Unto every father hath been enjoined the instruction of his son and daughter in the art of reading and writing and in all that hath been laid down in the Holy Tablet.
(Baha’u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 37)

Love. Love is what has been laid down in the Holy Tablet. Many more laws indeed but the most profound is the law around which all other laws revolve — the law of love:

Know thou of a certainty that Love is the secret of God’s holy Dispensation, the manifestation of the All-Merciful, the fountain of spiritual outpourings. Love is heaven’s kindly light, the Holy Spirit’s eternal breath that vivifieth the human soul. Love is the cause of God’s revelation unto man, the vital bond inherent, in accordance with the divine creation, in the realities of things. Love is the one means that ensureth true felicity both in this world and the next. Love is the light that guideth in darkness, the living link that uniteth God with man, that assureth the progress of every illumined soul. Love is the most great law that ruleth this mighty and heavenly cycle, the unique power that bindeth together the divers elements of this material world, the supreme magnetic force that directeth the movements of the spheres in the celestial realms. Love revealeth with unfailing and limitless power the mysteries latent in the universe. Love is the spirit of life unto the adorned body of mankind, the establisher of true civilization in this mortal world, and the shedder of imperishable glory upon every high-aiming race and nation.
(Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 27)

Love can be expressed in many ways. One of the ways I express my love for my dear daughters is by baking for them my special birthday cake.

Three years ago I was unable to be with my daughter Juliet on her first birthday. I was heart broken beyond words. I made a promise to myself then, to make every humanly possible effort to never miss a birthday of either of my beautiful little girls. And so far, with God’s help, not only have I been present at each of their birthdays but I have also baked my birthday cake at each of their birthday parties.

Today my little Juliet turned four and I was so happy to arrange a party for her, her older sister and some dear friends who have helped me throughout this summer of tests and difficulties. I baked the special birthday party that my mother always baked for my own birthday parties. The girls liked the cake and that was nice but what was best of all was seeing the happiness on their bright faces as they hugged me and ran around in their joyous celebration. Being able to share my love with them makes me happy. Being able to recognize that it is God who gave me the gift of having two wonderful daughters and it is God who put the gift of love for them in my heart, makes me doubly happy, and grateful! I feel I have a gift in me to not just be a good father but to be a great father. And I fully intend to share this gift with the ones God entrusted me with.

Birthday cake baking fathers of the world, unite! The world needs more of us (just as the world needs more girl engineers)!

Rebequa Murphy was known for her public talks but 12 years ago I was lucky to be given a very silent, very personal lesson by her. I think the story of that lesson is worth remembering… Here is how I met Becky Murphy:

It was the spring of 1996 and I was a graduate student at the Rochester Institute of Technology. I was also in the midst of my second investigation of the Baha’i Faith which resulted in my actual signing a Baha’i registration card (my first declaration had happened during a phone call from Bulgaria to Ukraine in 1990 but had not involved signing a card as there were no such cards then). I had become a regular attendant at the firesides hosted by Debbie and Bob Rosenfeld, who had told me that after declaring my Faith the main thing was to study the Covenant (I am writing this on the Day of the Covenant).

One Sunday morning I had arrived early and while waiting for the fireside to start I made myself comfortable and sat next to a very unassuming lady with skin darker than mine and curly hair, humbly dressed and sitting peacefully.

If this blog were a video, here it would go into slow motion in order to be able to capture my thought process…

Since at that time I was at that turning point in life where the Baha’i teachings from an abstraction were becoming a guidance for living, I had decided to start applying them. Being somewhat aware that to overcome racism I needed to practice fellowship with people of other races, I approached that lady thinking to myself that I should be kind to her… The reason for that kindness was, of course, because I was now enlightened, and she seemed to be African-American. I am sharing my thoughts here because moments later I realized how prejudiced they had been; there was a certain arrogance in my desire to be kind to a strange lady because she happened to be of African decent…

I approached the lady and we started talking. I am not sure what my expectations must have been but they were clearly not high. I very well remember how within the first sentences of our conversation I was amazed and humbled by that lady’s poise and natural dignity. And I was very embarrassed of having realized my prejudice but since the embrace of her love was so inviting, there was no time for self-beating. Seize your chance seems to have been the theme of Rebequa Murphy’s life. For Rebequa Murphy was the name of the lady sitting next to me.

