Category Archives: Matters of Faith

The Road to Diamond, Day 126: Reset

0
Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, impediments, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

April 3, 2025- The bandage that was placed on my left facial cheek, to stay there for 48 hours, is still there. It will come off tomorrow and a short period of going about with a sutured face will continue until next Wednesday. Then the true healing, the reset of sorts, will begin.

On Monday, I will pick up my two guests from the Philippines, at their home-stay in Las Vegas, and bring them to Arizona for 6-7 days. We will enjoy a variety of experiences, many of them in natural beauty and several that will involve gatherings with friends of mine around the state. It will also be a reset of sorts.

This evening, I attended a crowded dinner meeting of Prescott Indivisible. I had more conversation with my table mates than I have had there in the past. There were also two calls for a show of hands, as to who will attend a protest march in a few days’ time. I will be working at Farmers Market, at the time of the march, so my hand did not go up. Though the door monitor glared and loudly cleared his throat, when I left early to attend another meeting, I owed neither him nor anyone else an explanation. The speaker at the gathering said it best: “None of us has a monopoly on the truth”. There is a nascent reset of attitude, among those on both sides, who have viewed others with disdain. The pain that the nation is beginning to experience will humble a good many people.

After attending an online discussion of Baha’i Teachings, I went to return to my other online sites. The browser was undergoing a reset, and so I had to re-enter a few accounts. Rebooting seems to be a part of life everywhere today.

The Road to Diamond, Day 122: The Value of Love

0
Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Family, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

March 30, 2025- In reflecting further on King Lear, which I experienced last night, for the first time since studying the tragedy, as a high school senior (57 years ago), it was showcased as another example of the primacy of love, and the ultimate futility of scheming and power-seeking, through external means.

This morning, a fellow diner at breakfast spoke of a young relative, who had been disaffected from her own mother and siblings. The young woman is welcomed by this person and spouse, and not subjected to judgment, but rather a loving home-which has its rules of order, but not strictures of stifling.

I have made a lot of progress in that regard, with any difficulties for which I was responsible in the past having largely come from my own self-loathing. The result is that, within my own space, life has taken on a new energy, a stronger hope that, even in the autumn of my life, and into its winter in the decades to come, I will continue to radiate what is deepest in my heart. I have recently had dreams of children who resemble both my son and my daughter-in-law. The children have each stood at the side of my bed and told me they loved me. This may be foreshadowing, or just a reflection of how I would feel towards any grandchild(ren) who enter our lives.

The most important thing, though, is that self-love radiates outward, and touches everyone who comes along. That is something that had to survive a few hard relationships, in the latter part of the 2010s and would have to transcend any setbacks in the years to come, as well. Love, as I’ve said before, is the basis for all else that is.

The Road to Diamond, Day 112: New Day

2
Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, impediments, Inner Struggles, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

March 20, 2025- Naw-Ruz, in Persian, means “New Day”. In Iran, traditionally, the Naw-Ruz holiday lasts 12 days. For us Baha’is, it is one day; essentially, it is the beginning of a new spiritual year. So, today is the beginning of 182 Baha’i Era.

We marked the day with a festive gathering, at which 51 people showed up, enjoying copious amounts of food, spirited and delightful music and vibrant conversations. Had the room been a bit larger, we may have even seen some, including me, dancing about. No matter, the musicians worked well together and our various discourses ran the gamut from Rubik’s Cube (a child completed it in less than four minutes) to the proper preparation of Persian rice.

I was glad to be able to work the breakdown shift (seems that I can take things apart better than put them together, and that’s okay-the lady who brought much of the decorations, signage and two main dishes deserved any help she could get.). Muscle memory took over, when it came time to shorten curtain rods- I hadn’t done that particular task since helping my mother,as an early teenager. Other tasks were quite routine.

With Naw-Ruz in the books, I thought of the things I used to do with two left feet, that are now de rigueur. Almost anything mechanical used to end upside down, or inside out. Much of that, though, came from a combination of overthinking, an inner voice that told me I was stupid and rushing through the task. Now, I let muscle memory take hold, go ahead and do the task with attention and patience and act with self-confidence. Bob Powers’ Law has finally become part of my inner dialogue. Bob was probably the finest boss I ever had. He told me that some day I would realize that there was nothing wrong with my mental functioning, but that I would have to realize that on my own-and it might come hard. I was 16, impulsive and whimsical. He was in his late forties and had been around the horn several times. I could have listened better.

This new day saw me send greetings to my dear friend in Manila, to others on the Navajo Nation and to my friend and mentor in Phoenix. All around the world, north and south, east and west, may our souls be guided to do what is best for all humanity.

