Intensity

This is a story of something inexplicable in word... therefore bear me for such pointless attempt!!

I have songs for every moment in my life and songs for places, even for pleople... I just hear to a song and it reminds me of a place where I've been, or a situation, or some friends....

Well, the point is that I don't have a song for my relatives... I don't need one to remember me of my dad or mom or my sister or brothers... I never had the need of one... before!

I was on the bus with the kids and the group leaders and one of the memebers of my team, my friend. It's wasen't sunset yet... which is usually the time I think about the people I love the most and say a prayer for all of them... I was listening to the radio and suddenly a song (wich wasen't something I would relate to my brothers & sister for any special reason... so, well, I think it was the song, but am not sure 100%) made me think about them... the feeling was so intense, so strong that tears urged to my eyes... have you ever experinced something like that?? I can't explain... it was harrowing... something like the feeling I would never see them again, or have the good time I used to have with them back again, or like our lives were about to take very different and opposite faraway path... only I wasen't thinking at such things, nor I believe it possible... though, it was painfull and sweet... I can't help explaining better...

I miss my brothers and my sister!

Deaf & blind, the world goes on

This challenge, so severe and insistent, and yet so glorious, faces no doubt primarily the individual believer on whom, in the last resort, depends the fate of the entire community. He it is who constitutes the warp and woof on which the quality and pattern of the whole fabric must depend. He it is who acts as one of the countless links in the mighty chain that now girdles the globe. He it is who serves as one of the multitude of bricks which support the structure and insure the stability of the administrative edifice now being raised in every part of the world. Without his support, at once whole-hearted, continuous and 131 generous, every measure adopted, and every plan formulated, by the body which acts as the national representative of the community to which he belongs, is foredoomed to failure. The World Center of the Faith itself is paralyzed if such a support on the part of the rank and file of the community is denied it. The Author of the Divine Plan Himself is impeded in His purpose if the proper instruments for the execution of His design are lacking. The sustaining strength of Bahá'u'lláh Himself, the Founder of the Faith, will be withheld from every and each individual who fails in the long run to arise and play his part.
(Shoghi Effendi, Citadel of Faith, p. 130)


ARSONISTS IN IRAN TARGET BAHA'I HOMES, VEHICLESNEW YORK, 28 July 2008 (BWNS) --

Acts of arson targeting homes and vehicles are the latest violent tactics directed against the Baha'is of Iran."In the early hours of the morning of 18 July, the house of the Shaaker family in Kerman went up in flames, only weeks after their car had been torched and in the wake of a series of threatening phone calls," said Bani Dugal, principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations."As would be expected in the light of the mistreatment Baha'is in Iran are routinely receiving, the officials who investigated the fire either ignored or dismissed obvious signs of suspicious activity, including a muffled explosion, simply saying that it was the result of an electrical problem," she said.At least a dozen cases of arson that target Baha'is have been reported in Iran in the last 15 months, Ms. Dugal said. She gave the following examples:-
- On 15 July at 1:15 a.m., Molotov cocktails were thrown into the front courtyard of the home of Khusraw Dehghani and his wife, Dr. Huma Agahi, in Vilashahr, only months after anonymous threats directly related to her being a Baha'i forced Dr. Agahi to close her clinic in nearby Najafabad where she had practiced medicine for 28 years.-
- On 25 July, the car of a prominent Baha'i in Rafsanjan, in Kerman province, was torched and destroyed by arsonists on motorbikes. Soheil Naeimi, the owner of the car, and 10 other Baha'i families in the town had received threatening letters from a group calling itself the Anti-Baha'ism Movement of the Youth of Rafsanjan that, among other things, threatened jihad (holy war) against the Baha'is.-
- On 10 June, an outbuilding on the property of the Mr. and Mrs. Mousavi, elderly Baha'is living in the village of Tangriz in Fars province, was destroyed by fire when it was doused with gasoline. The Mousavis, along with their two sons who were sleeping close to the building, narrowly escaped injury when the gasoline tank used to start the fire exploded. The Mousavis believe that the perpetrator thought they were all sleeping in the hut when he set the fire. Mr. Mousavi issued a formal complaint against the person they suspected, but the legal office has declined to pursue the case because the suspect swore on the Qur'an that he was not guilty. Out of respect for the Qur'an, the Mousavis have dropped the charges.-
- On 4 April, the home of a Baha'i was set on fire in Babolsar, in the north of Iran. -
- In February in Shiraz, a 53-year-old businessman was attacked on the street, chained to a tree, doused with gasoline, and assaulted by unknown persons who then attempted to throw lighted matches at him. -
- Also in Shiraz in February, several arson attempts were made against vehicles and a home belonging to Baha'is.-
- On 1 May 2007, arson destroyed the home of 'Abdu'l-Baqi Rouhani in the village of Ivil, in Mazandaran.-
- In Karaj, the burial section of a Baha'i cemetery was set on fire."These latest attacks follow the authorities' attempts to deprive the Iranian Baha'i community of its leadership," Ms. Dugal said, referring to the arrests in March and May this year of the seven members of Iran's national Baha'i coordinating group, all of whom are still locked up in Evin Prison in Tehran without any charges and without access to an attorney or to their families."

