This blog contains responses to blog prompts, & thoughts on spiritual or religious themes |
Disclaimer: Any views, about religion or sacred scriptures, expressed in this blog are my own and not the official views of the Baha'i Faith or any other religion. If you wish to know more about the Baha'i Faith, please check one of these websites: The Baha'i Faith: The Official Website of the Worldwide Baha'i Community or Baha'is of the United States . "The gift of God to this enlightened age is the knowledge of the oneness of mankind and of the fundamental oneness of religion. War shall cease between nations, and by the will of God the Most Great Peace shall come; the world will be seen as a new world, and all men will live as brothers." Abdu'l-Baha1 Other Blogs and Journals Content Rating 18+ "Writing in Snow" "The Snowflake Chronicles" "Snow Melt" "More Snow Melt" "Welcome to My Life" "Melting Snow" "Memories of Snow" "Dreams of Snow " "Poem Experiments" "Devotional Poetry" Other Journals Content Rating ASR "Bicentenary Poems and Prose" "Treasures lie hidden beneath the throne of God; the key to those treasures if the tongue of poets." The Bab "O my God! O my God! Unite the hearts of Thy servants, and reveal to them Thy great purpose. May they follow Thy commandments and abide in Thy law. Help them, O God, in their endeavor, and grant them strength to serve Thee. O God! Leave them not to themselves, but guide their steps by the light of Thy knowledge, and cheer their hearts by Thy love. Verily, Thou art their Helper and their Lord." Bahá’u’lláh2 Footnotes |
Istijlál (Majesty), 3 Ayyám-i-Há (The Days of Há) 175 B.E. - Thursday, February 28, 2019
Day 1899: "I have a writing addiction." Prince Do you feel like this? Write anything you want about this. ]Writing Addiction Am I addicted to writing? Do chickens lay eggs? The answer to both those questions is yes. Yes, I am addicted to writing. Specifically, I am addicted to writing poetry, which--I suspect--is a healthier addiction than smoking or some other addictions I've heard of. I used to be addicted to smoking, but I gave that up over ten years ago. I cannot give up writing. I cannot give poetry writing. Writing keeps me sane in an insane world, or maybe it's insane in a sane world. Whichever it is, I cannot give up my addiction to writing poetry. The compulsion to write poetry does not fulfill my body's needs nor sate my desire. When I am in the arms of the Muse food is moldy leftovers, sleep is a discarded lover at the door of my consciousness; shelter is the rusted husk of a topless convertible in an Oklahoma snow storm; and sexual satisfactions is a stale cigarette in the mouth of my libido.
DAY 2293: If you were to use your possessions to tell a story, what would they say about you? Possessions At 72 years young, I don't care about what my possessions say about me. Eventually whatever I own will either go to someone else or be tossed in the trash. There are some items that I would like passed on to someone who could use them without become attached to them. I've made three moves since my mother died, and I still have things left from the first move, I'm working on getting everything passed to the people they should go to. However, I'm on a fixed income and it cost to send things across the country. I'm tired of lugging the stuff around, and I don't want it cluttering up my life anymore. |
‘Idál (Justice), 2 Ayyám-i-Há (The Days of Há) 175 B.E. - Wednesday, February 28, 2019 "We have ordained that these, amid all nights and days, shall be the manifestations of the letter Ha, and thus they have not been bounded by the limits of the year and its months. It behoveth the people of Baha, throughout these days, to provide good cheer for themselves, their kindred and, beyond them, the poor and needy, and with joy and exultation to hail and glorify their Lord, to sing His praise and magnify His Name …" Baha’u’llah3 Ayyám-i-Há, The Days of Há, are a joyous time of year. It is a time for giving cheer, joy, and starting projects to assist humanity. The Days of Há are not a part of any other month in the Baha'i or Badi calendar, which means all the months of the Baha'i calendar or nineteen-day long. The Days of Há fall between the months of Mulk (Dominion) and 'Ala' (Loftiness), and are a preparation for the month of the Fast The month of the Fast, Baha'is--who are healthy and between the ages of 15 and 70 years old--abstain from food or drink between sunup and sundown. 'Ala' is a time of reflection, meditation, and renewal; it is a time of preparation for the New Year. The New Year of 176 B.E. begins on Naw-Ruz and falls on the vernal equinox. Since I am over 70, I am not required to fast. I will say the prayer revealed for the Fast and meditate. Footnotes |
Fiḍál (Grace), 1 Ayyám-i-Há (The Days of Há) 175 B.E. - Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Lunch under the sea Watching the fishes swim free Sipping my coffee
Snorkeling sounds like fun What is the impact on the reef Of snorkeling tourist
DAY 2291: Write a story, poem, memory, metaphor, or simile about the ocean. The Ocean "Immerse yourselves in the ocean of My words, that ye may unravel its secrets, and discover all the pearls of wisdom that lie hid in its depths...." Baha'u'llah4 A metaphor for the Word of God, and diving into its depths; a calming experience.
