Where do we stand?

"The crisis consist precisely in the fact that the old is dying and the new
cannot be born; in this interregnum a great variety of morbid symptoms
appear." Antonio Gramsci - Prison Notebooks

I went to watch a movie that the spanish professor was screening at Uni, there ought to be English subtitles... well, I end up watching it all in Spanish and Catalan, understanding the general idea, though it was interesting from the linguistic view point as discovered the many similarities with Italian (I never studied Spanish, therefore have no clue about this language).

The movie: Salvador Puig Antich, is about one of the last execution that Francisco Franco ordered, in a Spain not yet in transition towards the democracy.

I must admitt that I'm totally ignorant about Spanish history of the 70' and have no idea of what meant living under Franco tiranny... what I well understand is that like every dictatorship, many things weren't allowed (like speaking Catalan); freedom was a word many were longing to actualize, but all were afraid to even utter it.

Of course there were people enjoying such a life as had an axe to grind. Salvador is depicted as this handsome, well-educated, brilliant student. Is loved by his parents and his 4 sisters, is a sweetheart in the eyes of those that come to know him, even to his prison warder.

But there is a reason if such a person is in prison... with his university's mates he has set up an anarchist movement called MIL (Movimiento Ibérico de Liberación), which they fund through an escalation of robberies... he is a bank-robber!

The boy is also charged for the death of a young policeman and convicted to death penalty through a painful system... soon becomes the symbol of the need of change.

Things turns very emotional and Salvador is regarded as a hero, a martyr. I wasn't crying (though horrified for the cruel death)... no matter what Machiavelli says... "Il fine giustifica i mezzi" ----> "The end justifies the means"... (sorry for the pour translation... is the only one I found), but I don't agree! How could we think that to eliminate injustice we should use the same tools? Tiranny, lies, war... can't be overcome by their equals... sure, what was happening moved the coscience of his countrymen, but I suspect that they started to wonder and react when the worst occured.

Salvador's life is put to an end in a horrible way, the death was given by a medieval tool, which doesn't kill immediately and the poor boy is left in agony as no one has the heart (or doesn't have??) to finish him.

The debate that followed the movie was pointing out the necessity we have to rationalize and regain the memory of events which have been obscured while happening... is it really like this? No one, in power to do something, knew what was happening in Franco's Spain?

For sure today's media are in power to let know and can reach every level of society, informing throughout the world what happens in the lowliest country... still reactions are slowly, in certain cases even non-existent.

I wonder how many death, how many people suffering injustice occour today before we start reacting.... I bet today Hitler would have been stop.... or not???

Or are we that numb that we let things happen and then grieve over them?? Decreeing Memory Days and let our children judge what we did on their history book!! Having them to watch touching movies to know the truth... what really happened and why no one did nothing to change things, to prevent things!!

Will we say that a mad man accidently came in power and that the horde of blind, order-followers couldn't help... will we excuse ourself somehow??

Is this what we will see in the future for the Bahai religious minority in Ahamdinejad's Iran??

How many signs of oppression and injustice should we count before realizing what is happening under our own very eyes?? Yesterday as Today...

The Bahais in Iran have decided to act differently from Salvador, their means aren't the oppressor's means... no! Their weapon is love! Love towards God, Love and Service for their fellow countrymen and women!!

love this song!! ---> a human being, an eternal wanderer!

HUMAN


I did my best to notice
when the call came down the line
up to the platform of surrender
I was brought but I was kind
and sometimes I get nervous
when I see an open door
close your eyes, clear your heart
cut the cord
are we human or are we denser
my sign is vital, my hands are cold
and I’m on my knees looking for the answer
are we human or are we denser
pay my respects to grace and virtues
end my condolences to good
give my regards to soul and romance
they always did the best they could
and so long to devotion,
you taught me everything I know
wave good bye, wish me well
you gotta let me go
are we human or are we denser
my sign is vital, my hands are cold
and I’m on my knees looking for the answer
are we human or are we denser
will your system be alright
when you dream of home tonight
there is no message we're receiving
let me know is your heart still beating
are we human or are we denser
my sign is vital, my hands are cold
and I’m on my knees looking for the answer
you’ve gotta let me know
are we human or are we denser
my sign is vital, my hands are cold
and I’m on my knees looking for the answer
are we human or are we denser

The Killers

O MAN OF TWO VISIONS!

Close one eye and open the other.

Close one to the world and all that is therein,

and open the other to the hallowed beauty of the Beloved.

I'm both... a human and denser!!

We all are... denser means we are more than what we seem... well, we certainly are!!

This material world is only one (not even the first, as we could consider the womb of the mother as a world)... only one of the infinite worlds in which our soul happens to experience, to gain consciousness of its existence and its purpose; where it has the chance to develop itself... here starts our journey.... which has no end!

A journey within ourself, within the universe, bound forever to our dearly loved ones and to all the other humans that cross our path and are on their way too! A journey to discover our potentials, to develop them and use for the benefit of all!

O Son of Spirit!

Burst thy cage asunder, and even as the phonix of love

soar into the firmament of holiness.

