Random Thoughts #1 Easy-Bake oven

Actually I'm going to tell you another random thought before I start in on the random thought #1.  You ever have a good idea, or good story, or something that you think is so original and then after thinking about it for a little while you realize that it's so unoriginal haha... that happens ever time I start to write on my blog.  But who cares, if we can enjoy watching the same movie 2 or 3 times, why can't we enjoy reading about an unoriginal thought...

So I was walking on this side road, through the woods today and a friend passed by with his car and offered me a ride.  I really wanted to walk through the woods, not just because it was a nice day and I love nature, but also because it was a long walk and I wanted to get that sense of accomplishment after doing something hard.   But I was so used to saying yes to rides, that immediately I started getting in the car and then halfway I realized I don't want to do this, so I had to awkwardly decline his nice gesture.  And then I started thinking, how often do we deny ourselves that sense of accomplishment?  How often do we just choose the easy way?  And what compels us to do so?  And I just thought of an example which has caught me off guard because I never owned one.  The "Easy-Bake oven" can answer some of these questions. 

The oven comes with packets of cake mix and small round pans. (Additional mixes can be purchased separately.) After water is added to the mix in the pan, it is pushed into the oven through a slot.^[1] After cooking, the cake is pushed out through a slot in the other end.

 In total you can make a cake in around 10 - 15 minutes.  And I bet there is some satisfaction after seeing the little cake pop out the back end of your toy oven, but nothing compared to making a dark chocolate raspberry filling mousse cake from scratch right?  And yet we seek things, like the Easy-Bake oven to save us the trouble, to save us the time... We type now instead of write.  We drive instead of walking.  We read internet articles instead of the newspaper.  We use machines instead of tools, ex: vacuum vs broom, chainsaw vs saw, etc.   We send text messages instead of letters.  And on and on.  But aren't we losing our orthography skills?  Aren't we less likely to meet people by driving everywhere? Aren't we getting lazier?  Aren't sound bites and headlines more sought than researching and investigating?  Are we becoming less personal and more informal? Yet we all have this hidden respect for things done the "old way", the hard way.  Still though, the majority of us wouldn't think twice about going back to the old days of hard labor.  We would consider that a waste of time and then show through the same examples that I just mentioned above how much time we've gained through those technological advances.  We focus a lot on the time gained. 

I guess my question is have we considered what we are losing by becoming a culture of quick and easy?

An indigenous experience

As you can see through these three beautiful ladies, the Ngäbe-Bugle people in Soloy, Panamá are some of the most special people I’ve had the privilege to meet. Their soft voices carry the wisdom and knowledge of their gentle culture. They radiate one simple principle through their words and actions: Love for all mankind.

Soloy is located a few hours from the Costa Rican border and is surrounded by tall trees, dirt roads and dirt paths, horses, cows, chickens, and all the wildlife one could expect by living in the middle of a jungle, including the rare ocelots. I’ve visited Soloy twice now; the first time was 8 years ago during my year of service for the Bahá’í Faith. What once took a 4x4 truck 2 hours to reach now can be traveled by a small car and takes only 35 minutes of your time. Development is beginning to spread into Soloy, like for example people carry around cell phones now, there are bus stops, there are nice bridges, all this has helped create small town markets and more merchandise is being sold, some buildings even have solar panels in order to have electricity 24 hours a day which is still a rare commodity. Some things haven’t changed, the people still wear their traditional clothes (mostly the women), the majority still walk long distances (+8 hrs) with bare feet, the rivers still sparkle and fish can be seen in their crystal waters, and people still mainly live off the land. I always found that aspect of the indigenous people so inherently noble and some of my best childhood memories are eating salads whose contents were picked from our garden. Those memories created a fondness for nature and mother earth that pull me now and then towards the jungles and oceans of the world. I can only imagine what it must feel like for the Ngäbe-Bugle having lived their whole life in a careful balance with nature.

There was an event held recently in Soloy where over 1,200 indigenous people came from all around Southern and Central America including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela. A thousand came by foot or horse, climbing down from their mountain ranges to celebrate a once a year occasion, Naw-Ruz, or the Bahá’í New Year. There were celebratory talks, artistic presentations, and traditional music played all night long. Of course it’s not usually celebrated in such grand fashion but this year was extra special because it highlighted 30 years of cultural evolution represented by the Ngäbe-Bugle. They’ve become a center of attraction for all indigenous people; even a delegation from China arrived to celebrate this most noteworthy achievement. What did they do? And how did they do it?

