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"

Celebrating Martyrdom of the Bab in Torquay

Today is my day off...

and that thanks to the fact that my team is so gorgeous, they say they know it was a special occasion for me and let me go! So I could join some baha'ìs from Exeter and drive with them to Torquay, where the community of the cluster of Devon was meeting.

It was nice to have the feeling of being at home in a strange country with people I actually met for the first time in my life!

But it isn't the first time I have such feeling as it's common to all the experience I had serving the Faith in foreign countries, with people I didn't know and would call friends, brother & sisters from the first time I would look into their eyes... this is because of the great purpouse of our lives we have in common!!

I wasen't among strangers but in my own community among my family members... and this feeling grows as much as we practice it and embrace all the people we come across in our life!

In the teaching of Bahá'u'lláh...

" Do not be satisfied until each one with whom you are concerned is to you as a member of your family. Regard each one either as a father, or as a brother, or as a sister, or as a mother, or as a child. If you can attain to this, your difficulties will vanish, you will know what to do." (Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 91)

:-) I have met other memebers of my family and had some sweet time together, praying and meditating about this Holy Day and recalling the history of that 9th July 1850 , had a gorgeous lunch and nice chatting... I really enjoyed the day!!

For praising God for such a great day would like to share two of the prayers the Bab revealed:

Is there any Remover of difficulties save God? Say: Praised be God! He is God! All are His servants, and all abide by His bidding!
- The Bab

Say: God sufficeth all things above all things, and nothing in the heavens or in the earth but God sufficeth. Verily, He is in Himself the Knower, the Sustainer, the Omnipotent.
- The Bab

Ps: about the Martyrdom of the Bab find more on: http://news.bahai.org/story/644

WIND OF CHANGE

EXETER'S CATHEDRAL

Here I am... back again!

Where should I start from?? Some time has passed and incredible things have happened... no, i didn't got married!! :-P

My June has been filled with sweet & nice new friends, some big AdventureS, funny moments & a lot, a lot of changes! Right now I'm in Exeter (in Devon, UK)... working for a company which provides summer classes for european students that want to learn English and organizes their leasure time with trips, artistic workshops & sport activities. I'm encharged with other two boys of the workshops and night events!! I work with other 8 people, 1 american, 1 french, 1 spanish, 1 english, 2 germans & 2 netherlanders... so we are 9 in total and very international! My team is really amazing, during the first few days of the training, wich took place in Chichester from 22nd of June till 26th, we got so connected & united that we all feel as a great family, sharing everything!! So awesome!!

But how did I come to the homeland of The Beatles, of Queen Victoria, Mary Poppins & many wonders??

I was searching 4 a job in the last 5 months and found literaly nothing (did many interviews and brought my cv to whatever I found) ... but nothing was moving!! So I took a week off everything to serve the Cause and went to Milan for activities and meet people intersted in knowing about the Baha'i Faith.... it was an INTENSE week, meeting people and talk to them directly about Baha'u'llah's Message. I had the bounty to meet very special souls and share with them some quality time talking about very deep and spiritual themes, praying together and having fun!

I met some souls I'll never forget and had the chance to come to know better some of the youth with whom was doing the activity... the time spent together serving and working makes me think of this quote:

" When any souls grow to be true believers, they will attain a spiritual relationship with one another,.... and that union of theirs, will abide forever"...

Isn't it amazing how the power of experiencing something that on one hand is very deep and spiritual, on the other hand so human and positive brings us to attain such pure joy???

I have many eyes and smiles in front of me, thinking about these new friends and have them in my prayers and heart... that I feel happyness and pain at the same time, happyness for having them in my life and pain for they are now far!

While in Milan a strange wind started to blow in my life and something moved on the job's hunt...

so, to make it short (though there would be intersting events to be mentioned about how God moves things smoothly when is His Will and we really are all in His Hands!!!) in 4 days I was contacted (thursday), interviewed(friday), sign a contract (saturday) and took my first flight to UK (sunday)!!!

