Pilgrimage Day 1 February 2 2009

We arose and ate the buffet breakfast in the Nof, which was varied and delicious, most particularly the rosemary roasted potatoes. I never saw those potatoes again, though. It was a nice day so we walked, thinking to walk down the Terraces. After finding one of the gates at the top of the hill, it was explained to us that we could not enter before obtaining our Pilgrim name badges. We walked all the way down Yefe Nof, around the corner at the light, and all the way down Hazionut, which took at least an hour. Enayat's first views of the shrines and the buildings on the Terraces, as well as the stunning view of the Bay of Haifa were spoiled by my impatience.

At last we reached the Pilgrim Reception Center, registered in several steps, and I spent a long time in the upstairs room of the PRC poring over our schedule and making friends with another pilgrim, drinking my first cups of tea with Persian sugar cubes and milk. I think Enayat was making phone calls and visiting. Much later I discovered the second floor cafeteria at the PRC; when I first encountered it, it was filled with Persians and Enayat was in his element. We went to the International Teaching Center Auditorium for an orientation film, then walked to the Pilgrim House where we gathered in the courtyard and the Prayer for Visitation was recited, facing the Shrine of the Bab. Then we walked to the Shrine of the Bab.

[Crow Time: in Tacoma at my last residence, I discovered that all the crows in the area converge for the night in a large grove of trees in the Tideflats, hundreds of them circling around and settling down. At dawn, when I looked out of my bedroom window, it was possible to see dozens of crows streaming back from this point in all directions, flying from the sunrise and cawing as they returned to their posts for the day. In the evening, the crows all fly back from their daytime habitations and return to their nests. To me, it is magical.]

4 PM, sunset, approaching the Shrine of the Bab. It's Crow time. For reals.

There are two shrines within the ground floor of the large, golden-domed building referred to as the "Shrine of the Bab": the room where the holy remains of the Bab are interred, and the room where the holy remains of 'Abdu'l-Baha are interred. Shoes are removed before entering, and bags, purses, coats etc remain outside the Shrines, under the watchful eye of an attendant on the outside.

I entered the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Baha and began praying. Then I opened my prayer book to the Babs Prayer for Protection where I have the most recent photograph of my daughter, Pearl, taken December 28 days prior to her suicide attempt. I lost it, silently praying and blubbering, the whole wound opening up in my heart ungrieved. [From then on, I always came prepared with tissues or a handkerchief in my hand.]

Tomorrow, 0715, we meet to go to Bahji.