DAY 1897: What does “having a calm center” mean to you? Can you design or imagine a calm center for yourself similar to decorating an empty space? What do your decorations consist of? Calm Center My calm center is always having access to the prayers and scriptures revealed by The Bab, Baha'u'llah, and 'Abdu'l-Baha. Since I carry my smartphone with me at all times, I always have access to both prayers and scriptures through an app I downloaded. For me a calm center is not a physical place that my body can go; it is a spiritual place where my soul dwells. Footnotes |
Kamál (Perfection), 19 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Monday, February 25, 2019
Moving Forward In Time Step by step I move into the future, one day at a time I advance into tomorrow: What future time would I chose, that could be better than the day in which I live? I would like to walk on the moon or Mars, I would like to travel to the stars, but I was born in this epoch, the most exciting and portentous age in human history. I am living in the dawn of a new era, this is the day when world peace will be established, and my duty is to proclaim the joyous news to all. Poet's Note: ▼ |
Jamál (Beauty), 18 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Sunday, February 24, 2019
A trip back in time to witness the Primal Point5 reveal in His own hand, or dictate to one of his His amanuensis6 the Word of God. Poet's Note: ▼ Footnotes |
Jalál (Glory), 17 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Saturday, February 23, 2019
I enjoy the food I enjoy the travel Playing the tourist |
Jalál (Glory), 17 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Saturday, February 23, 2019
DAY 2288: "Fellow-citizens, we cannot escape history." Abraham Lincoln, December 1, 1862. Annual Message to Congress - Concluding Remarks What do you think? Escaping History "Fellow-citizens, we cannot escape history." Abraham Lincoln, December 1, 1862 Abraham Lincoln was right: We cannot escape history. We can rewrite it! We can call it historical fiction! But we can't evade it! History will come back to haunt us! To haunt in words carved on headstones, and as names engraved on walls. We are the results of history, and we can't extract ourselves from it. We can tear it down, and attempt to pave it over, but we can't evade it. History will return to us, to be relived and reenacted by ourselves and by our children until we acknowledge its lessons.
DAY 1894: In W. E. B..Du Bois book, The Souls of Black Folk, he addresses the experience of double consciousness, a divided identity split between the consciousness of how one views oneself and how one is viewed by others. Have you struggled with representing yourself while being conscious of how readers may view you when they read your work. Double Consciousness In some cases, individual human beings tend to perceive themselves differently from the way they perceive other people. This is the result of a number of things one, of which, is the way a person is raised. Another issue is that we are living in a world in transition. Humanity is moving from a planet segregated into nation-states to one united in peace and brotherhood. In this age a new multidimensional planetary culture is growing within the womb of national, cultural, and religious interaction. The superstitions and dogmas of the past are being revealed for the illusions they are. Human beings are attempting to deal with the stress of a world in transition, and it affects the way we view other people and ourselves. Some individuals today are attempting to hold onto the "them and us"--double consciousness--attitude that marked past ages, the ages of humanity's childhood and teenage years. Sometimes individual still tend to judge others by their apparent differences from themselves instead of members of the species of humanity. Instead of focusing on the similarities it is the differences that are played up in our consciousness and in the media. As for me, at 72 the way other people perceive me is and isn't important. I would like them to see me as a human being and not just an old white woman who is different from them. I know this probably is the way many perceive me, and, I also know, that other people perceive me as a human being with similarities to and differences from themselves. I prefer people to accept my differences and similarities to them as enhancements to our interaction and relationship. |
Istiqlál (Independence), 16 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Friday, February 22, 2019
Contemplate the view of Victoria Harbor and the pristine sky. I am a window shopper much too practical to purchase anything that immediately strikes my fancy. I prefer a temple tour, inhaling the divined fragrance and beauty of the sacred. |
Istijlál (Majesty), 15 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Thursday, February 21, 2019
DAY 2286: “People stupid. The dream didn't leave, people just don't know a nightmare when they right in the middle of one."~ Marlon James Your thoughts on this quote... I think most people are aware enough of what is going on in their lives and in the world around them to know if they are living in a nightmare. Knowing your are living in a nightmare, and panicking about it is two different things. You can know you are living in a nightmare, and still function enough to figure a way out of it. Sometimes the nightmare is so bad, that the person just gives up; however, they still know their are living in a nightmare. Those who do not know they are living in a nightmare are no longer in touch with reality, and are living on their own alternate plane of existence. Living In A Nightmare: The Shadow People These are the shadow people, who haunt the streets of every city carrying on conversations with the air. These are the shadow people, with their souls sucked dry of reality they dwell mentally on alternate planes. These are the shadow people, that hear the whisper of despair and wait impatiently for the Reaper's scythe. I wrote the above poem several years ago in Qawl of 153 B.E., in November or December of 1997. I am not sure what inspired the poem.