Not everyone came just for the celebration. After the festival was over, many of the indigenous people went back to their homes but the people invited from the surrounding countries stayed. They came to observe and learn how the Ngäbe-Bugle have transformed their community from feeling isolated and separated to a hopeful and loving family where action is directed towards the unity of all. 200+ participants of the 5 day seminar split up into groups in order to visit the local Bahá’í communities. What they witnessed and the feelings they shared could never be fully captured by words alone. However a few examples come to mind. Not long ago women were treated as inferiors, not allowed to be educated, not allowed to speak in village counsels, used for housework, and sometimes shared their husband with three other wives. This all changed within a span of 30 years. Women have a prominent role in community discussions, they are encouraged to be educated, families no longer have more than one wife, and women are considered equal in all things pertaining to the intellect and spirit. How was all this accomplished in such a short span of time? The Ngäbe-Bugle’s answers were unanimous; by cultivating a profound love for Baha’u’llah and by following His Teachings. One of those Teachings state that the mother is the child’s first educator and therefore her education is even more important than the father’s. This simple yet weighty Teaching has transformed the Ngäbe-Bugle’s way of life. Examples like this shone like precious gems throughout the community visits, inspiring the international indigenous people and renewing long forgotten hopes for their own communities growth.

Looking back, I realize how important this moment is for all indigenous people, and how meaningful it will be for the world’s future. There is so much more to share with you, like the level of sacrifice, the relationship between the community and the Local Spiritual Assembly, and all the growth and hope one feels from being around these servants of God. But I fear my simple writing is not adequate enough to reach the intense feelings of appreciation and gratitude one wishes to portray from observing such a historic event. Perhaps in more intimate conversations we can go deeper but for now I’ll just end with a few notes to peak your curiosity of the events that occurred during the 10-day trip.

NOTES – PANAMA TRIP 2012

-the insects must carry around wooden flutes

-hiking 2 hours underneath the stars cleans your soul

-a dark spider descending and disappearing like the wind

-tears parting from tear ducts and parting the community with parting gifts

-radio baha’í only station that has programs in indigenous language

-children classes are well-organized and well sung

-BESIKO: a name of a women who had great vision about a region called Boca de Remedio. She gave hope to the people and told of the coming of a Great Teaching.

-Brazilian songs don’t need microphones

-the river

Tsunami in Japan

A letter from Sendai

ANNE THOMAS 3/14/2011

published online @ Ode magazine

Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even more worthy of that name, I am now staying at a friend's home. We share supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight, share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful.

During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their home, they put out a sign so people can come to fill up their jugs and buckets.

It's utterly amazingly that where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an earthquake strikes. People keep saying, "Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone helped one another."

Quakes keep coming. Last night they struck about every 15 minutes. Sirens are constant and helicopters pass overhead often.

We got water for a few hours in our homes last night, and now it is for half a day. Electricity came on this afternoon. Gas has not yet come on. But all of this is by area. Some people have these things, others do not. No one has washed for several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully on the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring, of what is needed for survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.

There are strange parallel universes happening. Houses a mess in some places, yet then a house with futons or laundry out drying in the sun. People lining up for water and food, and yet a few people out walking their dogs. All happening at the same time.

Other unexpected touches of beauty are first, the silence at night. No cars. No one out on the streets. And the heavens at night are scattered with stars. I usually can see about two, but now the whole sky is filled. The mountains in Sendai are solid and with the crisp air, we can see them silhouetted against the sky magnificently.

And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to check on it each day, now to send this e-mail since the electricity is on, and I find food and water left in my entranceway. I have no idea from whom, but it is there. Old men in green hats go from door to door checking to see if everyone is OK. People talk to complete strangers asking if they need help. I see no signs of fear. Resignation, yes, but fear or panic, no.

They tell us we can expect aftershocks, and even other major quakes, for another month or more. And we are getting constant tremors, rolls, shaking, rumbling. I am blessed in that I live in a part of Sendai that is a bit elevated, a bit more solid than other parts. So, so far this area is better off than others. Last night my friend's husband came in from the country, bringing food and water. Blessed again.

Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is indeed an enormous Cosmic evolutionary step that is occurring all over the world right at this moment. And somehow as I experience the events happening now in Japan, I can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I felt so small because of all that is happening. I don't. Rather, I feel as part of something happening that much larger than myself. This wave of birthing (worldwide) is hard, and yet magnificent.

Thank you again for your care and Love of me,

With Love in return, to you all,
Anne

I am because of you

Dear Dad,

It’s been 12 years since you started traveling the worlds beyond,

What have you seen? Where have you gone?

9/14/82 “This my first entry to record a father’s impression of his adored son. You have filled (really!!) my life with moments of unequalled pleasure and wonderment. Imagine! A little soul developing before my eyes. A miracle, truly.”

