A Brick in the City of Light

A BRICK IN THE CITY OF LIGHT


The city was growing darker as the years passed. Ethan had lived there for many years. The darker things became, the more restless he had become. He searched in vain in some way to understand the darkness or the elusive light that had only so recently seemed to burn so strongly. The usual cohesiveness that had held the citizens together seemed to be unraveling with and without ceremony. Enough! Ethan packed a few necessities and, without a second thought, left his home for the last time. Without knowing it, he had set out on a journey to find the truth.

As he left the city he entered a vast marketplace which, while outside the city itself, was still tethered to the city for its support and existence. There were many stalls with a myriad of answers to the traveler and seeker. While some of these vendors sold wares of some use, there were mixed among them a host of philosophers offering solutions to the impending darkness. Among those philosophers were many a cleric plying their trade of sorts. What seemed so clear to Ethan, as he would pause from time to time, was that their message seemed to vary little from their colleagues in the city. In fact, it seemed that they were spouting the same message under the guise of new cloths and a slightly altered nomenclature. Though some of these philosophers and clerics seemed to attract a larger crowd than others, Ethan saw no point in lingering long in that market.

It was not until he had passed beyond the hill and had put the city well behind him that he took a deep breath. As he paused for a moment, he reflected upon his direction. He had just left a city that had been his home for his entire memory and yet he was almost giddy with a sense of anticipation and adventure. It was as if that breath of air had cleansed him of the ever increasing foul air of the city and replaced it with the clean air of hope and life. He had decided, almost arbitrarily, to leave the city but had not given much thought of where to go. He looked around and eventually could make out a small trail that led off into the distance. It seemed as good a start as any,and he proceeded along that path.

After some time Ethan approached the crest of a large hill that loomed ahead of him. He felt in some way that he would find his answers on the other side of the hill. He climbed with anticipation and eventually paused at the top. What he saw brought joy to his heart. There was a deep, fertile and beautiful valley that extended far beyond where he could see. A refreshing looking river wound its way purposefully through the valley bringing with it energy and nourishment. The beauty was overwhelming. It was only after some time that he noticed activity not far down the hill. There were many people involved in a building project.

The reason that he did not notice it at first is that the building seemed to be a part of the natural surroundings rather than a scar that was dug to stake a claim for one vain cause or another. He headed down the hill but not all the way. He stopped close enough to have a clear view of the activity but not close enough to be in the way. He selected a spot some distance from the trail so as to be left undisturbed.

Ethan could not say how long he sat there observing. It seemed like days and not time at all. The builders worked tirelessly and with a cohesion that he had not seen in the city in what seemed like a long time. There were other interesting observations. He would see from time to time another who had come along the same path stand, observe and then proceed to the activity below. It seemed, as he observed, that the group below was comprised from people who had chanced along from various paths. While from time to time he would watch someone leave the group, there were far more that were joining than leaving. He was so deep in thought at this point that he did not notice someone approaching him from below. He waited as the man approached.

“Greetings friend” stated the stranger.

“Greetings” responded Ethan.

“My name is Sahat” he stated as he sat down beside Ethan.

“I have noticed you sitting here for some time” he said as he reached into his satchel, “ I thought you might like some nourishment.”

“My name is Ethan” he responded. “I am a traveler from the city,” he responded as he accepted the package. He had not realized how hungry he had been until he had started eating.

“What, may I ask, are you building?” he asked as he finished his food.

“We are building,” answered Sahat, “a city” as he passed his hand across the whole valley and as far as the eye could see.

“A city?” responded Ethan with both a smile and amusement. “Your numbers are so small for such a large task.”

“True my friend, our numbers may appear small to you,” responded Sahat. “You may recall that this mighty river before us started small and humble before it became what it is before us now.”

Sahat and Ethan sat and talked for some time. Ethan was impressed by the optimism and openness that Sahat possessed. It was a refreshing counterpoint to the hopelessness and suspicion that he had left behind in the city. He quickly realized that he felt closer to this new found friend then he had to any of his friends in his past. He realized how much of a deterrent to true friendship dishonesty and suspicion could be by experiencing its opposite.

“Ethan, “spoke Sahat, “I see the day is drawing to a close. Why don’t you join me down by the fireside and stay warm for the night?”

Ethan, ever mindful of his purpose of seeking and finding adventure agreed, and they cautiously made their way down the hill and over to the fire that had sprung up not far from the path that they had been on. They were joined by others who greeted Ethan with the same warmth and openness that he had experience from Sahat. They all seemed from diverse backgrounds and levels of knowledge and understanding. What surprised Ethan was that some of these people who reflected such positive behavior and attitude were from the same dark and depressing city he had just left. It was as if some force had reanimated them.

The discussions took a natural course where various people would ask questions and others would respond. It was a sharing of knowledge rather than a dogmatic response that he was used to. At one point a recent arrival expressed dismay over the condition of the city he had just left and his desire to make a difference. One of the others responded that it is precisely that desire to help that inspired this group. They felt that by answering the call of the architect, they were building the solution to the problems that the city had found itself in.

“Architect?” asked Ethan. “Who is this architect you speak of?”

“The architect” responded a young woman, he had come to know as Adelita, with reverence. “The architect came several generations ago with a plan to build a city. This city was…”she paused “no is, a city of hope, a city of light.”

She proceeded to tell the story of how they came to be. The architect brought a plan. That plan he passed on to the engineer who laid out the design specifications and then entrusted those into the hands of the contractor. The contractor set up the work crews and the committees that would implement the plan so that they could build the city without deviating from the architects original plans.

Ethan did not know at what point he had fallen asleep but he awakened to the sound of the birds singing, the water flowing and the construction of various projects around him. He sat up to find a small meal had been left beside him. He took his meal, collected his pack and started walking among the people and their various projects.

Ethan arrived at a small wall that was being built. He could not say why but for some reason he found himself staring at the various people working away at building that wall. He reflected on the words of Adelita and the architects plans to build a new city. He saw the bricks as they were being carefully laid knowing that with the care and precision that was being manifest this was a wall that would last a very long time. It was amazing watching the architect’s plans being brought to fruition by such a diverse group of people. This thought brought him to another revelation. It became clear to Ethan that the architect must have been an amazing man. For not only was his plan transforming the surrounding valley into a city of profound beauty and purpose, but it seemed another building of sorts was happening. He saw a grander scheme in the building of a community of diverse people and backgrounds into a new city, a city of hope and light. It became clear to Ethan that this city would continue to grow as the disillusioned masses left the old city and discovered this new city. It was clear that this city would grow to overtake and overcome in such a loving and powerful way the decaying city he had left. The analogy of the river that Sahat had brought up had come to mind. Here indeed were the drops that would someday form that mighty river.

Overwhelmed by a sudden sense of purpose and awe, Ethan walked up to the wall and placed his pack down on the earth. He went and stood between two of the others at the wall. He reached down and carefully raised a brick, spread mortar on it and placed it on the wall before him. He turned and smiled at his new found companions and was warmed by their returned smiles. He had found his home.

-Shiidon, December 2011

This story came to me after reading the Priceless Pearl, a book about the Life of the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith. Photo courtesy Bahá'í International Community.