Faltered Steps

FALTERED STEPS

Bahá'í House of Worship,
Wilmette, Illinoise.
Reprinted with permission of
The Bahá'í Community

I sit and reflect

On years of neglect

And the wavering

At my lack of

Self-respect

From time to time

We falter or fall

And think not

That we heed the call

That drives us

To better be

Serving each other

To a greater degree

Getting up

And going forward

Takes determination

And deep reflection

Inward

Though I falter

As I take a step

Tis a moment to choose

Linger or redirect

Wallow and misstep

Or brave the unknown

The past but a trace

Into the futures embrace

This decision comes

Again and again

Though only through reflection

Do we see clearly

Where choices have led

Though at that point

Tis the future we dread

I cannot cope

With what I face

Though truly tis

Fear I find

In that place

Step forward, press on

Quicken the pace, run on

For tis the past

That lengthens with time

That gives us strength

Through its lessons

Conquered and now benign

Tis the path we now tread

That our past did dread

That a new found attitude

Doth waxeth in

An ever expanding

Certitude

-Shiidon, May 2012

The past week has brought some fascinating thoughts to the forefront for me.  Most of what I reflected upon was religious in nature.  Two of these I thought to share here.  This pas week saw the conclusion of the Most Great Festival period in the Bahá'í Faith.  it was during this twelve day period that this beloved faith of mine became a publicly proclaimed faith.  From the earliest days of the past century there has been an annual message on the state of the faith from the Bahá'í World Center.

This year an announcement of proportions I thought I would never see was made.  It is in regards to Bahá'í Houses of Worship.  Currently the last of the Continental Houses of Worship is being built in Santiago Chile.  This will be added to the ones in Samoa, Australia, Panama, Uganda, Germany, India and the Mother Temple of the West in Wilmette Illinoise, just north of Chicago.  Anyone who has been to one of these knows that they are open to the public.  There is no fee and all are welcome to worship.  What is not always known is that the Houses of Worship are not just one building that we believe will be found in the future in every city in the world but an Institution that will have as its dependencies hospitals, universities, homes for the aged and other agencies that are to serve the community at large for that area.

What was announced this Ridvan period was the plan to build the first National Houses of Worship in The Democratic Republic of the Congo and one in Papua, New Guinea.  While this in itself is profound to me, what is more Profound is the announcement of the beginnings of the first local Houses of Worship.  These are to be built in Cambodia, India, Kenya, Columbia and Vanuatu.  Why is this profound to me.  Local Houses of Worship are things of the future to me.  I never imagined that I would even hear the announcement of a Local, let alone a National House of Worship!

The second thought that occurred to me was during a study circle meeting I was part of.  It was the 12th and last day of Ridvan and we had our meeting.  We celebrated and told stories about Ridvan and shared thoughts and fellowship with each other.  One of the attendees who happens to not be a Bahá'í said that she felt the spirit that was present in these study circles was reminiscent of what she had read about in the early days of Christianity.

There are other thoughts that have come to mind but suffice it to say that this has been a fairly significant time of personal reflection and growth.  The photo here is of the Mother Temple of the West.  Last week commemorated the laying of the foundations stone by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the son of the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, Bahá'u'lláh.  I have seen that very stone hundreds of times in my years spent living and visiting in its vicinity.  I served one summer as a volunteer and had the privilege to go outside on the very top as part of my maintenance duties.  A memory that I shall never forget

May everyone have a blessed and joyful year.