I'm still a little soul developing before your eyes,

Only now with a slight change in size

11/4/82 “…you cry most mournfully when not properly attended to before sleep time. It will not be the last time within your childhood that you will become the treasured instrument for the subtle education of your parents in the ever needful field of patience.”

What a beautiful way of sharing your life,

a praise within advice, and recognizing the growth in strife

8/2/83 “But one thing that moves me more than anything else is the love you show to mother and me. A smile, a hug, kisses and kisses, a soft brown-eyed look to melt the heart. This is my treasure. This makes me rich beyond compare.”

Although years have past since our last meeting,

Your words feel like a recent greeting,

A reminder that our time together is anything but fleeting

And this shell to the material world is thin

And when it cracks I will walk in

To see your face wearing my favorite dad grin…

Much love,

Your son

Soul Mates

I listened to a conversation the other day about marriage. A few youth were discussing the fact that they were looking forward to it but were not quite ready. Some had a specific date or year in mind when the marriage day would occur. I remember having the exact same thoughts…

…which sparked the following series of thoughts now…

What is a healthy marriage? Society would define marriage as the outcome of two people falling in love and the necessary step to be taken in order to legalize that love. Some would say that marriage is for people that want to have children. What does it mean to raise a child? Again, the definition perhaps would be that children are the result of sexual intimacy and we raise them so they will understand the difference between right and wrong. These two questions, for me, are the keys to opening the door to marriage.

Now one could be satisfied with these semi-general definitions that are heard in our society… or one could be absolutely terrified. I feel like the majority of us fall into this second category. Fear of commitment, fear of failure, fear of the unknown. And with the above definition, marriage kind of looks like a seemingly innocent accident, which at the end of the day forces you to take a terrifying, leap of faith. But I don’t agree with the above definition.

First off, I refuse to believe something so incredible as the union of two souls; the everlasting bond sealed by the acknowledgment of a divine institution could be viewed as an accident. We are all guided and can constantly ask for guidance along the way. I’ve heard many examples of couples getting married and later realizing how they were so lovingly directed towards each other. One couple told me that they were in a bookstore, looking around, and then “accidentally” a book fell off the shelf. When they picked it up, they noticed it was about marriage. Some take years before they decide to get married, and some take days. Some have dreams, some don’t. There really is no pattern, no formula, no guarantee, and perhaps this is the scariest part for many people because they see marriage as mentioned before, a terrifying leap of faith. But what if it’s not. The answer, on the surface level, seemingly simple, is probably one of the most beautiful and necessary endeavors humans will ever undertake.

Getting to know one another.

Lately, I’ve been serving in a small community, and this question has been running through my mind. How do we get to know one another? Since service is the most complete form of adoration to God, our most meaningful interactions occur when we serve together, when we make efforts for the betterment of the world rather than when we’re focused on making ourselves happy. This statement goes right to the heart of the question and presents a solution that dissolves the earlier mentioned “fear of the unknown.” Through service we get to know each other’s characters, and more importantly we understand what it is to sacrifice our own needs for a greater purpose, we learn how to support each other’s efforts, we grow closer by forgetting ourselves because love can only grow by giving, and service to others is the true expression of love and sacrifice. This is the purest form of getting to know one another.

When we see the other person for the qualities that they have developed because of their love for God we can overcome any challenge that the marriage might go through. Once this kind of love is born you cannot get angry or upset with them because being near them is like being near God, the source of love. Abdu’l-Baha, a great spiritual teacher writes about this vision,

“Each sees in the other the Beauty of God reflected in the soul, and finding this point of similarity, they are attracted to one another in love... This love will bring the realization of true accord, the foundation of real unity.”

This subject deserves much more thought and assumes the great responsibility of getting to know oneself has already been explored.

The last question is much more difficult to comment on because I lack the experience of raising or having a child. Baha’u’llah, a Divine Educator, states,

“Marry, O people, that from you may appear he who will remember Me amongst My servants; this is one of My commandments unto you; obey it as an assistance to yourselves.”

I just cannot fathom the bounty that God has given us here. “…from you may appear he who will remember Me…” If we believe that everyone has a soul then we can define parenthood as the art of guiding the infinite. A newly born soul is clean of the dross we accumulate from this world such as vain-imaginations, ego, materialism, racism and prejudice, etc. A parent’s job is to accompany this soul, help them navigate through the world so when they are faced with a challenge they will look towards their inherent nobility for the answers and find their heart overflowing with love for others. This most essential role of the parent is being tested all the time. Everyday, through our interactions with family, friends, neighbors, strangers, we are developing our ability to comprehend, listen, give advice, help out, accompany, etc. We could see the early stages of our life as the training ground for the purpose of marriage; guiding souls to recognize their Creator.