Day 18 of the Fast
Dear friends of mine have lost a family member, suddenly. They are grieving and it is being felt by our whole community. I feel their sadness and sorrow as they attempt to move through life without this dear soul. This very recent experience caused me to think about how fleeting this life on earth is and how much time I have wasted thinking about and pursuing things that are of no consequence to developing spiritually, things that actually hinder this progress. In the Baha'i Writings there are so many beautiful references to the significance of this world as a training ground in preparation for the next. In a nutshell and with my very limited grasp of so vast a Revelation, I have understood that our purpose is to acquire virtues, strengthen in them as these are the equivalent of our limbs and senses, the powers that our souls require to navigate through the next plane of existence. With all of this in my mind, my question today was what can help me to refrain from wasting so much time on the frivolity of life, from being distracted by things that are of no real importance? The significance of cooperation did not immediately seem to answer this question for me, but as I read and re-read the card I saw how cooperation is the action of looking outside of myself toward the wants and needs of others. The world and its entrapments cause me to look inward to think about only myself and my needs, to orient my life in pursuit of attaining material things. The practices of cooperation compel me to look at others, notice what is needed and blend my talents with others toward achieving it. In a meeting I had yesterday, I shared a vision of an organisation working together toward a unified vision. Most of the meeting attendees actively engaged in this conversation and were open to looking at ways they could could cooperate with one another more. It was wonderful to watch this conversation unfold and see how people were accepting of the need to release conflict and contention. I know this will be the guiding force of the report I submit to the group, giving them hope and encouragement in the knowledge that they have the building blocks needed to establish a culture centred around cooperation. I can learn from this experience as when I take the time to put down the petty jealousies and irritations that inevitably surface in working side by side with others, my energy is more vital and effective. When I stop my preoccupation with my limitations, I was able to adequately express myself and facilitate a meaningful and useful discussion. As my community begins to take steps to cocoon my dear friends in an effort to ease their suffering, sharing the load of grief and bringing us all into a circle of unity, I know for sure that this is what I need more of in the year ahead.
Cooperation is a major means of reducing materialism, too. When we work together we need less.