It has been said, “Children brought up in love are seldom brought up in court.” Likewise. those brought up in homes where outgoing friendliness, kindness and mutual respect define the daily atmosphere of living, are more likely to almost unconsciously acquire the habit of interacting in a more friendly, patient and loving way with others.
This reminds me of the occasion when my daughter and I took her triplets at an early age on a pre-holiday bus trip to New York City to see the sights while others attended a Broadway play. As we were boarding the bus the next day to return home, my brother (now deceased) who had driven down from his home in Maine, and my sister (now deceased) who at the time still resided in “The Big Apple,” were giving each triplet a monetary bill –I do not know the denomination of each as before we realized it, each of them had turned around and proceeded to follow the first one’s action of dropping it into the hat of a peddler who was sitting near by!
On the other hand, adults whose early lives are spent in homes where there was a great deal of unkindness may find, as they grow older, that they wish to become more loving once they realize how far their feelings and conduct fall below the high standards of love and unity.
The Baha’i Holy Writings in particular, overflow with ideas. instructions and daily prayers and exercises promoting self-transformation, independently and collectively, that assist us in such high aspirations. High among my favorites is a little book entitled Counsels of Perfection from which we have held many most inspiring sessions.
The first instruction, “We must associate with ALL humanity with gentleness and kindness”–a totally inconceivable and unpopular concept in today’s increasingly rude and insensitive “fake” society. Next, “Under no circumstances whatsoever should we assume any attitude except that of gentleness and humility”–now we’re getting worse as humility has generally always been perceived as weakness although quite the contrary. It takes great courage to be gentle, especially if a man (or a Black woman). The opposite strong more forceful dispositions are often more indicative of inmates of “The Prison of Self,” the chapter that precedes the one on Gentleness and Love. The numerous subtitles in this most intriguing chapter include, “I Must be First,” “What Will Other People Say (or think)?”–and, the king of them all, “Finding Faults with Others,” a major weakness among most of us.
One simple memorization used to begin many Baha’i children’s sessions in particular: “One must see in every human being only that which is worthy of praise,” is also one we most frequently forget to apply to ourselves–as I was once most diplomatically reminded of by my only grandson at a very early age. The Writings also remind us: “Humanity is not perfect. There are imperfections in every human being and we will always become unhappy if we look toward the people themselves.
Therefore, do not look at the shortcomings of anyone; see with the eye of forgiveness–as God forgives us! “The imperfect eye beholds imperfections.” The eye that covers faults looks toward the Creator of all souls; …
”Whose eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches over you and me– Thoughts to keep in mind especially during this blessed . . .
– HAPPY THANKSGIVING SEASON! –
