Conference of the Heart

This past weekend I attended one of 41 conferences held around the world called by the Universal House of Justice, the supreme body of the Bahá'í Faith.  While seeing countless faces, there was one up on the screen, the photograph of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Son of the founder of my faith and the Center of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh.  This poem came to me as I watched His face and those of His Father's followers.  Among His last words were these:

"...look at me, follow me, be as I am..."

Following the poem I have some thoughts to share and will then include the whole quote in case anyone would like to read them.

LOOK AT ME

Before me I see

Thousands of faces

 reflecting

You to me

Your love, Your joy, doth radiate

My heart, my soul elate

With nothing doth it equate

Smiles and laughter surround

Energized souls abound

 

FOLLOW ME

Passing by me Your loved ones go

Wave upon wave the crowd doth grow

Against winds of adversity that doth blow

To fulfill Thy plan, they will show

Success is certain, this I know

Following Thy servants, I turn and go

 

BE AS I AM

Kindness and joy are alive

With selfless devotion we doth strive

It is by Your example, we derive

The way to bring all to thrive

And through Thy Plan

Will humanity revive

-Shiidon, December 2008

The spirit of the conference was electric and special.  There were so many faces not seen in years and so many new friends made.  I am grateful to have been able to participate in such an historic event.  The conference was to reflect on things midpoint in the current Bahá'í international plan.  Learning from the experience of others in the field and being able to go home with a better idea on how to fulfill the goals of the plan this next few months was a key purpose of this conference.  It truly revived hearts and souls and there was abounding love everywhere.

On another note, I am tutoring two classes of students in Iran.  While speaking with one of my students I was told that her father was a mechanic (touched me directly as I work with three of the best mechanics there are) and that he was not working as he was in prison for his beliefs.  I god chills from hearing this.  I am doing the tutoring as a way to help my fellow believers in the currently oppressive cradle of the faith, Iran.  I am now one step away form someone in prison for his faith.  I am teaching his daughter and I am overjoyed and saddened at the same time.  When it came to vocabulary words, for the word concern, she wrote:  "My mother and I are concerned for my father, who is in prison for his beliefs."  It brought tears to my eyes.  It felt strange saying "Good work" on the grading part of the paper but then assured her of my prayers for her father and family.

So much is happening and so much is going on.  I just have to say that I am grateful to be alive in this day and to know that someday mankind will be united under a banner of love and unity and not money and power.

The quote following here is among the last words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoken before passing away.  Here is the quote:

Now the time has come when we must part, but the separation is only of our bodies; in spirit we are united. Ye are the lights which shall be diffused; ye are the waves of that sea which shall spread and overflow the world. Each wave is precious to me, and my nostrils shall be gladdened by your remembrance. Another commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another even as I love you. Great mercy and blessings are promised to the people of your land, but on one condition; that their hearts be filled with the fire of love, that they live in perfect harmony and kindness like one soul in different bodies, like one soul in different bodies. Never forget this; look at one another with the eye of perfection; look at me, follow me, be as I am; take no thought for yourselves or your lives, whether ye eat or whether ye sleep, whether ye are comfortable, whether ye are well or ill, whether ye are with friends or foes, whether ye receive praise or blame; for all these things ye must care not at all. Look at me and be as I am; ye must die to yourselves and to the world, so ye shall be born again and enter the kingdom of heaven. Behold the candle, how it gives light. It weeps its life away drop by drop in order to give forth its flame of light. The time has come when we must part, but the separation is only of our bodies; in spirit we are united forever.

(Compilations, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 503)