She asked me where I was from and where I studied, and soon after I had told her about my studies in the former Soviet Union, she told me about her childhood as the daughter of the Ethiopian ambassador to the Soviet Union and about her adventures in the Kremlin at the time of Khrushchev. The Soviet leader had held young Rebequa in his arms during a certain state dinner and had told her that if she was ever in trouble she could always ask him for help.  She had taken Khrushchev’s advice to heart and later on when her own mother had scolded her about something, Becky rushed to the Kremlin where she insisted to the Red Army guards that they should let her in to talk to Krushchev because that is what he had told her to do! She must have been invincible from early childhood on.

Becky spoke to me in fluent Russian that day but now that I look back on that event, I know she must have spoken to me in the language of the heart. I will remember that day forever. That was the day, when the former Baha’i representative to the United Nations (for that is who the unassuming lady sitting next to me was) taught me silently how to recognize and overcome at least two of my major prejudices.

That day Becky Murphy taught me a lesson in spiritual transformation — silently, lovingly and effectively. And for that I shall be forever grateful to her. Please pray for the progress of her radiant soul:

O Thou Kind Lord!  This dearly cherished maidservant was attracted to Thee, and through reflection and discernment longed to attain Thy presence and enter Thy realms.  With tearful eyes she fixed her gaze on the Kingdom of Mysteries.  Many a night she spent in deep communion with Thee, and many a day she lived in intimate remembrance of Thee.  At every morn she was mindful of Thee, and at every eve she centered her thoughts upon Thee.  Like unto a singing nightengale she chanted Thy sacred verses, and like unto a mirror she sought to reflect Thy light.

O Thou Forgiver of sins!  Open Thou the way for this awakened soul to enter Thy Kingdom, and enable this bird, trained by Thy hand, to soar in the eternal rose garden.  She is afire with longing to draw nigh unto Thee; enable her to attain Thy presence.  She is distraught and distressed in separation from Thee; cause her to be admitted into Thy Heavenly Mansion.

O Lord!  We are sinners, but Thou art the Forgiver.  We are submerged in the ocean of shortcomings, but Thou art the Pardoner; the Kind.  Forgive our sins and bless us with Thine abundant grace.  Grant us the privilege of beholding Thy Countenance, and give us the chalice of joy and bliss.  We are captives of our own transgressions, and Thou art the King of bountiful favors.  We are drowned in a sea of iniquities, and Thou art the Lord of infinite mercy.  Thou art the Giver, the Glorious, the Eternal, the Bounteous; and Thou art the All-Gracious, the All-Merciful, the Omnipotent, He Who is the Bestower of gifts and the Forgiver of sins.  Verily, Thou art He to Whom we turn for the remission of our failings, He Who is the Lord of Hosts.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

O Thou kind Lord! This gathering is turning to Thee. These hearts are radiant with Thy love. These minds and spirits are exhilarated by the message of Thy glad-tidings. O God! Let this American democracy become glorious in spiritual degrees even as it has aspired to material degrees, and render this just government victorious. Confirm this revered nation to upraise the standard of the oneness of humanity, to promulgate the Most Great Peace, to become thereby most glorious and praiseworthy among all the nations of the world. O God! This American nation is worthy of Thy favors and is deserving of Thy mercy. Make it precious and near to Thee through Thy bounty and bestowal.
- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

But while all the TV pundits keep on updating their maps and statistics, I want to offer a different perspective, and write about a couple of things that are as important, if not more –  to me personally, at least — particularly as far as statistics and maps go:

Last night at Feast we heard extremely encouraging statistics: in our cluster there are now 7 ongoing children classes (in addition to 4 more that have been on pause), and in these active classes there are 25 Baha’i children and 53 non-Baha’i children. This is truly outstanding since it is only few months ago that the closing of One World Baha’i School brought a lot of anxiety to the community. Nobody could have predicted that this outward orientation will produce such good results. Good job to all children classes teachers and the coordinators! We do live in changing times, indeed!

On the subject of maps, the 41 regional Baha’i conferences have been announced and one has already taken place in Lusaka, Zambia! For a truly global perspective, see the map below! For truly inspiring news, follow http://news.bahai.org! We do live in interesting times, indeed!

What prompted my thoughts on how to shape one’s identity was the realization that without action all we could do is absorb — through osmosis — whatever the environment has to offer. And if we don’t like what the environment offers — if we want change — we need to be prepared to swim against the tide, to be ready for action and work, systematic and tireless.

