I'm a Wolves...

‘When you turn yourself into what you
want to be, you can call yourself a hero’

... that's pretty much what my univeristy awaits from students in here... sounds grand, doesn't it?

It's a real challange... the one-life-time kind! It's a challange I'm willing to face and am actually facing! I'll let you know how it goes... though, you'll might need to stick on me for ages...

:-P

Leave you with some of the pics I've taken with my flatmate's camera *(thanks Cormac!!) around my brand new hometown!

-----------------------------WOLVERHAMPTON----------------------------------------

My university!!

One of the 10 Churches that there are in the city (not counting the 4 Mosques)

The Art Gallery...

ASDA... the saviour of all students living around it...

it's open 24 hours a day!

this is one of the 2 pubs on my way to uni... i just like building... looks like a witch house!

One of the Stadium's entrances!

The Varsity & Royal London
<----pubs---->

this is how it works...

In other words---> "To achieve something you never achieved before you have to do what you have never done yet!"


how do you find this??

philosophical

Sharing thoughts with a friend we were talking about the fact that in this material world we are unable of sensing what is unsensible... like eternity... and a question struck us...if everything in this world is about changes (determined mostly by time and space), what/how do we experience change in eternity?? Eternity sounds like something deprived of change... like immutable... isn't it? Just philosophical today...

Think we will find it out once in the next world...

The (V)IP F&F 6 ----> the very IP Famous & Fabulous Six...

Aka: Angelika, Diana, Guillaume, Inaki, Ricarda & me...

Out of the wondrous bunch of people I've met this summer, I would like to talk about some very dear and special five guys.... my mates, my supporters, my closest team members (I love all the team members to be sincere, still they have gained a very special place in my heart!!)
I'll introduce them in alfabetical order as have won all together the first place!!

I'll start from The CM---> center manager for IP company, but known to all of us as Center Mafia... as the mafia-card seems to finish always in her hands!!
She's absolutely great! During those months she has been a motivator and example to me... always stainless, perfectly organized and smiling (NO NAVIGANDO-SMILE, please!!)
I felt I would be able to do anything when around her. A real Angel as her name says, taking care of me as an older sister (though she is younger) teaching me the way of the superwoman!!

Diana my sweetheart, my confident, my consellour, my hug-dispenser, the one with whom I shared naps, mid-night prayers under the tree and deep moments talking about religion while sipping tea... my ice-cream/chocholate girl or to be full-bore: my yammy-ampiky-ampky my sweety pie the apple of my eyes! My gorgeous girl!!! My happy maker!
My hand-in-hand walker, shopping mate and personal-strange picture taker.
Her smile brights me up and I know that she’ll be there for me always, a true precious friend and spiritual sister... she taught me what a listener is and to be patient with myself.

Prince William... ehm Guillaume... our WISH-IS-TO-FLY-OVER-THE-RAINBOW-SO-HIGH... he is my frenchy room-neighbour, a great cooker, my laundry mate in the middle of the night, the greatest singer ever (not only for karaoke nights, but the whole day long!!), my computer-helper, the trustworthy friend who made me laugh for consecutevely hours just with a look of his own, the kiss on your nape boy, the movie-night in his room, the one that introduced me to the world of Ted, Barney and Lily and has made many moments of this summer LEGEN... WAIT FOR IT... DARY!!
By the way.... Have you met Ted???

Inaki... there are no words to describe Inaki, he is my creative-crazy-eccentric mate, he is: “MAAAN!”, the one with whom I’ve spent the craziest moments.... walking & singing to Sainsbury while in Chichester, making a houmus pic-nic in front of Salsbury’s Cathedral, relaxing in our secret chapel, where he would play piano and I would feel regenerated.... my serenade-boy, coming to me with his guitar to make me listen to his creations, the one fulfilling my whish to watch shooting stars, bringing me to a construction site because it suits as an astronomical observatory. He is my dancing and artistic workshops partner, my kite’s builder... the soul who reads me as an open book (and my book dispenser indeed!) and that with no words explains my moods and thoughts... even those floating in the air! The sharing deep thoughts with no-words, my best "freez" actor player! My child-boy with gorgeous-beautiful-unforgettable eyes!

Ricky, the tea&banana party-girl in my room, my adventurous-discover-of-the-world on her own... she got to know all the city with her walks... she’s the ready for having fun mate... the dispenser of good advice at the right time, the example of not giving up untill you've overcome your shortcomings! The good friend for a giggle & a dance! The very colorful soul girl!

I recieved from them more than what I shared with them... they have been my supporters, have strenghten me and made me better....I wouldn’t have made it without them!! They have been my summer joy and I shall bring them with me for eternity... for they have touched my soul!!
Have just 2 words for them: THANK YOU!

Shooting stars...

