Treasures Beyond Measure

A very holy day.

I again attended Farsi class in Burien with the youngsters, who already speak Farsi in their homes, but are learning to write it. The instructor, Saied, is an instrument maker. He had recently met my friends Tim and Deb, coincidentally at a convention. They publish a magazine for people who make instruments. Sunday he mentioned that he had seen their magazine while he lived in Iran. He brought out a Tar he had made.

Two large hollow lobes join to form the body of the instrument, made from mulberry wood. There is lambskin stretched across the body cavity, a long neck with camel bone frets, and gut strings. It was strummed with a pick made from a narrow, flat brass piece with a handle from beeswax. It was beautiful. One of the students brought her violin and she played that during the break; the teacher played a piece on the tar, and another student played a traditional Iranian melody on the recorder. I was enchanted.

Sunday afternoon we celebrated the Twelfth Day of Ridvan at Lisa's house in Salishan, rebuilt subsidized housing. The original houses, WWII-vintage, had been falling apart. The new houses make a beautiful neighborhood, and Lisa's home has become a hub of children's classes and a study circle for learning to teach. Parents trust their children to Lisa, as she works in the neighborhood school.

Sunday we had about six or seven adults plus numerous students from her classes, who sat quietly attentive during the Holy Day devotions. A song of unity by the Black Eyed Peas was played, then George told a story about the festival of Ridvan. The readings were long, and I tried to help make the service more accessible to the children by saying a shorter prayer and singing a song. Soon we were all singing songs of unity that the children sing in their classes.

To my surprise, I was invited afterward to a home visit with "Jeff", a gentleman contacted recently who said he felt the Baha'is were guided to his door, as the Baha'i message seems to be something which he needs right now. He was warm, friendly, and spiritually deepened and had much to add to the scriptures we studied on the subject of honesty.

Because I was surprised to end up the day in this lovely study class, I was reminded of lyrics by Gerry Rafferty: "who knows what the day will bring, it can bring anything. Who knows if we'll still be here--we could be there."

There is a verse by Baha'u'llah which I have always found touching, and I offered a song based on that verse, feeling that there are so many jewels hiding in our communities, waiting for us to meet each other. [Regard man as a mine, rich in gems . . . ~ Baha'u'llah.]

The song I offered:

To gather jewels have I come to this world. If one speck of a jewel lie hid in a stone, and that stone be beyond the seven seas, until I have found and secured that jewel, my hand shall not stay from its rest.

~ Baha'u'llah