Bulgarian Identity

As any parent, the question of what identity I want for my kids is on my mind quite often. As a Bulgarian living in the U.S., naturally I want them to speak Bulgarian thus I want some of their identity to be Bulgarian. I’ve been taking them to a Saturday afternoon Bulgarian school but I realize that this alone cannot guarantee their knowledge of Bulgarian. The reality is, they live in an English-speaking, American culture and if left alone, all they will learn is whatever they hear and see, and that will not be Bulgarian — not that the environment is hostile to the Bulgarian language, it just does not take proactive role of supporting Bulgarian language. So, my resolution, as the new school year begins, is to use every opportunity I have to teach them some Bulgarian and practice with them, in the hope that one day when they visit Bulgaria, they will not be totally clueless.

Baha’i Identity

Similarly, the question of shaping a Baha’i identity — for myself and for my kids — is one of swimming against the tide, and making proactive effort to counter the materialistic osmosis with spiritual action.

As much as I want my kids to have a Bulgarian identity, I want them most of all to be raised as Baha’is; to have a Baha’i identity. The Universal House of Justice in one of its messages from 1996 has a very specific take on the benefits of having a Baha’i identity: “the capacity to look upon the world and its conditions from the point of view of the Teachings rather than from the standpoint of one’s nationality or non-Bahá’í background“.

When my daughters grow up, of course, they will make their own choice if they want to be Baha’is or not, but for now as they are very little, it is my responsibility as a father to provide the best for them; and the best, as I understand it today, are the Baha’i teachings.

I became a Baha’i 18 years ago and even though my path has not been straight at all, and my practice of the Baha’i teachings has not always been consistent, I have no doubts of my personal commitment to the Baha’i Faith. I firmly believe that the Baha’i Faith can offer my kids the best spiritual defense they would need to deal with life’s challenges as they grow. For we live in a society so materialistic and so confused about its priorities (I know it from my own multiple trials and errors), that unless provided with clear guidance and principles that are practiced on a daily basis, it is so easy to lose one’s bearings. Not that our society is proactively hostile to spirituality — on the contrary, America is significantly more religious than Europe — but to foster spirituality in my children’s (and my own) identity, I need to dedicate time for spiritual education. Thus my commitment to persist in offering spiritual education for my children (and others when appropriate).

Thine eye is My trust, suffer not the dust of vain desires to becloud its luster. Thine ear is a sign of My bounty, let not the tumult of unseemly motives turn it away from My Word that encompasseth all creation. Thine heart is My treasury, allow not the treacherous hand of self to rob thee of the pearls which I have treasured therein. Thine hand is a symbol of My loving-kindness, hinder it not from holding fast unto My guarded and hidden Tablets…. Unasked, I have showered upon thee My grace. Unpetitioned, I have fulfilled thy wish. In spite of thy undeserving, I have singled thee out for My richest, My incalculable favors…. O My servants! Be as resigned and submissive as the earth, that from the soil of your being there may blossom the fragrant, the holy and multicolored hyacinths of My knowledge. Be ablaze as the fire, that ye may burn away the veils of heedlessness and set aglow, through the quickening energies of the love of God, the chilled and wayward heart. Be light and untrammeled as the breeze, that ye may obtain admittance into the precincts of My court, My inviolable Sanctuary.
(Baha’u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 322)

If this is too long, try this:

Let your eye be chaste, your hand faithful, your tongue truthful and your heart enlightened.
(Baha’u'llah, Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 138)

Oh, and if you are interested in the recipe for disaster, reverse the instructions above and watch for the consequences…

Enter into wedlock, O people, that ye may bring forth one who will make mention of Me amid My servants. This is My bidding unto you; hold fast to it as an assistance to yourselves.
(Baha’u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 41)

My four and a half year old daughter gave me a terrific lesson yesterday, one of those moments I was grateful for and humbled by — when the student becomes the teacher.

Yesterday morning I took my two beautiful daughters to the “orange park” — one of the treats I have for them — by putting them on a little bike trailer. They have fun on the way there and back, and fun at the actual playground. It is one of those special moments and places we have that we know is ours, and we all look forward to it.

As we arrived at the playground on that sunny Sunday morning, the only other people there were a mother and her two and a half year old son, hesitating whether to stay and play or go on with their own bike ride. My girls’ energy, abundantly shared as soon as they arrived, apparently convinced the boy that he also wanted to stay and play.

The special moment I wanted to share about took place when my Sofia went to a plastic tunnel where she and her sister Juliet often like to sit and hide. The little boy joined and sat comfortably in the tunnel, as his mother was carefully observing from aside. Then, Sofia knowingly announced: “This is a Prayer Station” to which the mother of the boy replied with a surprised “Oh, that is nice”. I did not want to intervene too much as the beauty of the moment was that Sofia made this announcement on her own, unprompted. All I did was I asked Sofia what she would do in a prayer station, to which she replied that she would say prayers, and when I encouraged her to start, she proudly sang:

Say: God sufficeth all things above all things, and nothing in the heavens or in the earth but God sufficeth. Verily, He is in Himself the Knower, the Sustainer, the Omnipotent.