I'm going to talk soon about where this wind brought me to and what came along with it...

just one hint:

GREAT-AMAZING-LOVING-SUPERSPECIAL PEOPLE... once again!! :-)

oops ... I already mentioned them ;-)

I'm really thankfull to the Blessed Beauty for such bounties!

football & new friends

I love football and though know nothing about this sacred sport have fun watching and playing it (ok i don't really play, but my attemps have won some "well done", by few boys - I believe, pretty encouraging souls!)... I'm a fan of Milan AC since I was 6 years old.... and this, just because once at school you HAVE TO decide which team is the best, and indeed, because one of my friend, who has always had my esteem, was a fan of Milan too! So, as europeans are on I enjoy wathing some match as CROATIA-AUSTRIA (well, I've actually missed it as was busy doing something else) but my sunday was dedicated to football with a bunch of balkans (as there were not only croatians), making new friends and enjoying the sunny hot day!

Had the great opportunity to meet some very nice and intersting people while kicking the ball and running up & down. Indeed, two chats were the highlight of the day (beyond winning the match)... one while on the bench, washing my feet (yes, I did play bare foot on the asphalt) and met Ervin (greek-albanian)... quite a long chat on abolishing prejudices of all tipe, on how difficult is to make friendship in a country that is not your own, about feeling roots-less and still travelling and moving to another coutry will broaden our mind, enrich our souls, give people the opportunity to learn and develop and be the most challenging and great adventure of our own life!


The second chat occured in Prato Della Valle (the biggest square in Europe... this is written in every brochure about Padova's sites to be visited) with 4 very good tunisians footballers!


Life in an other country can be hard, especially if people around you are hostile and look at you with unfriendly eyes.... I know the feeling too well! There could be different reasons to this conduct:
-tensions among the coutries you come from and the one you live now (like a war)
-mass media's pointing out several bad situations and creating a feeling of terror and hatred toward people of the coutry you come from (for internal/external political benefits)
-or simply because we are told so by our parents/friends = "social habitat" (the worst attitude, because it means we are not using our own mind, we do not see with our own eyes and listen to our own heart) and usually not so clearly... how many times a mother tells her child don't be racist, don't hurt the others and still avoids mothers that wear burqa, only because of their traditions??? How many times we have been taught hypocrisy??

I wonder if at greek-roman-german times there were such difficulties... probably yes, this "enemy/stranger/lower than me" idea is within humanity since its childhood... but how could we possibly allow it to be still alive, is for me a big question!!
The problem is that this idea is more than alive is being nurtured by the education we recieve at home, in school and through media.... if this would change, everything would!

The world as we know it would be totally different... if only we would abolish prejudices and let them not settle in our own heart!

I'll tell you soon about a wonderful experience I'm living with a multi-cultural children class... but right now will let you with this taste of a BETTER WORLD, where we are able to wellcome the new arrived with caring and loving hearts...

"They must purify their sight, and look upon mankind as the leaves, blossoms
and fruits of the tree of creation, and must always be thinking of doing good to someone, of love, consideration, affection and assistance to somebody. They must see no enemy and count no one as an ill wisher. They must consider every one on the earth as a friend; regard the stranger as an intimate, and the alien as a companion. They must not be bound by any tie, nay, rather, they should be free from every bond. In this day the one who is favored in the threshold of grandeur is the one who offers the cup of faithfulness and bestows the pearl of gift to the enemies, 216 even to the fallen oppressor, lends a helping hand, and considers every bitter foe as an affectionate friend." (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 215)

"The object of God's teaching to man is that man may know himself in order to comprehend the greatness of God. The Word of God is for agreement and concord. We do not consider anyone a stranger, for it is said by Bahá'u'lláh 'Ye are all the rays of one sun; the fruits of one tree; and the leaves of one branch.' We desire the true brotherhood of humanity. This shall be so, and it has already begun. Praise to be God, the Helper, the Pardoner!" (Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 80)

