Little by Little, Day by Day

This post is a reflection based on this story of Abdu’l-Baha: It is quickly becoming evident that the virtue of each reflection is my test du jour.  Trusting in God is the theme of recent days because we are homeless, jobless, and penniless. The sacrifice of our recent full-time service is being keenly felt now in [...]

One day a woman came to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá with her sorrows. As she told her story,‘Abdu’l-Bahá tried to calm her and said, “Don’t be sad now, don’t be sad.” The Woman said, “My brother has been in prison for three years. He should not have been imprisoned because it was not his fault. He was weak [...]

This post is a response to this story: Reading this story about Abdu’l-Baha was wonderful, and easy. Trying to listen to others the way that Abdu’l-Baha did, was (and is?) challenging. With an imagination that runs wild, I sometimes find it hard to focus on the “here and now”, or, as some people refer to [...]

This is written in response to this story of Abdu’l-Baha: It is easy to be silent and listen when you are experiencing culture shock; when you find yourself wide-eyed in public, stunned by the people around you and by what they choose to say. While living in a country where I did not speak the [...]

Another characteristic always apparent was His silence. In the world of social and intellectual intercourse to which I was accustomed silence was almost unforgivable. From the collegiate with his, or her, “line,” to the lawyer, doctor, minister, statesman–a ready answer, a witty bon mot, a wise remark, a knowing smile was stock-in-trade. They all had their “line,” [...]

this post is a response to this story: A list of some things that make me happy: Finishing a crossword puzzle A clean bathroom Clean clothes Finishing all of my work on time Ripe mangoes Small laughing children Big laughing adults Red flowers in a blue pot in front of a white house A&W rootbeer [...]

This is a reflection on applying lessons from this story: The story is easy to read, and easy to appreciate, but it is harder for me to see how I could apply what Abdu’l-Baha is doing. First, in a group of people expecting Him to give a speech/lecture, He tells funny stories. Then He explains [...]

Friends, Here’s the first story through which we will begin to explore some of Abdu’l-Baha’s qualities and capabilities: In the United States, in August 1912, Mrs Parsons, a devoted Bahá’í of Washington, D. C., invited Him to Dublin, New Hampshire, where she had an estate. During the summer months, many people prominent in the life of [...]