Renounce thyself and, filled with the spirit of mercy,

abide in the realm of celestial sanctity.

O Offspring of Dust!

Be not content with the ease of a passing day,

and deprive not thyself of everlasting rest.

Barter not the garden of eternal delight

for the dust-heap of a mortal world.

Up from thy prison ascend

unto the glorious meads above,

and from thy mortal cage wing thy flight

unto the paradise of the Placeless.

These Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah have a great power on me, making me realize that whatever our experience in this world could be (long 90 years or short as a flinch, filled with happiness or sorrow), we are destinated to something far greater... an eternal existence seeking to know and worship our Creator.

O FRIENDS!

Abandon not the everlasting beauty for a beauty that must die,

and set not your affections on this mortal world of dust.

O SON OF DUST!

Blind thine eyes, that thou mayest behold My beauty;

stop thine ears, that thou mayest hearken unto the sweet melody of My voice;

empty thyself of all learning, that thou mayest partake of My knowledge;

and sanctify thyself from riches, that thou mayest obtain a lasting share

from the ocean of My eternal wealth.

Blind thine eyes, that is, to all save My beauty;

stop thine ears to all save My word;

empty thyself of all learning save the knowledge of Me;

that with a clear vision, a pure heart and an attentive ear

thou mayest enter the court of My holiness.

back on writing...

I love writing and poetry... I write since I was 14 years old. What I too pompously call poems... are just thoughts and me capturing intense moments trying to express them in words.

Of course I usually write in my native language... Italian... but have some attempt in English too... and the latest were such!

01.10.2008

*

I've planted a tree
which has grown overnight
the morning light teases it
all around, kissing its leaves
hiding for whiles
all the clouds eagerly
admire it floating by




My tree dances on a melody
of its own
played by the northernwind
the same you've played
in a secret chamber
sweet as the one
your hands weeped on a bedrock friendship
softer than the one
you used to sing
under the window
clinging to the keys
with your voice and your eyes.

10.10.2008

*

I think

You've created

a sky

fitted for me to fly

And now

all the things

have gone

there's You

the only One I love

I think

everytime I go far

there's no reason I'm done

'cause You

You are there with Your Love

I feel It growing stronger than evermore

and I'm Yours.

I HAVE NO FEARS... EXCEPT ONE!

"Armed with the power of Thy Name nothing can ever hurt me,

and with Thou love in my heart all the world's afflictions

can in no wise allarm me.." - Baha'u'llah

This little prayer has always given me all the confidence and courage I've ever needed in my whole life!


Just like yesterday night... for the first time I was experiencing pure incontrollable fear... the kind you would never like to feel as it has no ground, no reason!


I've always done things like travelling alone in the middle of the night, walking around the city again in the middle of the night by myself, things my mother wouldn't be content with...

I was never afraid, I was always on the alert, heads up for any kind of danger... but never scared even if few situations would have required it!

I'm usually very brave when I'm on my own or try to be to show I'm not afraid, especially if there is people around me that is clearly much more scared... I try to comfort... or I get very scared and sensitive if people tries to scare me with stories and this makes me behave as a child fearing for every single sound or shade!!!

But yesterday was different... I was in my room... in the house... one should feel completely safe... I wasen't and my head completely flipped out! I was trying to concentrate on studying or anything else, but my mind kept pulling my attention on the neighbours screeming and fighting (as they do every single evening since I'm here) and on the people on the street walking by my window.... and all the kind of negative thoughts you could have when you realize you are really alone and no one you know is close enough for help! Ok, I should mention the few talks I had with a man telling me how dangerous this city is, or a lady telling me she was assault and the latest I had on experiencing people maddness two days ago, while walking all merrily back home at eve and three boys shouting at me names just because I was walking a bit fast (my usual walk when I'm on hurry or just cold)!

With such ideas and recalling all the warnings my Grandfather gaves me I was dealing with a lot of negative thoughts... things which, if I think about them now, I feel very silly for having imagine them! I think it even sound strange and silly the way I've explained it, can't help it better though!


It took me less then a second to get rid of all those feelings once I started to pray! And immediately all sort of happy-positive-nice thoughts came to me, like all the people that loves me, all the good things that there are in people, and especially one strong statement which fianlly gave me peace:

Do not fear any man, any human being,

but trust and fear only God, The All Mighty.

Can't remember when and who told me this.... but this is TRUTH! And TRUTH brings no harm.

"ARMED"

BECOME AN INDIPENDENT LEARNER AN INDIPENDENT THINKER

My first week of lessons is almost gone and what have been the highlights of it are some very deep concept that I would like to share with you...

• become an indipendent learner, an indipendent thinker

---->this is what one would be when using his own brain/perceptions/creativity... in one word TALENTS...


Its' simply to say, much harder to put in practice... I was bred with the sacred-cornerstone-principle of the Baha'i Faith which says everyone of us should carry out his own:

FREE & INDIPENDENT SEARCH OF TRUTH

In other words that is:

O SON OF SPIRIT!

The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.