Sunday, September 28, 2008

blessed is the spot and the house and the place...



My little apartment has been blessed with various meetings and gatherings of late. Here is a picture of one of my esteemed guests holding little Lillian Jaleh who came along with her dad and contributed a great deal of joy and wisdom to that particular meeting.


"Children are the most precious treasure a community can possess, for in them are the promise and guarantee of the future. They bear the seeds of the character of a future society which is largely shaped by what the adults constituting the community do or fail to do with resepect to children. They are a trust no community can neglect with impunity. An all-embracing love of children, the manner of treating them, the quality of the attention shown to them, the spirt of adult behavior towards them--these are all among the vital aspects of the requisite attitude." (Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 2000).


I have also been holding weekly devotional gatherings in my apartment on Thursday nights. At a recent gathering, Bryn and I shared readings from family heirlooms.

She has a lovely book that belonged to her grandmother, the World Bible. She read an excerpt from the Koran from it.
I have a book that belonged to my mother entitled "The Pattern of Baha'i Life". It has a stamp in it from the "Baha'i World Congress London 1963" and is inscribed "Naw Ruz 121 To our dear Baha'i sister Aili, Eino and Sonja". In several places my mother has underlined words and penciled in Finnish translations. One such passage which I read on this particular occasion goes as follows:


"The world is but a show, vain and empty, a mere nothing, bearing the semblance of reality. Set not your affections upon it...Verily I say, the world is like a vapour in the desert, which the thirsty dreameth to be water and striveth after it with all his might, until when he cometh unto it, he findeth it to be mere illusion..." Baha'u'llah

my first football game

i went to my very first ever football game this past Sunday--that is american football for all my international readers. i got free tickets from my esteemed institution.


a friend who knows a thing or two about football accompanied me and came well prepared with visual aids and all to educate this sports illiterate about the game and provide running commentary.



Go RU!




Thursday, September 25, 2008

colorful Bollywood fun


just watched my first Bollywood movie "Bride and Prejudice"... very entertaining, light hearted and cheerful

Thursday, September 18, 2008

full moon



during my time in china i developed a special relationship with the moon...a relationship with the moon is so much a part of Chinese culture in the poems, the songs, the calendar, the festivals. somehow i feel i had more frequent opportunity to notice the moon in china. perhaps i was outside walking at night more often. the beauty of the moon would captivate me and move me.

when i see a full moon i inevitably reflect on my life and which aspects of my life are in a state of fulfillment or completion.

Sunday was the night of the year that the Chinese celebrate the moon...the Moon Festival...I forgot to look for the moon on that night. Sunday also marked the date of my 9th wedding anniversary...quite possibly the last wedding anniversary i will commemorate in my marriage to mbh ...who is still mbff (my beloved friend forever). our year of separation is approaching its conclusion. it has really been a good year...a year rich in adventure and self-discovery... a year in which i was able to relish the benefits of solitude and the opportunity for prayer and reflection. it has also been a year of awakenings and new possibilities, a year filled with music, yoga, friends, service, travel, books.

"Ten thousand flowers in spring,

the moon in autumn,

a cool breeze in summer,

snow in winter.

If your mind isn't clouded by unnecessary things,this is the best season of your life." Zen poem


Wednesday, September 17, 2008

"The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens" Baha'u'llah











Haven't posted in such a long time. I am catching up on my blog reading too this evening. Lots of interesting items on Baha'i Views including this link to a photoshop tutorial on how to create the effect here. Please click to enlarge.


Also on Baha'i Views, new links to more music from Baha'i artists around the world like Tahereh in Australia for example.