Truth?

So, there's a bit of a discussion on absolute truth, so I thought I'd throw in my two cents worth. I found this one quotation in Some Answered Questions:
Briefly, it is said that the "Dayspring of Revelation" is the manifestation of these words, "He doeth whatsoever He willeth"; this condition is peculiar to that Holy Being, and others have no share of this essential perfection. That is to say, that as the supreme Manifestations certainly possess essential infallibility, therefore whatever emanates from Them is identical with the truth, and conformable to reality. They are not under the shadow of the former laws. Whatever They say is the word of God, and whatever They perform is an upright action. No believer has any right to criticize; his condition must be one of absolute submission, for the Manifestation arises with perfect wisdom -- so that whatever the supreme Manifestation says and does is absolute wisdom, and is in accordance with reality. (Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 173)

So, the "Dayspring of Revelation" is another title for a Manifestation of God. "Manifestation of God" is the term used in the Baha'i Writings for Moses, Christ, Muhammad, the Bab, and Baha'u'llah. (Note that Abdu'l-Baha is not a Manifestation of God. He was the son of Baha'u'llah. Baha'u'llah appointed Abdu'l-Baha (which means Servant of Baha) as His successor and Interpreter of His Writings and the Perfect Exemplar of His teachings.)
He continues...
In short, the meaning of "He doeth whatsoever He willeth" is that if the Manifestation says something, or gives a command, or performs an action, and believers do not understand its wisdom, they still ought not to oppose it by a single thought, seeking to know why He spoke so, or why He did such a thing. The other souls who are under the shadow of the supreme Manifestations are submissive to the commandments of the Law of God, and are not to deviate as much as a hairsbreadth from it; they must conform their acts and words to the Law of God. If they do deviate from it, they will be held responsible and reproved in the presence of God. It is certain that they have no share in the permission "He doeth whatsoever He willeth," for this condition is peculiar to the supreme Manifestations.
So Christ -- may my spirit be sacrificed to Him! -- was the manifestation of these words, "He doeth whatsoever He willeth," but the disciples were not partakers of this condition; for as they were under the shadow of Christ, they could not deviate from His command and will.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 174)

Beach days

"Divine qualities are unlimited. For this reason you must not be satisfied with one quality, but must try to attain all. Each of us must improve himself, that he may attain nothing short of the best. When one stops, he descends. A bird, when it is flying, soars; but as soon as it stops, it falls. While man is directed upward, he develops. As soon as he stops, he descends. Therefore I wish the beloved of God always to ascend and develop." Abdu'l-Baha quoted in the Diary of Juliet Thompson

"The whole duty of man in this day is to attain that share of the flood of grace which God poureth for him. Let none, therefore, consider the largeness or smallness of the receptacle." Baha'u'llah

"Happy is the man that pondereth in his heart that which hath been revealed in the Books of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." Baha'u'llah

Over the past few days, I've been thinking about my life and my purpose and my capacity. Where am I going? How am I getting there? I've been reading the Diary of Juliet Thompson (the woman my sister was named after, one of the early American Baha'is who travelled to Haifa and Akka, Israel on pilgrimage and met with Abdu'l-Baha, and then also was a host to Abdu'l-Baha when He came to the United States in 1912). The diary chronicles her times in Israel as well as in the States with Abdu'l-Baha. I love this book because it gives a very real, sincere picture of how Abdu'l-Baha related to people on a personal level. He was loving, inspiring, honest. And Juliet very effectively describes the struggles of the early Baha'is, in trying to lead their lives and establish unity within the American Baha'i community. She was so full of love and humility, and it helps remind me of the attitude I want to have in my life, that of complete humility and service and love for everyone.

It's been interesting being back among the family as we've all grown and moved on in life and developed in different ways, it's a very different dynamic to the family. I am so much like my mom in many ways, as a homemaker. We both want to take care of the people we love and want everything organized and in its place and clean. We have giggled so much, especially the girls, and it's been so nice. I joke and pun a lot more around my family, I'm not quite sure why they bring that out in me :). It's fun to be able to make jokes. Sometimes they don't get it or don't laugh, but sometimes they do and that's fabulous :). Today is Christmas Eve, the day before we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. In one of the collections of the Writings of Baha'u'llah, called Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, Baha'u'llah talks about the glorious station of Christ, and Christ's effect on the world:

Know thou that when the Son of Man yielded up His breath to God, the whole creation wept with a great weeping. By sacrificing Himself, however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created things. Its evidences, as witnessed in all the peoples of the earth, are now manifest before thee. The deepest wisdom which the sages have uttered, the profoundest learning which any mind hath unfolded, the arts which the ablest hands have produced, the influence exerted by the most potent of rulers, are but manifestations of the quickening power released by His transcendent, His all-pervasive, and resplendent Spirit.
We testify that when He came into the world, He shed the splendor of His glory upon all created things. Through Him the leper recovered from the leprosy of perversity and ignorance. Through Him, the unchaste and wayward were healed. Through His power, born of Almighty God, the eyes of the blind were opened, and the soul of the sinner sanctified.
Leprosy may be interpreted as any veil that interveneth between man and the recognition of the Lord, his God. Whoso alloweth himself to be shut out from Him is indeed a leper, who shall not be remembered in the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. We bear witness that through the power of the Word of God every leper was cleansed, every sickness was healed, every human infirmity was banished. He it is Who purified the world. Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards Him.
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 85)

So, during this time, we give thanks to God that He sent us Christ to help purify our souls and draw us closer to God. Now, as a sign of our gratitude, it is our duty to use the capacity that God has given us and develop divine qualities to serve mankind and help to advance the world. Merry Christmas!