As Baha'is worldwide watch with alarm this escalation in violence," she added, "their fears that a sinister plan of persecution is unfolding become increasingly confirmed. Their only hope is that enough voices of protests are raised around the world to compel the government in Iran to put an end to this violence."

life under Union Jack

When do you realize a great change, like moving to another country, eg UK, is occurring in your life?? How do you get the implications of such a choice??

There are events in our life that take place suddenly and don’t give us the chance to realize what’s their meaning and how they will influence the course of the rest of it! They could happened while we are all taken by living other experiences and worried about daily routeen, those events totally unexpected blow up and brush off all else!

So it happened to me!! I wish I could convey easily the feelings and moods, the thoughts and ideas such events steam in, bringing to discover myself better!

But here just some funny reflections on:

You feel like you are in UK if...
- you arrive on the Island by plane or driving under a dark airless tunnel for about 2 hours.

- your first contact with a local inhabitant isn't very friendly (but that's because you arrive in London).

- the first thing you buy is an adaptor...

- you are surrounded by italians most of the time in the City and you still feel home somehow...

- you feel awkward in one's car and would prefer to sit back or close your eyes, rather than jerk everytime a car comes from the opposite direction or you are at a turn or at a round-about!

- you change your clothes 2 to 5 times in the same day, since you got wet because of the rain, then sweaty because of the hot sun, then freezing because of the wind and then wet and hot again.... and after few days you give up wearing a t-shirt and flip-flops no matter how's the weather!!

- the small change in your pocket weigh more than their value all together.

- a book costs as much (or even less) than bread, tomato, chicken meat and cheese!!

- you attend a Cream Tea Party and eat 6 scones with clotted cream and raspberry jam... You don't eat anything else for the rest of the day!

....and the list would go on....

Go fly your kite!!

Today was really a fine day.. one of those in which the sun is shining and everything looks good... nothing could perturbate your smile and difficulties find their way out smoothly, surprises pop up into your life and you feel like a child going out to fly his kite...

something I did indeed!!! Inaki & me organized a workshop on how to build a kite of your own... quite a feat, if you think that none of us had ever done it... we got infos on internet and went yesterday buying the material... we were sooooo lucky to meet a fine gentelman who spent his time giving us advices and teaching us the basis... it was really fun and the man was really sweet with us!! So today we encouraged some reluctant kids to join us in this crazy idea... our first attempt (made of wooden sticks of bamboo, a lot of glue, cord and blue fabric) was miserable, but we got an angel telling us what was missing (a tail with ribbons to keep the balance).. with some wind and luck we finally had our first home made kite flying.... an emotion deep satisfactory and pure happyness... I'll never forget this day!

Thank you Inaki for not giving up and keeping trying!!!

For the instructions about how to build a kite go on: http://www.skratch-pad.com/kites/make.html

For some advice or if you are going to fly your kite... call me!!

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)

sooooo Glorious!!