Day 1892: Describe your perfect weekend get away. My definition of a perfect weekend getaway is one that inspires a poem. I finish the following poem Sharaf of 153 B.E., which was January of 1998. The poem was inspired by a trip Mom and I took to Colorado to visit my youngest brother and his wife. Perfect Weekend: Eleven Mile Canyon The river has its own song, as it flows between granite cliffs. Hour by hour, day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year, century by century, millennium by millennium the South Platte eats into the base of granite cliffs, reconfiguring cliff faces and rewriting its own song. The song of the river rises and falls as it flows across granite rocks. Intoning the names of God, the river carries mementos of its journey as it flows between granite cliffs. Between granite cliff faces the voice of the river becomes the voice of the wing, singing the Creator's eternal praise, and chanting the Most Great Names of God for all who have ears to hear. |
Istijlál (Majesty), 15 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Thursday, February 21, 2019
Flowers are beautiful and the rooms look comfortable: the food appealing. I like volcanoes: exquisite, transformative, can be dangerous. I'm more of a bird listener then a bird watcher. I enjoy listening to their songs because the only requirement is to listen and enjoy without attempting to identify the species. If I the bird singing, that is a nice addition to the serenade; however, it isn't necessary to see a bird to enjoy its singing or whatever other sounds it makes. |
‘Idál (Justice), 14 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Colors dance across the sky Expressing creations joy Mother Earth laughing
DAY 2285: Do you check your horoscope? Your zodiac sign? Do you think these predictions are helpful or not? Have you ever considered tracking them as a tool for writing character development? The only time I have ever checked my personal horoscope was for entertainment, when it stopped being entertaining I stopped checking it. The only other time I look at a horoscope is for character information or story ideas. I think the only thing a horoscope is good for is to find personality traits for protagonist and antagonist, otherwise I don't look at it.
Day 1891: "Independence means happiness." Susan B. Anthony Do you agree with this quote? Happiness is a spiritual attribute, and, therefore, does not depend entirely on independence. A person, who turns to and depends on God, can be happy in any condition. 'Abdu'l-Baha states in Paris Talks, Part One: 35 "Pain and Sorrow": "I myself was in prison forty years—one year alone would have been impossible to bear—nobody survived that imprisonment more than a year! But, thank God, during all those forty years I was supremely happy! Every day, on waking, it was like hearing good tidings, and every night infinite joy was mine. Spirituality was my comfort, and turning to God was my greatest joy. If this had not been so, do you think it possible that I could have lived through those forty years in prison?" |
Fiḍál (Grace), 13 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Tuesday, February 19, 2019
DAY 2284: “The soul that is within me no man can degrade.” – Frederick Douglass Let this quote by Mr. Douglass inspire your blog entry today. “I swear by My life! Nothing save that which profiteth them can befall My loved ones. To this testifieth the Pen of God, the Most Powerful, the All-Glorious, the Best Beloved.” Baha'u'llah7 Can the human soul be degraded? According to the Cambridge Dictionary the definitions for degrade are (1) "to reduce the quality of something", (2) "to cause someone to seem to be worth less and lose the respect of others", and (3) "to cause people to feel that they or other people have no value and do not have the respect or good opinion of others".8 So, Mr. Douglass is right about no man being able to degrade his soul. Individuals can degrade their own souls by not showing it the respect that it deserves by believing they do not have a soul, or that their soul does not survive the death of the body. Before becoming a Baha'i, I wondered about my soul. I wondered it the things that had befallen me as a child would condemn me to hell. After because a Baha'i, I realized that the things which had befallen my in the past, the things that are befalling me in the present, and the things that will befall me in the future, can only polish my soul's mirror and assist it to reflect spiritual attributes, the attributes of God. Therefore, my soul is not degraded because every test and difficulty I have face, am facing, or will face can only profit my soul by improving its receptivity to the light of the All Glorious Lord. Footnotes |
