tehran, Iran, to poor, struggling young parents. As early as age six, he figured out how to be creative and make money to fill his empty stomach. As he related his memories to me, I understood what had made him the fascinating, jovial, and hardworking man he has become. He has always had a calm confidence about him, as if he felt no need to impress anyone. He didn't have to. He had been through so much, that by the time he was twenty-three, he had lived a fuller life than most people ever experience. These stories are selections from Mohsen's many memories.