Let them at all times concern themselves with doing a kindly thing for one of their fellows, offering to someone love, consideration, thoughtful help. ~'Abdu'l-Baha
A friend suggested to our Dawn Prayers group that we take on a service project to prepare a booklet for those parents who have lost a child. This terribly sad and tragic phenomena is not something we share openly and speak about, though it is an ever present part of life. No matter at what stage the child is lost there is a wound that opens and requires healing. We are still learning how the coming together of humans helps this process of healing to advance. We find that precious space of healing communion with like-minded souls. I loved this idea that we are to undertake as it allows our love for each other to reach far beyond what we would consider our sphere of influence to be. It can be felt further afield. It can be such a lonely time for a delicate heart and the desire to isolate and create stories around being the only one, serves to widen the already painful injury. We can even take on the facade that nothing is wrong and we have a tough exterior to deal with such things. We pretend that all is well and stuff down the emotions, not feeling them and therefore not taking the time to process them through our body. They become stuck and attach themselves to our body parts and we then experience physical ailments. We then seek out physical means to alleviate the physical pain when it originated from an emotion which requires a spiritual remedy to heal. Not allowing ourselves to grieve may have this effect. I loved to read on this card how consideration is one of the most meaningful ways to show love. Taking time to think about how to help another person whom I may know or a whole group of people whom I may not know opens up space in my heart through which love may flow to the world. Often it is the little things that have such a big impact on the heart. There is no need for grandiose or expensive material gestures but a smile or a kind word may be all that is needed to raise the spirits of a crestfallen soul. I intend to go about my day thinking about the ways I may add to another's happiness.