Are we aware of the greatness of the Day in which we are living??
And this time I wont talk about what God has done to make it so special....
rather about where we are and what awaits us!

I love docus and my favourite tv programs, since I was a child, are: QUARK, GEO&GEO, ULISSE, etc (Italian programs on history, science, geography etc)... well, watching Ulisse's emission I realized that, though the future will be bright, amazing and unimaginable:
with opportunities to be in touch with form of lifes from other planet and even galaxies;
with the capacity to know and travel under the deepest ocean as if it were the ground we walk on every day;
with the chance to live healthy-long-happy lifes, in peace with every single man & woman and every form of life on this planet, being able to communicate with an auxiliary language common to all, a free economy, a fair trade... all because laws will be set and people will respect them, a world were JUSTICE is real;
with extraordinary technologies and ever-advancing fields to be discover...
THIS epoch, THIS era is the best moment to live in.... asking why?!
Hey... WE, US, are at the turning point to make ALL THIS happen!!
The bright future we will render our great-grand-grandchildren is up to us....

I'm not just positive saying it will be bright... history teaches us... we suffer and go through huge crises, undergo trhough periods of violence and almost reach the point to destroy everything... well we could even disappear... and at that point nothing else would matter... still I have HOPE and DESIRE and WISH that our generation will bring forward a better generation and that among the children we will educate will be those discoverers, scientists, great mind and souls that for the good of all will produce a golden civilization! Actually among us there are already people working in this sense with pure motives and purposes!! In the future we could be remembered as the fathjers and mothers that gave society a new shape, a new home striving to achieve high standards of morality and envisaging the world we are all called to build!

So the best moment to live in is NOW... as we can make the change, we can plant the seeds for such glorious times and fruits to be bear!!
EXCITING, UH?!

And it's all up to us........

I'd like to learn it from the wind...

I am well aware, O my Lord, that I have been so carried
away by the clear tokens of Thy loving-kindness, and so completely inebriated with the wine of Thine utterance, that whatever I behold I readily discover that it maketh Thee known unto me, and it remindeth me of Thy signs, and of Thy tokens, and of Thy testimonies. By Thy glory! Every time I lift up mine eyes unto Thy heaven, I call to mind Thy highness and Thy loftiness, and Thine incomparable glory and greatness; and every time I turn my gaze to Thine earth, I am made to recognize the evidences of Thy power and the tokens of Thy bounty. And when I behold the sea, I find that it speaketh to me of Thy majesty, and of the potency of Thy might, and of Thy sovereignty and Thy grandeur. And at whatever time I contemplate the mountains, I am led to discover the ensigns of Thy victory and the standards of Thine omnipotence.
(Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 271)

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!

All my life's meaning is in Baha'u'llah

HOLY DAY MARKS 116TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PASSING OF BAHA'U'LLAH ACRE,

Israel, 28 May 2008 (BWNS) -- Four hundred Baha'i pilgrims will be among the thousand followers of Baha'u'llah from around the world who gather at His burial site on 29 May at 3 a.m. to commemorate the 116th anniversary of His passing. Around the globe, tens of thousands more will turn their faces in the direction of the same shrine - for Baha'is, the holiest spot on earth - in remembrance of the night in 1892 that Baha'u'llah passed away at His home near Acre in the Holy Land.His remains were entombed on the same property, now a site of pilgrimage for members of the Baha'i Faith the world over.Many of those who attend the program at the Shrine of Baha'u'llah will also be able to visit His home, the Mansion of Bahji, for a few minutes of private prayer in the very room where He spent His final hours.The room is maintained exactly as it was during the time of Baha'u'llah - even a pair of His shoes is there for the pilgrims to see.Baha'u'llah was born in Tehran, Iran, but He and a large group of His followers were banished from their native land in 1853 and forced to go first to Baghdad, then on to what was the Ottoman Empire and the remote prison city of Acre.Pilgrims also are able to visit His prison cell in the old walled city and three houses, including the one at Bahji, where He eventually was able to stay when authorities eased the stricter confinement of the prison barracks.Baha'is believe that Baha'u'llah is the Messenger of God for this age, the most recent in a line of divine educators that includes Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, Mohammed, Moses, and Zoroaster, among others.The anniversary of the Ascension of Baha'u'llah is one of nine holy days on which Baha'is suspend work.