Praising God=knowing myself?

Far, far from Thy glory be what mortal man can affirm of Thee, or attribute unto Thee, or the praise with which he can glorify Thee! Whatever duty Thou hast prescribed unto Thy servants of extolling to the utmost Thy majesty and glory is but a token of Thy grace unto them, that they may be enabled to ascend unto the station conferred upon their own inmost being, the station of the knowledge of their own selves. -Baha'u'llah

In the Baha'i Writings, it is said that we, as humans, cannot fully describe God, because we can't fully comprehend Him. He is perfect and all-encompassing, omniscient, omnipotent. But these words that I use to describe God can only describe certain qualities of Him. And these words were created by Him, so clearly less than His true essence. And God's desire for us to praise Him, it seems from this quotation, leads us to knowing our own selves, which is incredible. Through praising God and sharing His message with others, we ascend unto our true station of knowing ourselves. Wow. I still have to mull this over a good bit, but I wanted to share. Thoughts?

I'm a woodpecker?

So, while doing some research for one of my sister's college application essays, we were investigating the symbolism of the otter and ran across this website, with Native American zodiac symbols. Mine is the woodpecker:
Woodpecker: Jun 21 – Jul 21
Woodpeckers are usually the most nuturing of all the Native American animal symbols. The consummate listener, totally empathic and understanding, the Woodpecker is the one to have on your side when you need support. Of course, they make wonderful parents, and equally wonderful friends and partners. Another proverbial feather in the Woodpeckers cap is the tendency to be naturally frugal, resourceful, and organized. In a nurturing environment the Woodpecker is of course caring, devoted, and very romantic. Left to his/her own devices the Woodpecker can be possessive, angry, jealous, and spiteful.

I thought it was interesting...

It's nice to be home, but it was crazy to make the 800 mile drive in under 13 hours yesterday, I was quite proud. I loved listening to Ya Yas in Bloom. It was fantastic. I laughed, cried, thought, smiled, enjoyed, and remembered my own friends and family. It was a great way to get back into Southern culture :). I also saw an absolutely amazing sunset driving through Virginia. I tried to take a picture with my camera phone, since my real camera was in the trunk, but it didn't quite work. It was amazing though, the pink and orange and clouds above the mountains. This country really is beautiful. When I got home, my mom had "welcome home" flowers on my desk. She wanted to get daisies but couldn't find them. I'm not quite sure why daisies were the choice, but it's still cute :).
It' going to be 74 degrees today, I'm loving the summer-like weather :). On the list for today includes ice cream at Marble Slab, some more Moe's probably, and hanging out with my sis. A great day. Looking forward to a great visit!

Sunsets are great to watch and think

Penguins on the roof

It's official, I have finished my first semester of graduate school. And I must say, everything that happened was as expected and normal as penguins on the roof of my neighbors house. That's what keeps life interesting, eh? Well, I guess I did expect to learn a lot of math, which I did. And I met lots of new people. I've created a new home, which I love. I have spent a lot of time by the waterfalls. I have seen the stars at night, played in the snow, enjoyed sunny "warm" days like today (when it's 52 degrees outside and absolutely wonderful). And faithful to my blog, I have learned more about life and love. The different ways we express love to each other and the role it takes in our lives. And for that, I am very grateful. I feel God's love every day that I am here. It's a constant comfort that nothing can take away. And I feel completely blessed for that. Honestly, I have no idea where I'm going, but I know that God will shed a little light on my path as I need it, and I will follow as best I can. I've learned to this point that very little in life is what you think it will be, and means such different things than we first imagine.
Last night, I hosted my first Feast in my new apartment, and I think my first Feast in my own home. And it was such a lovely thing, being able to welcome people into my home. To welcome them for our nineteen day gathering for spirituality, unity, community life, and the elevation of our souls, the uniting of our minds, and a time to share in joy and fellowship. I loved having people here. I'm so grateful that my mom instilled into me the love for offering hospitality. She is a truly amazing hostess and loves to welcome people into her home. And I hope to be able to do that myself.
I have these amazing flowers on my desk, that I bought for Feast last night. For some reason, I really wanted to have flowers. I'm not usually a big enthusiast for having flowers around the house, but for some reason I felt like it would be good to have. And now I get to enjoy them. Last night and this morning as I was desperately trying to finish my topology take home, I could just look up and feel reassured and refreshed.
It's so nice to be able to sit and not worry about the next problem set due, or the next homework assignment to grade, etc. I have a whole 6 weeks off. Which seems so long, but at the same time so short. I do enjoy this part of being a student :).