"Shooting stars" and "falling stars" are both names that people have used for many hundreds of years to describe meteors -- intense streaks of light across the night sky caused by small bits of interplanetary rock and debris called meteoroids crashing and burning high in Earth's upper atmosphere. Traveling at thousands of miles an hour, meteoroids quickly ignite in searing friction of the atmosphere, 30 to 80 miles above the ground. Almost all are destroyed in this process; the rare few that survive and hit the ground are known as meteorites.

The dust and rocks that cause meteor showers come primarily from the Earth passing through the debris stream left behind by a comet as it orbits the Sun. Usually, the Earth's orbit and the comet's orbit are slightly tilted relative to one another. So the paths only intersect on one side!

Note that one of the best meteor showers, the Perseids, happens in August. "Peak time" is when you are likely to see the largest number of meteors per hour usually around 3-5 am. It occurs in the middle of August can be quite spectacular to see!

Inaki & I went away from city light yesterday night to admire the full bright sky pouring shooting stars all around us... we were out for about half an hour (it was too cold on the muddy ground) and were quite lucky to see 3... it was a great deal cause every summer by the 10th of August I gather with friends or relatives to watch at the effect of the Earth entering the Perseids orbit...

Tonight with Angelika, Diana and Guillaume we were extra-ordinary lucky as we saw together 9 falling stars... CM beat all her records reaching to the number of 13 while I saw only 11... it was incredible to stare at the same event contemporarily as it was happening faster than the blink of an eye! AMAZING!

I made a wish on the last I saw... and no... I'm not going to tell you what was it... otherwise it wont fulfill!!

The magic of tonight has been one shot... when will the 4 of us be all together again for such a free show Mother Nature offers us?? All I know, is that I'll preserve this magic in my heart!!

When You Wish Upon A Star

Louis Armstrong

When you wish upon a star

Makes no difference who you are

Anything your heart desires

Will come to you

If your heart is in your dreams

No request is to extreme

When you wish upon a star

As dreamers do

Fate is kind

She brings to those who love

As sweet fullfillment of their secret drowns

Like a boat out of the blue

Fate steps in and see's you through

Moma when you wished upon a star

Your dreams come true

Fate is kind

She brings to those who love

As sweet fullfillment of their secret drowns

Like a boat out of the blue

Fate steps in and see's you through

Baby when you wish upon a star

Your dreams come true

When you wished upon a star

Makes no difference who you are

Your dreams come true

T&J

Tahereh Elena Jalal (-->Gloria)

That's my full name... at least on my birth certificate, though everyone knows me (and I wish to be called) as Tahereh. I really like the other 2 names, as I was named Elena after both my Grandmothers (Elena the greek and Elena Carmen the italian). Both very strong and sweet womens, which I love and adore. I was named Jalal/Gloria as I was born on the last day of the month Jalal, in the Baha'ì calendar...

My name is very special for me as it has a special meaning, an overshadowing one. For those not acquainted with the story of Tahirih, I'll try to give a simple and straight portrait of Her.

She was a beautiful young woman, and so far you would say nothing special, but she was indeed, as among her virtues and qualities she was widely known and respected for her deep knowledge of the Quran and Holy Scriptures and admired for her wisdom, moreover she was very eloquent and an appreciated poet, which in the time and place she was living (Persian empire, mid-ninetheenth century...) was oustanding!

I must say her all life was outstanding... her father, a Mullah, introduced her to the studying of the Holy Writings and was soon astonished by her deep understanding. Many learned came to question her and be adviced on different matters. She would sit behind a curtain (for it was prohibited for men to see women in face) as men would come to meet and discuss theological issues with her father, they would always refer to Her.

She was a searcher of the Truth. Studying the books of that time She came across a master of a divinity (theology) school, who was inviting his students to search for the Qaim (or Promised One) foretold in the Holy Writings, throughout the country, as it was The Time for His coming. Many of those students were sent across the country to search for their Beloved, the longing of their hearts... wouldn't you do the same if someone told you that God has sent another Messanger and He was living among you?? So Tahirih wrote to the master eager to know more, but her letters arrived too late, when the old learned has already passed the way. But a true heart in search for God is always guided and eventually Her uncle brought her some Tablets (Holy Writings) of a young man from Shiraz, Who was proclaming to be the Messanger of God, sent to prepare humanity for the coming of Him Whom God Would Manifest, a far Greater One, awaited and foretold in the Writings of all the previous Revelations. His title was Bab (meaning The Door) through whom all would knew the Glad Tidings. Tahirih felt immediately that what She was reading, those news, weren't the ravings of an insane, but the powerful Words of the Voice of God for this Era. Has happened to many in those days and lately on, She recognized the station of the Bab as a Manifestation of God in a dream, and started immediately to spread the Glad Tidings - inviting her relatives, her fellows, countrymen and women to find out about the Message of the Bab and the coming soon of a new Manifestation. For her love and desire to share the News She was persecuted, banished, taken away from her children and beaten by her own husband and uncle, for her teaching other women to read/writing and think with their own head (She opened a school) was confined in the house of the Kalantar and prohibited to meet anyone, for her being the first woman believing and recognizing the Truth of equality of men and women, not only in front of God's sight, but also in front of society She was put to death...