Happy Spring, to all in the north and Joyous Autumn to all in the south!

The Road to Diamond, Day 111: Yin/Yang

4
Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Family, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

March 19,2025- The little girl holding an arm load of red and green tennis balls looked plaintively at me, through the chain-link fence of the tennis court, as I was walking back from downtown. There, near my feet, was a stray ball, with the same yin/yang design as the ones she was holding. I picked up the ball and tossed it, underhand, over the fence to her waiting, appreciative father.

Earlier, while I was on the way downtown, a man and his three sons were riding their bicycles, with a good heady speed, up the slight hill. This sort of exercise is vital to people, especially children, so I gladly stepped aside. Kids on bicycles or on skateboards, deserve all the support they can get, from adults. It was a joy to see the father engaged with his children.

These families are not uncommon in Prescott. People are always gathered outdoors, in this manner. It made the message I read when I got home, from the Baha’i Faith’s Supreme Body, all the more cogent. The Universal House of Justice wrote us on the subject of the importance of family, as the basic unit of society. ‘Abdu’l-Baha said, in the early 20th Century, that the family was the miniature of a nation. In today’s letter, the Institution noted that there is a struggle between forces, which are pulling society in opposite directions. The family, in its functioning, needs to steer a middle path between the two extremes, and focus on building character in its children-a character which will serve the person well, throughout life.

Towards evening, I learned that someone in our neighbourhood, an obviously troubled individual, had to be jailed for lewd and lascivious behaviour. There are small children next door to Home Base I and two teenage girls live in houses across the street. I look out for these kids, while knowing they have loving and dedicated parents. The miscreant will not harm any of them, even if released for some reason.

There is always a yin and yang.

The Road to Diamond, Day 100: Compassion in Action

0
Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Family, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, service, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

March 8, 2025, Phoenix- The tall, silver-haired man stepped forward, as the wiry younger man with intense eyes walked up to a pair of young women who were working the management table at Farmers’ Market were doing their wrap-up work for the day. The ladies had noticed the bronzed military veteran walking about and talking to others, in a manner that seemed to make people uncomfortable. They were quite perturbed that he was still there, when there were only a few of us workers left.

The older man calmly helped one of the women, his daughter, in folding tablecloths, and when the ex-Marine asked if he might have one of the cloths to use as a blanket, replied that it was already needed for the table and, in any case, would not be very warm. For my part, I engaged the fellow veteran in conversation for a few minutes, letting him know where he could get a meal during the week, while I folded up a few tables. It was the father, keeping a careful, but calm eye out for his child’s safety, who showed the most compassion, getting the younger man a bag for the groceries he’d purchased or been comped and fetching a loaf of bread for him to take along. It was this which finally prompted the ex-Marine to leave.

We have many among us who are mentally ill, to some degree or another. I have had my own challenges, in that respect, and though I have come to function at a high level, cannot cast aspersions on those who are worse off. Of course, we need to hold other people to a modicum of civility, and not allow for abusive or overly intrusive behaviour. Women and children need to feel, and be, secure. Especially after the wanton murder of a young woman outside Mesa, a few weeks ago, my mind is all over keeping a safe environment. The man in question seemed to merely want company and to engage in conversation, even if it were in a looping manner. It was just not the right time and place for him to engage the women.

After he left, a group of us helped one of the vendors who was agitated for an entirely different reason, and took down his tents, while he tended to the matter at hand. It is always a matter of regarding people as family.

Once this was all in the rear view mirror, I got things together and hopped in the Sportage, heading down to a gathering at the home of an old friend. About thirty people gathered for dinner and a wide range of conversations about everything from spirituality to the modern circus. The ambiance, as always at this house, was one of universal compassion and love for mankind. After seeing people I had not seen for several years and meeting many new friends, I have retired to my room for the night, satisfied that it will remain compassion, rather than self-interest, that will carry the day.

The Road to Diamond, Day 98: Dribs and Drabs Again

2
Posted by on in collaborating, Community, impediments, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

March 6, 2025- There was about an inch of snow that fell here, this morning. Dribs and drabs, and gone by noon. There is a better chance of accumulation tomorrow, so we’ll see. I stopped by a coffee shop that offers a hang-out for teens, just to see what it looks like. School was in session, so there was a lone young man staffing the counter and there were a couple of ladies running the office. Three workmen were doing repairs on a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC). I got a cup of joe to go and moved along, saving the coffee for later and getting lunch at a downtown bagel shop that has several nice sandwich options. It was a good day for lox and cream cheese, with capers.