"When a man turns his face to God he finds sunshine everywhere. All men are his brothers. Let not conventionality cause you to seem cold and unsympathetic when you meet strange people from other countries. Do not look at them as though you suspected them of being evil-doers, thieves and boors. You think it necessary to be very careful, not to expose yourselves to the risk of making acquaintance with such, possibly, undesirable people.
I ask you not to think only of yourselves. Be kind to the strangers, whether come they from Turkey, Japan, Persia, Russia, China or any other country in the world.
Help to make them feel at home; find out where they are staying, ask if you may render them any service; try to make their lives a little happier.
In this way, even if, sometimes, what you at first suspected should be true, still go out of your way to be kind to them -- this kindness will help them to become better.
After all, why should any foreign people be treated as strangers?
Let those who meet you know, without your proclaiming the fact, that you are indeed a Bahá'í.
Put into practice the Teaching of Bahá'u'lláh, that of kindness to all nations. Do not be content with showing friendship in words alone, let your heart burn with loving kindness for all who may cross your path.
Let it be seen that you are filled with universal love. When you meet a Persian or any other stranger, speak to him as to a friend; if he seems to be lonely try to help him, give him of your willing service; if he be sad console him, if poor succour him, if oppressed rescue him, if in misery comfort him. In so doing you will manifest that not in words only, but in deed and in truth, you think of all men as your brothers.
What profit is there in agreeing that universal friendship is good, and talking of the solidarity of the human race as a grand ideal? Unless these thoughts are translated into the world of action, they are useless.
The wrong in the world continues to exist just because people talk only of their ideals, and do not strive to put them into practice. If actions took the place of words, the world's misery would very soon be changed into comfort.
A man who does great good, and talks not of it, is on the way to perfection.
The man who has accomplished a small good and magnifies it in his speech is worth very little.
If I love you, I need not continually speak of my love -- you will know without any words. On the other hand if I love you not, that also will you know -- and you would not believe me, were I to tell you in a thousand words, that I loved you.
People make much profession of goodness, multiplying fine words because they wish to be thought greater and better than their fellows, seeking fame in the eyes of the world. Those who do most good use fewest words concerning their actions.
The children of God do the works without boasting, obeying His laws.
My hope for you is that you will ever avoid tyranny and oppression; that you will work without ceasing till justice reigns in every land, that you will keep your hearts pure and your hands free from unrighteousness.
This is what the near approach to God requires from you, and this is what I expect of you." (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 15)

discover myself...

There's something I got to know about myself... I don't like much to talk about me, actually is what I've always thought when people ask about my interests, what I wish to do in my life and what I like or don't, how do I see mysel in 10 years and things like these.... I am usually vague and tend to avoid a straight answer... well, I think to my self about the possible answer and am not sure about the real answer so I just try to change subject.... the truth is that I don't know the answer to those questions.... I don't know myself!! Isn't it scary??
For me it is....

What was hard.. was to come to the point of admitting it.... be sincere... ahhhhhhhhhh! It's not giving relief! Because admitting I have no clue what I will be doing next year (much less in 10) doesn't bring me closer to the answer! Still, is better to be sincere then try to lie to myself...

I feel open to everything .... to whatever comes... or at least this sensation is the closest true answer I'm able to give to myself!

I've always been of this idea ... you are all strange!

I got temperature... but it's a weird one!

I feel week and my bones and skin hurt unbearably, my eyes burn and my throat is in flame... I hate to be in this conditions... I get sick once twice a year and usually for just few days... but this year I bet all records being sick almost once a month! Hideous!!

Well, still nothing really special in this, if.... my body temperature wouldn't range from 35,4'C to the max of 37,6'C.... when I was a kid I used to be ill with a temperature of 34'C....

I am not able to sleep nor read (which is my only hobby when ill) 'cause I have headache... so i make phonecalls to cheat time... I called my cousin and we were talking abouth this and that when she asked me why my voice was so low.... I told her about my temperature .... she bursted in a LOL and said: "I've always been of this idea ... you are all strange!"
That made me laugh so much I almost fell off the bed!

Isn't it funny how people see you for how you are made??

<------- CROSSROADS -------->

I'm standing at the crossroads

There are many roads to take

But I stand here so silently

For fear of a mistake

One road leads to paradise

One road leads to pain

One road leads to freedom

But they all look the same

(lyrics by Calvin Russell)

.... so true!

Lately this is the feeling I have... life is made of croassroads and choises to make, decisions to take... in such things, I do find relief in only 2 simple actions:

1. PRAYER & CONSULTATION 2. CONSULTATION & PRAYER

Today was mostly dedicated to both...