To view the photos and additional features click here: http://news.bahai.org

I love my NSA.... it rocks!!

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahai's of Italy has been elected this week-end.

I am grateful and happy for this news!! Knowing the meaning of this event everyone would be!

Baha'is delegates from every corner of the nation (except Sicily, where few days before was elected the National Spiritual Assembly of Sicily) met and in depeening sessions, meditation on the characteristics that the memebers serving in this istitution must own, in a spiritual and prayerful attitude they choose nine members among the members of the community to serve in this field.
Both women and men, age 21 and over are eligible for election to the Baha'i national institution. They are elected for their qualities and capacities to serve the community, for their being involved and active in the growth of the community.... there is no political campaign for being elected, no blood bonds that matters!!
What's amazing in this process is the fact that during this week-end the delegates brought with them the ideas, requests, needs and love of the baha'is of their local communities and consulted, answer and share about during the week-end!

This process of having someone that works for the well-fare of all, someone that is there not for his/her own good, but to serve all... from children to old, men and women, not just bahai's but every single individual living on this planet, is not mere idealism or society's need, is a gift to humanity, is a Divine Plan!! A New World Order brought from Baha'u'llah!
From the local to the national and international level this administration of the baha'i community is an example for the whole world on how in a totally respectful, spiritual and harmonic way the voice of every single individual could be, not just heard, but actually taken in consideration and consult about for the improvement of the society!
So whenever I attend to the 19th Day Feast in my community and wish to propose something during the administration part of the Feast, I CAN!! And this becomes part of the consultation, which is the extraordinary tool we can use for every single thing, in our family, with friends at school, colleagues at work, etc... Amazing uh??

Ok, I didn't want to go in details... but my head just follows the implication that this event brings with it... a National Spiritual Assembly is like a mama: takes care, guides, encourages and love the community-child... moreover, its an example and joy for its community.
This 9 memebrs will work all through the year, sacrificing themeself with happiness.... attending at the directives that comes from the Baha'i World Center will humbly work for the betterment of our society... seems a parallel world.... indeed, is ours!

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??

community life

There must be a balance between sense and sensibility! What is a matter of concern to me to-day is that we all have a different pivot of measure for holding a balance between the two... this doesn't help much in certain cases in which you have to deal with people whose measure it's all on one or the other side!

sense ---O-- sensibility

So I faced something like this the other day and was reflecting on how this two qualities actually influence our daily life, in such a way that we do react... in a good / bad or even worse way....

"God hath never burdened any soul beyond its power"

(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 106)

So how do WE dare??? How could we measure others with our own scales and give a judgment?? Still,this is what we normally do.... what's worse we don't just judge, we keep the idea we have in our mind and freeze it... for as much as possible.... unless we train ourself in FLEXIBILITY GYM... (I would reccomend the humily tool)

"Beware that ye swell not with pride before God, and disdainfully reject His loved ones. Defer ye humbly to the faithful, they that have believed in God and in His signs, whose hearts witness to His unity, whose tongues proclaim His oneness, and who speak not except by His leave. Thus do We exhort you with justice, and warn you with truth, that perchance ye may be awakened. Lay not on any soul a load which ye would not wish to be laid upon you, and desire not for any one the things ye would not desire for yourselves. This is My best counsel unto you, did ye but observe it."
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 126 LXVI)

Well, as I was hurt on my sensibility as my sense tells me that things should be going in a different way, I will not take the burden it was laid upon me... I can free my self... it's in my powers.... as among my powers is the capacity to put myself into someone else's shoes... and also the one to be able to recognize that I'm not exempt from making such mistakes too!!

Seems at the end there's some kind of balance.... or not??

THE WORLD IS BUT ONE COUNTRY AND MANKIND ITS CITIZENS

What is happening in the world is saddening everyone... for what we hear and see is a world crumbling away, the ground beneth us with the skies above us....

