Looking Back

LOOKING BACK

Sitting by

While work’s to be done

Is an action from me, unbecome

 

Reflect back on times past

At what point do we cry “alas”

What would I do to change that day

To arise and serve in some small way

 

So much to be done

so much in the end left undone

for every person to arise

tenfold  the opportunities

I do surmise

 

Look around and do not rest

For in this day, this is our test

Reaching out for us to do our best

 

Go out and stand a bit

Look left and right

And do not sit

For with open eyes you will see

many a chance, an opportunity

 

surrounding us are those in need

waiting for us to take heed

whether it is food, shelter or hope

they look towards a way to cope

to help is clearly within our scope

 

we can look around for who will arise

or look within and not compromise

stand and watch life go by

or roll up sleeves and do not self deny

 

And in the end when we look back

Do we see how much, we did lack

Or do we say when need did show

we arose and to help did go

-Shiidon, November 2008

In this poem I am trying to explain in some way how I see things.  Daily I reflect on how fleeting this life truly is.  As each year speeds by it is more and more clear to me how little time we truly have in this World.  Our life is like a roller coaster.  We start out slow climbing a hill at a snails pace knowing but not realizing how fast and fleeting the rest of the journey will be.  Well, in some way, I am racing down that roller coasters fast turns and loops.

Reading the Bahá'í Writings tells me that time is a man made construct.  That our souls are eternal and indeed they are in that realm above now, it is our sense of awareness that is "trapped" here in this world.  Dreams are that chance for those lines to be obscured in some small way.  So, in my minds eye, I see myself looking down at my here and now.  I then ask myself, is this how you want to remember this moment?  Do you want to say that while someone was wanting within your reach you did nothing but sit and self  indulge?  It is the essence of what drives me at any and all times.  It is why my first question is always, what can I do to help.  This is my reality.  I do not transpose this onto others.  In fact, when I see people happy doing whatever they are doing it brings peace and joy to my heart.  I do not reflect on what it is they do or do not do.  And except for the explanation in this blog entry, I do talk about this.

There was a time when I was much younger that I did things and enjoyed the praise or kind words of those who noticed.  The flip side of this was when someone would not notice I would be disappointed or let down.  Then one day it came to me, I read a quote from 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the son of Bahá'u'lláh and the perfect exemplar in the Bahá'í Faith.  He said to see His face in others.  To do service for the sake of God Himself.  Afterwards I realized that, say when opening a door for someone, I no longer cared whether or not it was acknowledged.  I then began to realize that it did not matter if anyone knew of any act of service I performed.  In fact, I have reached a point where I would rather not hear those words that I longed for in my youth.  I find it uncomfortable to have my actions commented on.  For I realize that we ALL actually do these things for each other and within the scopes of our abilities.  The fact that some are more visible than others is not a reflection of whether or not anyone is taking steps to arise and serve.  Parents with their children, spouses striving for unity in a disunited world, friends helping friends that no one will ever see.  This poem is from and for all of us.