There is a special prayer of Baha'u'llah which I've learnt by heart when was 18 (thanks Gowhar!!).

The prayer was to be recited 19 times, followed by meditation on the problem, the formulation of a solution, and the implementation of the conceived solution...

"O my God! Thou seest me detached from everything save Thee, clinging to Thee. Guide me in my doings, in that which benefith me for the glory of Thy Cause and the loftiness of the state of Thy servants."

There is a special feeling when asking God to guide us, which is up lifting and lightening!
All we have to do is rely our trust upon Him and once the solution has come to us, act as the problem is solved while moving into that direction!
As the answer always arrives I leave you with this:

"Be ye guided by wisdom in all your doings, and cleave ye tenaciously unto it. Please God ye may all be strengthened to carry out that which is the Will of God, and may be graciously assisted to appreciate the rank conferred upon such of His loved ones as have arisen to serve Him and magnify His name."---Bahá'u'lláh

27... it's a nice number! (2+7=9)

My life has been very hectic this stormy April...

many things have happened and had no time to reflect on them!

My two brother's birthdays passes very fast and my sister's ball for her Diploma arrived and it was like being pulled back to 9 years ago... when was mine!

Same professors, same place, same emotions... ahead only the unknown future!

I was moved deeply, seeing my sister and her classmates at that turning point in their lifes!

So many things have changed from that day on.... I've grown from that girl of nine years ago and achieved many successes.... not that kind you could evaluate on a piece of paper or through a career, rather that kind one will be proud of for the eternity.... do this sound like an END?

There is no end to the betterment and spiritual growth of a soul... and if I got something 'till now is that LIFE IS CHANGE, an everlasting movement in which a stop is not allowed, so either we are moving or we are sliding back... it happens!

I looked at my Grandpa... (he just turned 90.... 90 this same stormy April), that's a remarkable age to be achieved... still there are different ways of achieving it... and I'm not talking about a physical situation (so get rid of the image of me without teeth, bound and with a stick in my left hand...)

I mean that with this climbing on the mountain of AGE, come fears and we want to take less risks, we get to certain points were the view is beautiful and we wish not to go ahead, we want things to stay the same and see challanges as nightmares instead of opportunities to fulfill our dreams!

This is actually when we dismount the horse of change with the idea of getting just some rest and indeed sink in the quicksand!! woops... too late!

My idea is that if we keep the bridle of change and hold at full gallop up on the mountain of AGE, we will be excercided and flexible!

FLEXIBILITY is a feature of an open mind... which is what we need to enjoy the climbing!

If I look back I see an other me... someone I'm pleased to know each day more!

There is a list in my mind... of people to get to know... of things to be achieved and experienced, to be taste and lived!

That's why I celebrated my b-day with a kind of initiation... I went home for the week-end with the idea I'll have my first swim of the year... brought my bathing suit with me, though the weather forecast says it would be a rainy week-end... I was determined to go to swim, though we travelled with a storm all the way home and the day after the Bura was blowing strong... the 27th still was, but SUN was shining... with my family(-1) we went to the sea for a lovely pic-nic and though there were people (all wearing jackets and long jeans) walking up and down the shore no one was in...

I stepped inside and the water was freaking cold... pure melted-ice! My determination was slipping away as my parents and everyone else insisted on chaning my mind... so i sat down and gazed the trees on the shore swaying with the waves... there! I took off my flip-flop again and ran toward the sea!!

The rest is history.... 4 hours later I was travelling toward Italy with a salty taste on my skin and a happy smile on my face!!