The Red Cross monthly meeting provided all the information I needed, in order to set up and run a shelter simulation-a week from Saturday. My team is poised and ready, and we will finalize the preparations next Friday. As for my acting as Sheltering Lead for this area, that will be decided next Friday, also.

I sat in on the Prescott Indivisible chapter meeting this evening. It focused on civics- helping those in attendance brush up on state government. This is something that everyone ought to know, so it was time well spent. There was not a whole lot of counterproductive bickering about personalities, which was gratifying. I see that the Governor of California has come out as opposing boys playing in girls’ sports. Personally, I think there are probably enough transgender athletes that they could compete against one another. On the other hand, there are times where girls take part in traditionally “boys-only” sports, like baseball and tackle football, so I think such matters need to be weighed carefully-on a case by case basis.

I ended the day by proofreading a paper by a Baha’i student from Indonesia, who I had met whilst in the Philippines, last month. It focused on an ecumenical ceremony hosted by some Buddhists, using traditional Javanese spiritual practices. I found the whole premise quite enlightening. It is called Ruwatan and is a means for fostering respect for diversity.

Sometimes, a day full of dribs and drabs works out quite well.

The Road to Diamond, Day 97: Ties That Bind

2
Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Education, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

March 5, 2025- Today marked the 14th anniversary of Penny’s passing. I kept a low profile, mostly reading, talking with Aram on the phone, then gratefully getting and replying to a message from Kathy. In the afternoon, I joined a couple of friends in prayer, then watched an interesting podcast, an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience that focused on those who communicate non-verbally, either by spelling out words on paper or through telepathy.

The presenter, Ky Dickens, is also known for her series, The Telepathy Tapes. She has worked with several non-verbal people, both high school students and adults. Ky described her experiences in verifying her subjects’ telepathic abilities. One student was able to read Portuguese and Japanese, without having actually studied the languages. The student could also decipher hieroglyphics, with accuracy verified by an Egyptologist. Another could accurately describe what Ms. Dickens was thinking, on several occasions, from a distance of ten miles.

Joe was quite intrigued by the evidence that Ky Dickens offered, allowing plenty of room to consider the ties that bind us, as an energy field. We ourselves are likely energy fields, not dissimilar to gravity and magnetism. The discourse branched out from that comparison, to the subject of animal awareness. Joe, an avid hunter, noted what he has observed deer and wolves. Mule deer have evolved as a species of alacrity, ever alert to the presence of mountain lions, their primary predator. Wolves have developed a strategy of one of the pack chasing predators while one or two others lie in wait further along the way. Any dog or cat owner knows that animals have a sensitivity to the energy emitted by their humans. Horses, likewise, have a multitude of sensitivities to magnetism and electricity.

There was finally a consideration of how society could develop sensitivity to the non-verbals, and draw out their talents, not regard them as mentally deficient, as has often been the case in the past. Joe also cautioned against allowing people with telepathic sensitivities to be manipulated by unscrupulous forces.

Both he and Ky agreed that unity is the most basic manifestation of love, and that non-verbal people show a greater capacity, in that respect. Having worked with autistic and Downs Syndrome children and teens, I heartily concur with their assessment. Ky also welcomes viewers to watch her series, and to ask reasonably skeptical questions, in order to research the subject on their own. I think Penny would agree.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-telepathy-tapes/id1766382649

The Road to Diamond, Day 95: Un-central

2
Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

March 3,2025- The Department of Homeland Security is exploring a policy of having its staff members fan out over the country, with considerably fewer people stationed in Washington, DC. This would seem to be a far saner course of action, than the scorched earth approach being taken by so many other agencies and departments, in seeking to save taxpayer dollars.

In the few executive positions I have occupied, in my educational career, it has been my greatest joy to meet people in the various communities I served. Spending some time in the office, or with my supervisors at headquarters, can hardly be avoided, but when I noticed co-workers playing Solitaire on the computer or having paper airplane tossing contests, it just confirmed to me that it was best to get out and visit people where they lived.

There were a couple of agencies where my getting out of the building was neither approved nor appreciated afterward. Those particular supervisors had need of a coterie of supporters, seated and waiting for instructions. It did not surprise me, when they found themselves being ushered out the door by the Governing Board.

With that, I would say that our nation is best served by the Federal government in a less-centralized manner, overall. Federal law enforcement, the IRS and FEMA would be much better understood and more appreciated on the ground, rather than viewed, and speculated about, from afar. This is similar to the model of community policing, and while it, like the neighbourhood cop, is something to which it would take some time for people to adapt, it is the best antidote to conspiracy theories, which arise when people don’t have a sense of transparency from their government. Constant contact also offers the opportunity for those who might feel alienated to be consulted, as to ways in which government service might improve.