Since I learned the story of the Heroine of the Baha'i Faith I was named after, I felt unworthy of bearing it, but it also made me stronger and helped me facing many difficulties in my life, as I tried to behave in such a way to be worthy of such a Name... I'm not Tahirih, I'm just me, with all my imperfections and my mistakes, but I feel a profound love for Her as is my inspiration in many moments of my life.

*I beg your pardon if in my recallings of the story of Tahirih I've made any inaccuracy or mistake, and invite you to read one of those books:

- The Dawn-Breakers: Nabíl’s Narrative of the Early Days of the Bahá’í Revelation

- Tahirih, by Clara A. Edge

- Tahirih The Pure, by Martha L. Rooth

- The woman who read too much, by Bahiyyih Nakhjavani

Why on earth did I change the name of the blog???

Well, I changed it as people kept asking if it was really me writing....

But let's go back and explain why I chose "The Bee Charmer" at first as name for the blog.... is the name given to me from a dear friend of mine... he is the only one calling me this way after the character in the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes (at the whistle stop cafe)", Idgie Threadgoode, played by M.S. Masterson, with Kathy Bathes, ML Parker and Jessica Tandy.... I love that movie, we saw it at least 5 times together (and 5 each on our own).... the movie is one of my favourite as it talks about friendship, women gaining their indipendence, abolishing of prejudices and being open minded, discover oneself's talents and potentialities!

I think what I love the most in the movie is Idgie's freedom from societies' bigoted expectations of how a girl should behave and live her life... I'm not feminist, but I truly believe that Men and Women have been created equal in front of God and therefore they have to be considered in their equal rights and recognized in front of society!

That doesn't mean a girl has to become a man and a boy be like a woman.... each one has been granted certain qualities and should strive to attain perfections and other skills and talents they posses as latent.

Just to be clearer, I'd share this quotation of 'Abdu'l-Bahà in "Promulgation of Universal Peace" p.135

"It has been objected by some that woman is not equally capable with man and that she is deficient by creation. THIS IS PURE IMAGINATION. The difference in capability between man and woman is due entirely to opportunity and education."

'Abdu'l-Bahà also states:

"Know thou that women are accounted the same as men, and God hath created all humankind in His own image, and after His own likeness. That is, men and women alike are revealers of His names and attributes, and from the spiritual viewpoint there is no difference between them."

All my life I've tried to gain indipendence and be a strong woman, overcoming fears and fragilities, to show myself I can make it on my own... sometimes I wished I wasen't that strong and that good in hiding my frailty, 'cause at the end you feel very lonely and all we want is to have someone close that shares the difficulties and put an arm on our shoulders making us feeling safe and more confident... though everyone can make it on his/her own... somehow the fun and joy that could come by facing hard times having a friend at hand is lost!

I think I would leave you here... with the taste of sweet thoughts, like those of having your friends around sharing unforgettable moments....

I am changing.... still standing

Feeling blessed is being aware of God's bounties, life's precious gift!

I've seen it in the sunset, in a smile, in the sky.

I've tasted it in the rain, in a gentle touch.

I've heard it in a whisper, in His Words.

I've smelled it in a rose, in the stormy sea.

And grew stronger and become aflame!

T&J

I wished I could have expressed it this way:

Shadowfeet

Walking, stumbling on these shadowfeet

Toward home,

a land that I've never seen

I am changing

Less and less asleep

Made of different stuff than when I began

And I have sensed it all along

Fast approaching is the day

When the world has fallen out from under me

I'll be found in You, still standing

When the sky rolls up and mountains fall on their knees

When time and space are through

I'll be found in You

There's distraction buzzing in my head

Saying in the shadows it's easier to stay

But I've heard rumours of true reality

Whispers of a well-lit way

When the world has fallen out from under me

I'll be found in You, still standing

When the sky rolls up and mountains fall on their knees

When time and space are through

I'll be found in You

You make all things new

When the world has fallen out from under me

I'll be found in You, still standing

When the sky rolls up and mountains fall on their knees

When time and space are through

I'll be found in You

When the world has fallen out from under me

I'll be found in You, still standing

Every fear and accusation under my feet

When time and space are through

I'll be found in You

When time and space are through

I'll be found in You

When time and space are through

I'll be found in You

Brooke Fraser

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!