Our world has been violently shaken in the last couple of weeks.  Thousands have suffered and countless lives have been lost in China and in Myanmar.  So many are suffering and many others are looking for explanations and trying to make sense of these catastrophes.

From the wise counsels of Abdu’l-Baha I have gleaned the following: 

In times of tragedy we are reminded that we are one human family, all with the same needs and all suffering from the same pain.  We also see how tragedy brings out the most noble side of humanity: strangers and friends alike arise to offer help, to contribute money and material goods, and to pray for their fellow human beings who are grieving and who are suffering. 

While we try to do our best to assist in whatever ways we can, ‘Abdu’l-Baha also reminds that we must remember that this physical existence is just the beginning of our eternal journey towards God.  Those who have died are not gone, they have simply gone on ahead of us to the spiritual realms.  It is as if God has taken a potted plant out of its small pot and replanted it in a vast garden where it can grow much better.  Physical death is not the end but it’s the beginning of their growth in the spiritual life, as our souls are immortal.

Physical disasters also remind us that this mortal life is inherently unstable and unpredictable.  It reminds us that what is important is the development of our souls because that’s what is everlasting.  Everything else is temporary.  We realize that we must seize every opportunity to show love, to be of service, and to help others.  If we do this, then every moment we’re alive has true meaning. When we leave this world, all that we take with us are what we have made of our souls and our good deeds.  And as a society, if we don’t learn from these disasters and make safety more important than profit, then that in itself is a second tragedy. 

As an offering, in memory of all those who have lost their lives in the recent natural disasters, I would like to share the ‘Prayer for the departed’ from my recent CD, ‘Fire and Gold’.  I hope you will use it in meetings and memorial gatherings that you have to remember all those who are suffering around the world.  

 Click here to download ‘The Prayer for the Departed’.

I’m excited to share my new project with you! In addition to working on music, there are other projects that I have been engaged in recently. About a year ago, I began the process of writing two children’s books on the lives of Amelia Collins and Taraz’u’llah Samandari. They were two unique individuals whose character and service to others are exemplary. I chose to write about them because children’s books of uplifting role models are quite scarce. However, the main reason I wanted to write about them was because my children are named after these two precious individuals.

As children’s books are illustrated with lots of color and beautiful pictures, I had started collecting photographs of them for the books. The photos I found were black and white so I was determined to find a way to have them colored. A few months ago, I had the pleasure of finding a wonderful artist who digitally colors photographs (thank you Alice). She has transformed each photo so beautifully (we had to receive special permission to color the original photographs). Here is a sample of one of the photos of Amelia Collins that will be included in her book.

At this time we have almost completed the first book about the life of Amelia Collins and hope to find a way to publish it soon. The photographs are lovely and I look forward to sharing the finished product with children and adults too! Here is a photo of my own Taraz and Amelia to whom the books are dedicated.

Thought of the Day:

“…regarding the education of children: It behoveth thee to nurture them…and urge them onward to the things of the spirit…that their ways may conform to the rules of good conduct and their character be second to none; that they make their own all the graces and praiseworthy qualities of humankind.” - Abdu’l-Baha