People become each hour more afraid of their neighbours, of their future and of life in general...

violence, famine, extreem poverty, economic and ecological disasters.... society is afflicted by a disease we don't want to recognize!

'Abdu'l-Bahá stresses that the development of the physical world and the happiness of mankind are dependent on both the "call of civilization, of the progress of the material world" and the "soul-stirring call of God, Whose spiritual teachings are safeguards of the everlasting glory, the eternal happiness and illumination of the world of humanity".

What is happening us is clearly described in those words:

"The violent derangement of the world's equilibrium; thetrembling that will seize the limbs of mankind; the radical transformation of human society; the rolling up of the present-day Order; the fundamental changes affecting the structure of government; ... the development of infernal engines of war; the burning of cities; the contamination of the atmosphere of the earth -- these stand out as the signs and portents that must either herald or accompany the retributive calamity which, as decreed by Him Who is the Judge and Redeemer of mankind, must, sooner or later, afflict a society which, for the most part, and for over a century, has turned a deaf ear to the Voice of God's Messenger in this day -- a calamity which must purge the human race of the dross of its age-long corruptions, and weld its component parts into a firmly knit world-embracing Fellowship -- a Fellowship destined, in the fullness of time, to be incorporated in the framework, and to be galvanized by the spiritualizing influences, of a mysteriously expanding, divinely appointed Order, and to flower, in the course of future Dispensations, into a Civilization, the like of which mankind has, at no stage in its evolution, witnessed." Shoghi Effendi
(Compilations, The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, p. 70)

"A tempest, unprecedented in its violence, unpredictable in its course, catastrophic in its immediate effects, unimaginably glorious in its ultimate consequences, is at present sweeping the face of the earth. Its driving power is remorselessly gaining in range and momentum. Its cleansing force, however much undetected, is increasing with every passing day. Humanity, gripped in the clutches of its devastating power, is smitten by the evidences of its resistless fury. It can neither perceive its origin, nor probe its significance, nor discern its outcome. Bewildered, agonized and helpless, it watches this great and mighty wind of God invading the remotest and fairest regions of the earth, rocking its foundations, deranging its equilibrium, sundering its nations, disrupting the homes of its peoples, wasting its cities, driving into exile its kings, pulling down its bulwarks, uprooting its institutions, dimming its light, and harrowing up the souls of its inhabitants." (Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day is Come, p. 3)

If we think that natural disasters are the worst thing that could ever happen, we are wrong...

people dies, and as brutal as this sounds this is in human nature, we die to this human world, but our souls live for eternity, developing in every world of God and we know God is the All Mercifull, the Bestower of Gifts, the Most Loving... we will never perish in His Hands.

What IS worst is the way we keep leading society... looking for our own good, fearing the people living on this small planet just because they are not us... as if it doesn't touch me, then it's not worth the trouble to find a solution for the pain.... how childish we are, not seeing that every single human being is a member of the human family we all are part of!!

We have entered the state of human maturity and should now take on our shoulders the responsabilities of our living! We can make it... we can achieve solutions for the wellfare of all in a peacefull, reasonably, determined way...

starting from a single step: recognize the onennes of mankind!!

"So powerful is the light of UNITY that it can illuminate the whole earth."
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 14)

"Not until humanity has accepted its organic oneness can it meet even its
immediate challenges, let alone those that lie ahead: "The
well-being of mankind," Bahá'u'lláh insists, "its peace and security, are
unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established."
(Baha'i International Community, 1992 May 29, Statement on Baha'u'llah, p. 15)

"The spiritual transformation of humanity, the relief of the diverse peoples of
the earth from rampant suffering, the attainment and preservation of true
peace in the world, the birth of a world civilization -- all such noble
objectives of the Cause of God will remain unrealized unless they are
associated with that radical change in the structure and functioning of
human society inherent in the growth and fruition of His divinely ordained
Order. " (Compilations, NSA USA - Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities)

"Therefore, no matter how far the world of humanity advances, it fails to attain
the highest degree unless quickened by the education and divine bestowals of
the Holy Spirit." (Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 205)

Baha'is belive this is not just possible, but inevitable! All over the world they are already working unfailingly... and what happens to them?? ---->

http://wendimomen.com/2008/05/16/earth-wind-and-fire-the-road-to-hell/

http://www.state.gov/p/nea/ci/c2404.htm

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/05/16/iran.bahais/index.html

http://news.bahai.org/story/632

I leave conclusions to you....

