Sunday, December 26

Again --- Well... it will have to be another series of events, until the flowing of sweeter words once again will course through my fingers: left Thu for Baltimore, where I joined Omid to surprise Sarah and to meet her three amazing friends. We had a spledid, almost gaudy dinner and discussed various fun and meaningful topics, such as the meaning of life and the direction in which humanity is heading.


Then Omid and I went to visit Ganeh, a most spirited, deepened and experienced Baha'i scholar, with whom we studied the opening paragraphs of "The Golden Age of the Cause of Baha'u'llah", a letter from the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith to the believers in the US and Canadia. We also shared other precious moments, beyond telling!


Omid and I spent the day together on Fri, doing all kinds of cool stuff two friends might do together at such a fun time of the year. Then I left on Sat morning to meet up with Jason, Rebecca and his family in Freehold, NJ. We had a big lunch together, and most of the rest of the time was with Jason and I catching up with each other from having not seen each other in person for over two and a half years! It was a most glorious, joyous and magical reunion.


I'm back in Richmond now. Having put some 3,000 miles on my car in the last 4 weeks, between conferences, visiting friends, sharing the Baha'i Faith, etc., and the exciting prospect of tutoring Ruhi Book 6 this coming weekend, along with working full time, I think to myself, maybe this is the kind of schedule an Auxiliary Board Member of the Faith has year-round... and then some...


What a life! What a world!

Monday, December 20

Happy --- Well, I just got off work, and I went to work straight from driving back from South Carolina, and Florida the previous day. I spent a few days in Orlando at the amazing yearly Baha'i conference on Social and Economic Development. I feel happy, grateful and inspired beyond measure. More on this later. Now sleep!! Sleep is AWESOME too!

Sunday, December 12

Martin --- I have a rather new brother: Martin. I went to visit Martin over the weekend. Martin showed great love and hospitality. Martin has friends in the theatre department at ODU (Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA), and he took danio to watched a short film they had made, to eat their food at a party, and socialize with wonderful theatre folk. Martin invited danio to prepare a devotional program as part of a community feast - to which Martin also invited danio. Martin introduced danio to members of his Baha'i community at this feast. Martin played the guitar and sang beautifully - as Martin is much much wont to do. Martin drove danio around town. Martin brought danio to a fun-filled party with some of his friends from the music department(s) at ODU. At the party, they played board games ("Wise or Otherwise", "Taboo", and "Charades"). At the party, they also socialized and had snacks. Late that night, Martin provided a resting place for both danio and another friend, Tom. Martin prayed with danio and Tom before retiring. Martin woke danio and Tom in the morning. Martin even prepared some breakfast for them - and some tea too, did Martin make! Martin took danio to "Rise and Shine" Baha'i school, where danio met many Baha'is from the area. They were all very nice. Martin served as a tutor for a study book. Martin and danio had lunch together and talked for a very long time, just as if they were brothers. Martin is a wonderful friend. Martin.

Sunday, December 5

Canvas --- I feel like I say things like this a lot, but I really feel like this last week has been just about the most amazing of the year. It's been a very very hard week, but for every trial, every difficulty, I have tried to, and in most cases succeeding in praising and thanking God, furthermore, I have received numerous confirmations that my efforts and challenges are meaningful. All praise be to God! for in addition to bestowing upon me these amazing experiences, he has even given me souls with whom I can share them - people with whom I can "build a skeleton of trust, bone by bone, stone by stone", people whose very being allows me to answer the question "Who is it that never let you down? Who is it that gave you back your crown?" people who can "Carry my joy and on the left; carry my pain on the right." And if I think of the spiritual energy in the universe, then the rest of Bjork's song that I've been quoting comes to fulfilment: "and the ornaments are going around; now they're handing them over... handing them over."



This blog is my best reminder that most of my experiences can never truly be related, and even more of them will never fit on words. Therefore, you, reader, will not have the bounty/challenge of bearing these experiences of which I am speaking. Some things can only be share heart to heart... (not that these are necessarily in the category... but I'm just saying...)