As the bird soars higher in sky, it is only seen smaller

Have you ever noticed, and then thought and reflected about it?  Well, other than that of the obvious and known which the physical science has long discovered and explained?

Only for those who are on the ground, the flying birds seem small. And the higher one soars, the smaller it becomes.  Some birds may forge so up and high that they appear no more and vanish from the earthly eyes. Earthly eyes that often fly very low, jump a bit here and there in intervals, some perhaps even only content with a minimal moving around, picking up seeds and worms to indulge and then with drooping moods take shelter under a dark shadow, rest their heavy and muddy wings in idleness and sloth.  But for those who aspire the heights and do fly themselves, the flying birds are always the giants; the emblems of courage, high energy and grace they are—what the other ones seek and are inspired by, find as sources of pride and lofty examples to be learned and followed by.  Their power of example imparts growth and success, encourages and uplifts the others’ flights, and generously embraces and sustains the beginning heights.

The truest giants never flinch and pause, they keep flying and aim ever higher, complacency and selfish pride has no chance to win them by; their feathers are strongest but velvet soft, have no colors but shine like rainbows and light bulbs, and they neither mind rebuffs nor hear in their heads lingering applauds. They focus on their flights and mind and care to pull others too along up and high. They compete well, but with their own capacities and potential, hoping to be the first, and if they keep flying without any stops or doubts, smiling with sunshines and giving cheers to stars, they will, and “They shall be first among the pure, the free and the wise.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Guardian of the Baha’i Faith, “The Art of The Living”)

Welcome to visit and read recent post on my bilingual Chinese and English blog:

Timeless Treasures: Words with Meanings

http://timelesstreasureswordswithmeanings.blogspot.ca/

 “Joy gives
    us wings!”

“In this world we are influenced by two sentiments, Joy and Pain.   Joy gives us wings! In times of joy our strength is more vital, our intellect keener, and our understanding less clouded.  We seem better able to cope with the world and to find our sphere of usefulness.  But when sadness visits us, we become weak, our strength leaves us, our comprehension is dim and our intelligence veiled.  The actualities of life seem to elude our grasp, the eyes of our spirits fail to discover the sacred mysteries, and we become even as dead beings.  There is no human being untouched by these two influences.”  When we think about it, fairly and freely, it would be evident and easy to understand and relate to our lives, agreeing that in its truest sense “all the sorrow and the grief that exist come from the world of matter; the spiritual world bestows only the joy.  If we suffer, it is the outcome of material things, and all the trials and troubles come from this world of illusion. For instance, a merchant may lose his trade and depression ensues.  A workman is dismissed and starvation stares him in the face.  A farmer has a bad harvest, anxiety fills his mind.  A man builds a house which is burnt to the ground and he is straightway homeless, ruined, and in despair.  All these examples are to show you that the trials which beset our every step, all our sorrow, pain, shame and grief, are born in the world of matter; whereas the spiritual Kingdom never causes sadness.  A man living with his thoughts in this Kingdom knows perpetual joy.”

Now, does this mean that such a person does not receive difficulties or meet illness, is not inflicted by calamities or distressfully limited by means? Everyone, as long as is in this world of matter and surrounded by physical law which binds every existent being to relevant limitations, restrictions and imperfections, receives a share of crisis, set-backs and disappointments.  This is part of the nature and of inseparable characteristics of the world made of matter and physical substances. Not only individually, but collectively too and only in more dramatic fashion and severe magnitude, we humans are influenced and become afflicted by hardships.  Today the whole humanity is bowed down with trouble, sorrow and grief, often wondering and sadly lost without seemingly any hopes and inspiration--“the world is wet with tears”, surrounded and immersed in trials and fears.  Being joyous and positive of course in no ways means denials and ignorance of what is happening to oneself or to the humanity as a whole; it means not dwelling our attention and energies on them, but rather focusing our minds and thoughts on nobler and higher horizons, holding on to a lofty handle which stands above and beyond the bumps and twists of the troubling limitations, pulling the realities of our being up and high by its aid and force. Doing this, the troubles and afflictions shall yet touch us, as is their nature, but they will visit and affect us on the surface of life; while the depths keep calm and ever develop to be more serene and peaceful. With such spirit and adapting such attitude and discipline, intelligently aware and observant of the challenges and unfavorable upsets though we are, the inner heart and essence of mind and soul shall remain unmoved, unaffected, nay ever-increasingly brimming with assurance, radiance and joy.