Then she asked the boy if he knew the one that starts with “Oh God, guide me” Before long the game switched into a more Olympics-like direction with proper gymnastics and play in the sand, yet for me as a parent, that precious moment was an unexpected reward and inspiration — that my little / big girl was so confidently sharing what she is learning in her spiritual education — the joy of saying a prayer and praising God. It was humbling to observe the purity of my girl’s soul and how she applied her own creativity in this imaginary — and a very real — game of finding connection between the physical and the spiritual.

As I was biking back home, I was thinking to myself about the idea of a prayer station. Wouldn’t it be great to have a prayer station where we all could go and refill on spiritual power. And isn’t that exactly what a devotional gathering should be? So, I am thinking to myself that if I were to organize and host a devotional gathering in my apartment, I might call it a Prayer Station, in honor of my beautiful daughter and the lesson she taught me yesterday!

This little story was one of those wonderful reminders of how grateful I should be for the gift of the Baha’i Faith, and it provided fresh inspiration for my own quest of who I truly am… for:

True loss is for him whose days have been spent in utter ignorance of his self.
(Baha’u'llah, Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 156)

Through the Teachings of this Day Star of Truth every man will advance and develop until he attaineth the station at which he can manifest all the potential forces with which his inmost true self hath been endowed. It is for this very purpose that in every age and dispensation the Prophets of God and His chosen Ones have appeared amongst men, and have evinced such power as is born of God and such might as only the Eternal can reveal.
(Baha’u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 67)

Let us try to understand the commands of the Most High and to order our lives as He directs. True happiness depends on spiritual good and having the heart ever open to receive the Divine Bounty.

If the heart turns away from the blessings God offers how can it hope for happiness? If it does not put its hope and trust in God’s Mercy, where can it find rest? Oh, trust in God! for His Bounty is everlasting, and in His Blessings, for they are superb. Oh! put your faith in the Almighty, for He faileth not and His goodness endureth for ever! His Sun giveth Light continually, and the Clouds of His Mercy are full of the Waters of Compassion with which He waters the hearts of all who trust in Him. His refreshing Breeze ever carries healing in its wings to the parched souls of men! Is it wise to turn away from such a loving Father, Who showers His blessings upon us, and to choose rather to be slaves of matter?

(Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 108)

This afternoon, I got a wonderful confirmation of something I had had a dream about few days ago — a dear friend has indeed arrived in Arlington, and help is within reach! We all crave confirmations and friendship, and I got that today. Thanks be to God!

After two days of biking to work, my metabolism has kicked in on a higher gear and I cannot stop craving for something nice and fatty. Macadamia nuts, cashews and dried fruits don’t cut it. I guess, it will have to be a Perivuan chicken dinner.

Last but not least, I just past my final exam for the Wilmette Institute course on “Islam for Deepening and Understanding”, and got 92.67 out of 100. Not bad for a person who was raised on prejudice against Islam. Just in case there is confusion on what Islam is, it means “submission to God”. Now, passing the exam is the easy part — the intellectual task. The actual goal is the one that will produce the best confirmation — submission to the Will of God! May God help me in this, and may God help all your loved ones!

Over the past two days I assisted Justin in launching a beautiful new site on spiritual education for children in Northern Virginia.

And having practiced in other neighborhoods and in our own home, today for the first time we did what we’ve been called for so long — we went to a nearby neighborhood with two blankets, set of coloring sheets, crayons, bubbles, songs, our own children and trust in God. It all went in a classical way — first hesitation — we went to the playground, saw no other children, and were ready to go to another park. The girls had a different idea — they wanted to play on the jungle gym. As they took their time, one girl from the neighborhood showed up, and that was enough for us. We went to the meadow in the middle of the apartment complex, spread the blankets and started with the bubble song and coloring. Before long, there were 7 non-Baha’i children coloring, learning about unity, and singing “We are drops of one ocean”. Everything felt absolutely natural. A couple of mothers stopped by to see what we were doing. It was great that we were in front of everybody — they could see what their kids were doing and they were clearly pleased and grateful that we were working with their children. The kids themselves had fun and said they can’t wait until next Saturday to continue with the class.

It feels great to be obedient. I feel today we were obedient to God and to the Faith’s institutions. Thank you Baha’u'llah!