Viva La Mamma

231. O Son of Generosity! Thou wert in the deserts of nonbeing and, by means of the earth of command, I made thee to appear in the world of possession. I charged all the atoms of dependence and the realities of creation with thy training, so that, before thou didst issue from the womb of thy mother, I ordained for thee two fountains of bright milk. I appointed eyes to guard thee, set thy love in all hearts, and with pure generosity I reared thee under the shadow of My Mercy, and protected thee with the essence of My Grace. The purpose of all this was to enable thee to arrive at Our Eternal Might and to deserve Our Invisible Favors.
(Compilations, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 178)

Maternity .....

Grandma at my age...

<--------------find differences-------------->

"Pecche' la candela teema? Ha paula che io la foffi?"

To celebrate Mother's Day I've chosen few pictures I love and remind me what this word means to me: Mamma!

a waste.... II part

"The present condition of the world -- its economic instability, social dissensions, political dissatisfaction and international distrust -- should awaken the youth from their slumber and make them enquire what the future is going to bring. It is surely they who will suffer most if some calamity sweep over the world. They should therefore open their eyes to the existing conditions, study the evil forces that are at play and then with a concerted effort arise and bring about the necessary reforms -- reforms that shall contain within their scope the spiritual as well as social and political phases of human life." (Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 628)

Youth are the precious future and should therefore be educated, protect and guided to perform their qualities and serve mankind as this is the fullest of their potentiality!

"Blessed is he who in the prime of his youth and the heyday of his life will
arise to serve the Cause of the Lord of the beginning and of the end, and adorn
his heart with His love. The manifestation of such a grace is greater than the creation of the heavens and of the earth. Blessed are the steadfast and well is it with those who are firm'." (Bahá'u'lláh, Lights of Guidance, p. 632)

a waste....

Monday evening is usually my study-circle time.. this monday, we couldn't meet, so I decided to accept Alice's invitation to see a movie at her student's house... invited Katy & Irina to join us!

We had no idea what kind of movie was in program, but were open to everything... or thought we were!!

Pretty soon we found out that to be screening was a movie defined as violent and for adults only... It was Gus Van Sant "Elephant" we watched and as I'm keen on movies in general, I appreciated this one on the same theme of "Bowling for Columbine"... though really specific on the situation...

It made me reflect on youth, how they WASTE their potentials, their diamond's talents...
We talked after the movie about models society pushes them to follow (society = each one of us), on wrong attitudes (I suffered therefore you have to suffer too), on wrong values (be rich-be beauty- be cool), on being lonely = thinking with your own head, on feeling alienation because "different" (we all are!!) or shy or else!

ALIENATION is the individual subject's estrangement from its community, society, or world (as in wikipedia)

But what could possibly push a youth (that same very youth so eager to be part of the world, to be accepted by, to be usefull to, to be so special for the others) to hate the rest of the world??

We all have sense alienation once in our life... but this alone didn't bring us to react irreversible!

There is a MGMT's song which explains perfectly that what we are looking for is NOT what is good for us...

How do we know what is good for us? Is this really possible?

"Ordain Thou for me, O my God, the good of this world and the world to come, and
grant me what will profit me in every world of Thy worlds, for I know not what
will help or harm me. Thou, in truth, art the All-Knowing, the
All-Wise." (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 256)

Are there hints we should look for? Shouldn't we try to get to know ourself better in order to take decisions?

"Regarding the questions you asked: Self has really two meanings, or is used in two senses, in the Bahá'í writings; one is self, the identity of the individual created by God. This is the self mentioned in such passages as 'he hath known God who hath known himself etc.'. The other self is the ego, the dark, animalistic heritage each one of us has, the lower nature that can develop into a monster of selfishness, brutality, lust and so on. It is this self we must struggle against, or this side of our natures, in order to strengthen and free the spirit within us and help it to attain perfection."
"Self-sacrifice means to subordinate this lower nature and its desires to the more godly and noble side of ourselves. Ultimately, in its highest sense, self-sacrifice means to give our will and our all to God to do with as He pleases. Then He purifies and glorifies our true self until it becomes a shining and wonderful reality." (Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 113)

Which Self is really influencing our ability to decide then?

