Copyright © 2008 The Ruhi Foundation. All rights reserved.
Last Saturday, the junior youth group in Lowell got together. We said a prayer, and then took a walk down by the canal, which had recently been emptied. M. talked about wanting to make the neighborhood better for her younger siblings and for the other children. Over the course of the conversation, we identified two lines of action:
- Offering homework help on Fridays to the younger kids
- Helping with children’s classes on the weekend
So it looks like M. will start helping us teach children’s classes! When we finally got down to the canal, Negin noticed a purse with its contents strewn about the path. While M. and I talked about the power of expression and how it can be used to transform the world, Negin was quietly sorting through the contents of the purse. When we walked over to her, she explained that the purse could have been stolen, and M. decided that we should try to contact the owner. When that proved difficult, we set out to drop the purse off at the police station and explain what we had found.
Copyright © 2008 The Ruhi Foundation. All rights reserved.
We could tell M. was excited and nervous about actively engaging in this endeavor. During the walk over, she practiced explaining what we had found. Watching her gather up the courage to talk to the police officer was very inspiring, and seeing the excitement on her face after following through on her commitment was even better.
We hope that in a small way, M. saw how the power of expression can be used to make our communities better.
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2 Comments
This is a wonderful story. It shows that tiny deeds in the right direction, are what counts. When you look at a forest, if you wanted to make a new one, how to set out? Focus on the cells. Each cell needs to do its job right, then the forest comes out right. There’s no other way to do it. Same with human souls, gaining divine guidance and acting on it. Souls are like cells, and as each cell gets healthy, it impacts on the health of the cells it touches. The whole world situation is the collective result of the conduct of all the cells. You’ve found a way of rightly directing the cells. It’s the fastest way.
That’s a beautiful metaphor, Brent. It also suggests the wholeness of an organic body, which is ideal. It’s too easy to see each individual as a separate entity – when Baha’u'llah actually tells us that we were each created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization.
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[...] classes and junior youth spiritual empowerment groups – which in part are designed to develop that crucial power of expression. These too need human resources. Whether you call yourself a Baha’i or not, you’re [...]