The day will come when there will be a worldwide executive. That body will need to have a strong decentralized support system in place, well before it is established. The time to begin decentralizing is now.

The Road to Diamond, Day 92: Plotting Course

2
Posted by on in collaborating, Community, distraction issues, Education, impediments, Inner Struggles, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

February 28, 2025- Just before waking, this morning, I dreamed that I was climbing up a ladder made of tree branches. At a certain point, a key rung in the ladder snapped off. Unable to safely continue up the ladder, I got off and followed a dirt path, that wound around towards my home. I was walking contentedly along the path and came upon two groups of youths who were tussling and wrestling, in front of a primitive lean-to, thatched roofed house. I felt composed and detached from what was going on, and kept walking-at which point I woke up.

I now feel somewhat composed and detached, regarding the current back and forth between liberals and conservatives in our nation. I know that I am not willing to kowtow to anyone who seeks to impose their will, in an ad hoc or ex-oficio manner. I have noticed people on both sides, “yelling” online-typing responses in capital letters and cursing at people they deem to be not meeting their expectations. That is the mark of a desperate soul, expressing fear of the “other side”. I have also seen people on both sides expressing their opinions in a calm, but firm, tone of voice, not yelling-but not giving way, either.

I covered a few small classes today, with little to do other than take roll and remind one or two people to not use their cell phones during class. While the students were working on their Chrome Book lessons, I read some initial chapters of a book on the German Army, 1933-45. It was instructive to find that Adolf Hitler did not, initially, take the full reins of control over the Armed Forces (Wehrmacht) and that he initially trusted the commanders to build up their own fighting force, even pushing aside his paramilitary force, the SS. He seized control, of course, around 1938, and the result was the horror that the world experienced, until 1945.

Technology,and the pace of events, has quickened in the past 80 years, so it is unlikely that we will see any leader bide time and leave matters to chance. The course of human events, moreover, will proceed at a rapid clip, in some ways, and whipsaw back and forth, in other areas. This is why it is best to keep an open mind on many issues, and not assume that those expressing points of view other than one’s own are somehow to be taken sharply to task and fiercely set straight. We do ourselves an injustice by plotting our own courses using a route of fear and trepidation.

The Road to Diamond, Day 87: Home Stretch

4
Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Family, Hiking and Nature, impediments, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Slow Food Prescott, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

February 23, 2025- “Are you having fun yet?”, asked the random man standing at a corner, as if on guard. “All night long!”, I replied, “Have a nice night”, and kept walking, as someone striking up a conversation in the dark usually wants one of two things-neither of which is good. “Good answer”, he called from behind me. Hearing no footfalls afterward, I continued on to Home Base I, at an unhurried pace.

Days and nights, in general, around here offer a consistency. One accomplishes as much as one wants, with as much, or as little, help from others as is welcomed. That is the measure of a proper Home Base. It is a village that raises children. It is a safe place for those whose only wish is to grow old in peace. It is a forum for Right and Left alike. It is the recipient of my attention, for much of the next six months, as we anticipate a particularly challenging fire season, followed by a monsoon period, the strength of which has yet to be determined.

I will have journeys during this time: Southern California (March 10-13); Nevada (March 25-30), part of which will most likely be spent with Filipino friends who plan on visiting; eastward (May 5-23), to visit with family and friends, in the Midwest, Northeast and South. The rest of the time will be spent with my teammates in Red Cross, Farmers Market, Slow Food-Prescott and my faith community. I will get in more hikes and, given the cutbacks in National Forest personnel, be more given to taking drives to monitor abandoned campsites- shovel and jerry can on hand, to put out any lingering smolders. I will be at Coffee Klatsch most Monday mornings and Soup Kitchen most Monday evenings.

Our national government is, by default, summoning more of us to focus on the well-being of our local communities, and it may be quite surprised at just how many people care deeply-and how much they care. The last time I was this focused on Home Base was in 2020, during the midst of COVID, and I had a lot of company, between here in Prescott and in Alexandria, Louisiana, (the latter due to hurricanes that didn’t care there was a pandemic afoot.)

September will bring the seal to this Home Stretch: Farm-to-Table Dinner is returning on September 6. I will be there as a volunteer, before (world conditions permitting) heading to Europe, and possibly East Africa, for the rest of September and most of October. In the meantime, my focus is as described above.