There is no waste, if youth are guided to right values and models and is given them the opportunity to use their abilities for the common good... in little, practical action of SERVICE!!For Service is a powerful instrument to bring forth our talents and spend them on others...

"The time has come for the friends...to think not how they should serve the Cause, but how the Cause should be served." (Compilations, Quickeners of Mankind, p. 19)

"O Lord!

Make this youth radiant, and confer Thy bounty upon this poor creature. Bestow upon him knowledge, grant him added strength at the break of every morn and guard him within the shelter of Thy protection so that he may be freed from error, may devote himself to the service of Thy Cause, may guide the wayward, lead the hapless, free the captives and awaken the heedless, that all may be blessed with Thy remembrance and praise. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful."

'Abdu'l-Bahá

<------- 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

One Art

One Art

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster.

Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was
you meant to travel. None of these will bring disaster.

I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or
next-to-last, of three loved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

---Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident
the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.

Elizabeth Bishop

I discovered this poem through a movie... it was so touching that I went searching for it in the web. To me it express the action of detachment... from things, situations, people. Detachment is a virtue to be practice as much as patience...

Becoming detached from the things of this world is often a painful process and involves sacrifice. But when the believer gives up something dear to him for the sake of the Cause of God, mysterious forces will be released which will cause the Faith to grow.
(Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, p. 23)

just to be clear, it doesn't mean one has NOT to care... on the contrary, detachment has the power to tail off 3 barriers that prevents us from draw nearer to God and humanity.

Such barriers are:

- our own ego

"...genuine detachment from earthly things is achieved when the individual makes the Cause of God the pivot of his life, so that all his personal and material interests may revolve around his Faith. In this case, he can benefit from his material possessions without being attached to them. And since the Cause of God is the prime motivating influence in his life, he will never act against the teachings of his Faith. Every step he takes in his daily activities will be in harmony with the commandments of God. When a person reaches this exalted position, the interests of the Faith take precedence over his personal interests. And when he arises to serve the Cause of God, he will be ready to meet the challenge whatever the cost. Such a person has reached the summit of detachment."
(Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, p. 23)

- names (this is interesting as we believe that having A NAME, makes us automatically better... untrue.. as Juliet says: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." ---> what matters is the fragrance, the quality!)

"The soul of man needs to be adorned with the virtues of humility and self-effacement so that it may become detached from the Kingdom of Names."
(Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, p. 24)

- reward

"If a man's actions are motivated by the thought that he may reap a reward for himself in the next world, then this is attachment, and a barrier between himself and God. To be detached means to do everything for the sake of God and to seek no recompense."
(Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, p. 24)

Trying to develop detachment would offer this prayer:

"Suffer me, O my God, to draw nigh unto Thee, and to abide within the precincts of Thy court, for remoteness from Thee hath well-nigh consumed me. Cause me to rest under the shadow of the wings of Thy grace, for the flame of my separation from Thee hath melted my heart within me. Draw me nearer unto the river that is life indeed, for my soul burneth with thirst in its ceaseless search after Thee. My sighs, O my God, proclaim the bitterness of mine anguish, and the tears I shed attest my love for Thee.
I beseech Thee, by the praise wherewith Thou praisest Thyself and the glory wherewith Thou glorifiest Thine own Essence, to grant that we may be numbered among them that have recognized Thee and acknowledged Thy sovereignty in Thy days. Help us then to quaff, O my God, from the fingers of mercy the living waters of Thy loving-kindness, that we may utterly forget all else except Thee, and be occupied only with Thy Self. Powerful art Thou to do what Thou willest. No God is there beside Thee, the Mighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Glorified be Thy name, O Thou Who art the King of all Kings!
- Bahá'u'lláh