colourful & soulful

Realizing how grey my blog looks like

have decided to give it a new soul...
i love colours and coloured things
a look to my bedroom would clarify
what i mean...
i'm not taking a picture of it, cause i think
one's bedroom is very personal and i'm not
that intimate with you-people, to let you in :-P
my favourite spot in my room is the bed...
(my island... where i study, read, write, eat chocolate & buiscuits,
dance with the music on and sometime even off, make phone calls,
have chats with my brothers, my sister, my 2 cousins,
once a day with God before going to sleep,
sometimes even sleep in it)... everywhere around it there are books
(even on the floor), pictures & quotes on walls, on stiker-notes...then
many collections: sea-shell, stones, candles, angels, teddybears, trinkets etc...
i think i've got so many things in my bedroom,
i could fill with them an entire appartment!
i often think what will i do once i'll have to
leave this house and move somewhere very far...
what will i choose to bring with me, what will i leave behind?
i think i'll give my stuff to friends & relatives... as a goodbyegift.
i'm not attached to what i have, at the point that
even if i recive something precious and beautyfull
if i feel like, i'm able to give it to th person next to me
(a behaviour my mom sighly disaprove,
especially when she makes me gift, i then give to others).
Well, i don't know yet where i will go, how far and when...
but the day you'll see me arrive with something was mine,
don't refuse it... it's a part of me that wishes to stay close to you!
;-) why am i talking about moving?
simply 'cause i'm about to move... let you know when it's time...
since i was born i've changed 7 houses, 5 cities, 2 countries and
untill now just 1 continent ....
that's really nothing, as i wish to
tavel and know the world! This thought makes me feel FREE!!
I feel enthusiastic and thickled at
the idea of experiencing the untasted,
learning the unknown and meet friends i don't know yet!
The marvellous thing about this is that
we can have the same feeling
without travelling far, but looking at the world around us with such eyes!
Wish to hear what do you think about this!?

P-R-I-O-R-I-T-I-Z-E

That's my mantra in last months...

Why, er.... prioritize in one's life is essential... unless we wish to live a caotic life!
Mine has always been... caotic... I'm not what could be called an "organized person"!
Sounds very robotic and "german"... but is indeed a quality I appreciate and am striving to gain!

The most important thing for me is to Serve the Cause... it comes first... no matter what!
But there are always little voices in my mind whispering: "hey your exam is getting close.."
or "your new job's tasks are piling and the book you are reading is getting an inch of dust"... "it's a while you don't meet up with friends... when are you going to see them??" "when did you last talked with your sis & parents?? you don't spend enough time with Grandpa..." "got to tidy up the house... what about some gym??" ---> don't mean that service to the Cause is preventing me from doing such things, on the contrary, I do everything... just not in an excellent way!
... life is full of things to do... all very important and serious... so how do we choose what should be done at first?? How do we succed and pursue excellence?

There's a secret I discovered lately... and wish it to stay between you and me... (ushhh!!)
If we look at everything with the eye of Service then everything we do, finds a place and time in our life with a simple finger-snap!

Ok... I've just reinvented the wheel....
I recall the answer 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave about whether the prayer should take the form of action:

<'Yes: In the Bahá'í Cause arts, sciences and all crafts are (counted as) worship. The man who makes a piece of notepaper to the best of his ability, conscientiously, concentrating all his forces on perfecting it, is giving praise to God. Briefly, all effort and exertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart is worship, if it is prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity. This is worship: to serve mankind and to minister to the needs of the people. Service is prayer. A physician ministering to the sick,
gently, tenderly, free from prejudice and believing in the solidarity of the
human race, he is giving praise'. > (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p.176)

What do prayer and service have to do with tasks and things to be done??

They are the core of any activity!

"Each child must be taught a profession, art, or trade, so that
every member of the community will be enabled to earn his own livelihood.
Work done in the spirit of service is the highest form of worship."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 83)

So, when I feel like I'm doing nothing, or that studying a boring book is time lost, or that I haven't achieved anything big in my life... I just remind to myself that all has a profound meaning as soon as I try to accomplish it with joy and spirit of service!

May we all reach the state of the core in our daily activity!!

Che sara'... sara'!

"Keep your gaze centred on Him Who is the Sovereign Word of Truth: place your whole reliance upon Him, and beg of Him to destine for you what is meet and fitting. Resign your affairs into the hands of God, the Lord of creation."

Ever come to the point decisions are taking you, instead YOU take them??

Ever tried to let your will be guided from That of Other than you??

Give you a hint.... it's harder than it seems, but it's the way leading to happyness!

What will come... I'm awaiting it with open arms and a radiant countenance!