Fiḍál (Grace), 13 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Oh, what a beautiful snowy morning it is for a race. The snow is crisp and these booties, my human bought us, keep our feet nice and warm. I hope his feet are as warm as ours. He looks warm with his fur lined parka, but with humans you can't tell how cold they are until their teeth start to chatter. This is my first year to be lead dog. I've trained for this ever since I was a pup, so I know my responsibility. Including myself, there are sixteen dogs in this team. I've checked all our natural fur coasts, and they are thick and warm. Every dogs has their booties secured, so the snow won't freeze their feet. I've checked all their noses--by touching them with my nose--so I know each dog is healthy. I'm familiar with the race veterinarian. She and her assistance are on the snowball and have checked out each team to make sure everyone meets whatever husky health standards the humans approve. I saw her smile and nod after she finished checking my team, so I know we meet the human's standards. Not that I was worried, I know my team is healthy--according to my high standards. I see someone just handed my human another cup of coffee. That's his favorite wake-up and start the race drink. I prefer water myself, but each species has its own choice of liquid refreshment. I do hope he has brought water for himself. I know there is enough water for my team along the route, but humans seem to have rather odd tastes when it come to water. I suppose if worst comes to worst, I can share my water with him. I don't want him becoming dehydrated during the race. |
Kamál (Perfection), 12 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Monday, February 18, 2019
Admiring snow from a train is a warm experience for arthritic joints. Train rides always bring back memories of my childhood. I don't know how old I was when Mom and I rode a train. I remember it was a coal burning trains with a wonderful whistle. I could hear the wheels as it moved along the steel tracks. It was a sort of clickity clack. Sleep in a real bed an inspiring idea my smartphone on the nightstand.
DAY 1889: “ ’Things always happen too soon or too late,’ says Arturo Perez Reverte in The Queen of the South. Do you feel that way, at least sometimes, and can you think of events that happened too early or too late?” Things happen when they are supposed to happen. We only think they are too late or too soon because we move on a different timescale than either God or the universe.
DAY 2273: Use these words in your entry: binding, tremor, mutant, democracy, furry, bacon. In the furry of morning crisp bacon and hot coffee feed cold, hungry bodies and fill weary minds with hope. Hope that the tremors felt across the planet are just birth pangs announcing the nativity of a new stage in humanity's collective evolution, and the spread of democracy across the planet. Hope rises as xenophobia the mutant offspring of prejudice is confronted by the battalions of love and unity. |
Jamál (Beauty), 11 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Sunday, February 17, 2019
Helicopter flight Beautiful Kilauea The goddesses red lava smile Verdant tropical rain forest Inhale the fragrance of paradise Listen to nature's song Pork and vegetables Roasted in a pit Inhale the delicious aroma “The tabernacle of unity hath been raised; regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch.” Baha'u'llah9 I am at home Wherever I roam Because I have Baha'i family I have not yet met. Footnotes |
Jalál (Glory), 10 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Saturday, February 16, 2019
DAY 2281: Creation Saturday Prompt: Use these words in your entry: inspiration, hope, rose, love. frustration. Winter Poem Feel the frustration, the lack of inspiration on a cold winter morning when aching joints wake screaming for warmth. Wrap your hands around a hot cup of coffee giving your fingers and their joints hope that spring is on the way. Once your fingers are warmed up, and you can hold a prayer book it's time to pick the rose of God's love and intone a prayer of gratitude. |
Jalál (Glory), 10 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Saturday, February 16, 2019
Weekend weariness Uncontrollable desire to sleep Until I lay down I hope Fivesixer or someone brought some chocolate because the only way I'm going to get any sleep is to eat a bit of chocolate before I lay down. After the excitement--of New Zealand, the Caribbean, Goat Island, fish, food, volcanoes, etc.--the only way I'll be able to sleep is to eat a bit of chocolate before bed. It doesn't matter how tired I am because once my heat hits the pillow, I'm wide awake until I eat the chocolate. |
Istiqlál (Independence), 9 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Friday, February 15, 2019
The Goat Island Marine Discovery Center and Glass Bottom Boat are more to my speed these days. All though, I could be talked into the snorkeling if an experienced snorkeler explained it to me in detail and showed me how to use the equipment. The only problem, I might have, with the snorkeling concerns the swimming part. The Kiwi bar food sounds interesting and inviting. The blackboard menu sound intriguing and probably has food I have never tasted before. I enjoy new food experiences because they attract my taste buds and get my creative juices flowing.