"Life is a workshop, not an art gallery"

"A meeting such as this seems like a beautiful cluster of precious jewels -- pearls, rubies, diamonds, sapphires. It is a source of joy and delight. Whatever is conducive to the unity of the world of mankind is most acceptable and praiseworthy; whatever is the cause of discord and disunion is saddening and deplorable. Consider the significance of unity and harmony." Abdu'l-Baha
This morning's devotional was absolutely amazing. One of the Baha'i students read this quote and it was so fitting. And in my head, I thought, "We are all jewels, it's true. I think I want to be a pearl, or maybe a ruby." And someone else said that she always loved sapphires. Bottom line, it was beautiful, and it brought a new joy to the devotions. We sang, we listened to someone else sing, we meditated while a beautiful flautist (also spelled flutist, but I like this spelling better) performed, and then we had good food and enjoyed each others' company. I love having amazing people over to pray in my living room. It doesn't get much cooler than that. Though, as our host at the DC Congress reminded us, "It only gets better!" And indeed it will, because in 42 hours, my topology take home is due and I will be officially done with my first semester in graduate school! And so what am I doing now? Working on my take home? I think not. I seem to have lost all momentum. Which is not good. All I want to do right now is get in my car and go home. I've never had such a magnetic draw to South Carolina before. Sure, I was excited about going home for fall break, but this is totally different. There's something pulling me back there. Something about being back in the South, back where people have known me for forever. My friends, my Baha'i community, my family. Back in my childhood room, sharing a bathroom with my sister, waking up every morning and seeing my mom and my dad. Going to Moe's and Marble Slab. That'll be nice. And then going to the beach, spending relaxing days walking on the beach, sitting on the patio talking, playing cards, watching movies, playing in Charleston, spending those precious moments with my family. It will be oh so delightful. But even before that, I get to drive down the country all by myself. For some reason, I'm really looking forward to this. I've never driven this far by myself, I feel like it's sort of a rite of passage. I'll have a great book on CD and will just drive. And I get to stop whenever I want :). And I can sing, pray, dance, think, laugh, or scream, because no one will be able to hear me :). There's something very freeing about being in a car by yourself.
But first, I have to finish off this silly take home. I spent a good deal of time on it yesterday, I was supposed to do that today, and the evening is wide open. Tomorrow, I get to host my first Feast in my own home. I've hosted many at my parents home, even one at the brand new Columbia Baha'i Center, but there's something different having it in my own place.
These are random thoughts, but that's true Corinne style. And by the way, if you haven't heard Corinne Bailey Rae, you really should, at least just because she has a fabulous name :). I'm thoroughly enjoying her CD right now. B gave it to me when she was here visiting, which was absolutely amazing. I got to show her all around Ithaca. We climbed the Cascadilla gorge, and it was so beautiful. It had snowed the night before, so there was a light dusting on the leaves. And icicles had started forming. And we had a camera. So we were being silly and artistic, as we tend to do when there's a camera involved :).
Well, I guess the procrastination should come to an end. Time to produce a deformation retraction, a homeomorphism, and an isomorphism before computing a fundamental group. Doesn't that sound thrilling?

Trust

"Say: Beware, O people of Baha, lest the strong ones of the earth rob you of your strength, or they who rule the world fill you with fear. Put your trust in God, and commit your affairs to His keeping. He, verily, will, through the power of truth, render you victorious, and He, verily, is powerful to do what He willeth, and in His grasp are the reins of omnipotent might." -Baha'u'llah

This morning, I woke up with this quotation in my head. Although I didn't realize it was this one, I just had the second sentence in my head but couldn't remember where it came from. It almost felt like I had sort of made it up from combining other quotes.
I wonder who the strong ones of the earth are, at least in my life. Recently, so many people have been telling me that I'm so strong. But then I look at the things I have encountered over the past two years and am somewhat amazed. It's interesting that we can amaze ourselves. It's truly the power of divine assistance. But even, despite all this strength I'm trying to have, there are just sometimes that you want to let go, and you need a place or people that you're okay letting go around. That you trust them to let you let down your armor, take off that thick shell that isn't a shell of pretending, but the shell of protection. God has created us as incredible beings, in a world where we are to develop ourselves spiritually as we go through this physical world. But sometimes, I just need to stop the forward motion and just be. Just for a moment, a night, a brief time. And just feel loved.
And so this morning, as I lie awake in bed thinking of all the things going on right now, the things needing to be done, to be taken care of, to settle before I leave for the break, I realized that it's okay that I'm tired, that I'm not sure what to do next or where to start, but that if I put my trust in God and put in the effort, it will all work out according to His Will. And for that, I am so grateful.