DAY 2280: Fun facts Friday, check out these interesting facts and write about whatever one interests you the most. https://www.rd.com/culture/interesting-facts/ It's been an interesting news week. Some guy caught a 20 pound gold fish, his sister or someone took a picture of him holding the fish. It was gold and, appeared to be 20 lbs. I don't think it was an actual gold fish, but another species with similar coloring. Next there was the article about camels wandering into someone's yard in Arizona (I think it was somewhere in Arizona), and animal control or the police catching the camels. Those things are weird enough, and should get the creative juices flowing to create a story using them. I found the fact about Ophiocordyceps, the tropical fungus that turned ants into zombies, most interesting. This is another item that gets the creative juice flowing. Studies are focusing ways to use this discovery to control pest, especially carpenter ants that cause structure damage to buildings. I suspect there are numerous ways this information can be used in a science fiction or fantasy story. The article about this fungus is found at https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/05/110511-zombies-ants-fungus-infe...
DAY 1880: It's Friday, what are your plans for the weekend? Tell us what's happening around where you live? My Plans For The Weekend Finish editing fantasy newsletter. Begin cleaning out my WDC inbox. Finish transcribing poems to "Devotional Poetry" and "Poem Experiments" . Finish transcribing older hard copy short stories to "Flashes of Inspiration" . Do Vindale Research surveys to build up the money in that account, so that I can request payment. Accomplish some of this weeks goals that I didn't complete. Attempt to get back into review routine. Keep a closer eye on smart phone so that it does not turn itself off in the middle of the night because the battery has no charge. Begin unpacking back suitcase to see what is in it, and what has to be done with the items. I will be happy, and feel I've accomplished between 3 to 6 items on that lists. |
Istijlál (Majesty), 8 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Thursday, February 14, 2019 Valentine's Day
Beautiful vineyards A day of relaxation, food, sightseeing, and fun.
DAY 2279: Let this quote by T.S. Eliot inspire you entry today. "It’s strange that words are so inadequate. Yet, like the asthmatic struggling for breath, so the lover must struggle for words." Happy Valentine's Day! Words, phrases, and sentences woven into the tapestry of paragraphs that attempt to express the lover's emotions. Words, live waves rolling into shore, flow across the mind, and attempt the impossible to express the inexpressible.
Day 1885: Valentines Day. What are your thoughts and plans for this day? It is Valentine's Day! The day many people dedicate to celebrating physical love by giving roses, chocolates, and jewelry to someone they love or would like to love. My plans today have nothing to do with flowers, or jewelry. I will eat a little chocolate tonight before going to sleep because chocolate helps me sleep. Since I don't have to have a blood test for a couple of weeks, I can eat chocolate before going to sleep. My major plans are to review, write, and pray (not necessarily in that order). |
‘Idál (Justice), 7 Mulk (Dominion) 175 B.E. - Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Water reflections Of verdant forest and bridge Ripples undulate
Day 1884: "As we said goodbye late that afternoon, I thought: "Don't go. I want you in my life. And in a sense, she didn't go." Write a poem or anything you want about a friend you have in your life. Forever Friends So many have left, their souls opening the door called death. So many have left, their desire to travel the world taking out of my presence. So many have left, leaving their memories behind to comfort me on cold winter nights, on sweltering summer afternoon, on autumn evenings, or on spring mornings. So many have left, without really leaving because their memories remain: forever friends.
DAY 2278: Write a letter or a poem to someone inviting them to be your valentine. Happy Valentine's Day Be my Valentine for the coming year, together we'll express our love for the Glorious Lord. Make each day a sacrament, a year of service without accepting monetary rewards. Volunteer at a homeless shelter, assist the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, let's love God through helping others every day of the year, never worrying and always unafraid because the Lord will provide for us during this time in ways we can't imagine, Now is the time to express our faith through actions. |