“Spirituality is the greatest of God's gifts, and `Life Everlasting' means `Turning to God'.  May you, one and all, increase daily in spirituality, may you be strengthened in all goodness, may you be helped more and more by the Divine consolation, be made free by the Holy Spirit of God, and may the power of the Heavenly Kingdom live and work among you.  This is my earnest desire, and I pray to God to grant you this favour.” (`Abdu'l-Baha, "Paris Talks", p. 109-112)

"happiness and greatness"
     in wealth and poverty

As you may too recall in earlier years at school often at the essay writing class we would be invited or assigned to present papers revolving the comparative themes and questions of ‘knowledge and learning’, ‘money and business’, ‘integrity and virtues’, ‘happiness and success’, and their mutual relations, effects and resulting outcome—within the contexts of “wealth” and “poverty” and the varying concepts, causes and consequences of being “poor” or “rich”. While the students were expected to think and write their own fair deductions and honest opinions on the matters and the assignments seemed to encourage a free exercise of one’s faculties and independent understanding, the obtained marks were not to be affected by the views expressed, but rather be based on the articulation of thoughts, strength of reasoning and logical arguments, writing structure and the level of skills and command of language. Of course the quality of the whole process depended, in one hand, on where the evaluator herself or himself was coming from, the nature and standing of the mental and moral experiences, and the reference points and directions of the ideals with which they were being exercised; and on the other hand, on how true the junior writers were to their values and to the perceptions and logical reasoning of their own minds—and if all indeed were reflecting a pristine originality or whether would be instead adjusted cleverly to please the evaluator in a hope for a higher mark too. Decisions and choices which however subtle and minor at times, would find their roots in each one’s corresponding conditions and states of the within and the without, by turn. With this unassuming preamble, presuming you may have already been taken in mind for moments back to then—for many of you not so long ago, and for some, certainly as near as the present—it could be a worthwhile mental exercise to pause and think for ourselves on these matters now, weighing the relevance and changes, the progressive complexities and facts, comparing the patterns and processes, if were to write such assignments today. Focused on intellectual aspects and deliberate though we may be in reasoning and approval of currents, humanly and personal we cannot but feel affected and overwhelmed—wondering fairly on the limitless abundance and diversions, the forgotten precious and scarce within the extremes and over-growths, dropping in sharp turns the cries and sighs, glittered and colorful but heavy, dull and drooping in exaggerated moods, not satisfied but full, over-achieved and possessed with goods and goods, yet more goods, empty-pocketed though cluttered with cards and credits, from top to toes—strangely too, hardly anyone sees the real money nowadays, it is almost all in the restless figures, fading inks and shaky words...

It is evidently a vast area of discussion, and currently more than ever a major arena of attention and deep concerns, in so many levels and ways. One point that I choose to focus upon and venture to note is that to me, both ‘wealth’ and ‘poverty’, each neither by itself is a good thing nor is otherwise not good—it all depends on what either one accomplishes, and does to us and to others; and the “rich” and “poor” could each merit a fortunate state or be the owner of misery itself—pending on how each one lives and encounters with the corresponding situation. There could be a significant difference in the unexpected outcome of each one, depending on whether one adjusts and harmonizes the related circumstances for the better, or for the worse. And if one has blissfully moved towards better—however rich or poor—is the reached state, is being held stilled and passive in the name of aloofness and contentment, or is the situation kept advancing and developing actively? Is the attitude gratefully content, only yearning for perfection, progressing and positive, transforming itself and everything that is around it to arrive at best?

The terms “wealth” and “poverty” are in every respect relative, and no matter how wealthy in anything someone might be, one can always become wealthier, and likewise is the case with poverty. To have a balanced society with an orderly and harmonious structure, it is really not logical to imagine a world where everyone would be absolutely the same and equal in wealth. And why should it be, when by nature everything in creation, including us of course, is unique and each one’s innate powers and potential abilities are so colorfully different and interestingly diverse? Unquestionably and regardless of differences and variances, everyone is wealthy and in possession of potential capacities, born noble and with equal rights to meet opportunities for developing and perfecting oneself all through one’s life—however so, it is not expected or possible for all to be the same and identical in resulting perfection and its qualities and degrees. Likewise, in material state and practical living circumstances it cannot be expected or be possible to have absolute equality. It is only that no one should be deprived of equal and just opportunities to acquire and enjoy a deserving relative wealth. As the key for the former is recognizing equal rights for every human being, regardless of the degree, kind and intensity of one’s potential capacities; similarly, a dignified and fair minimum level of wealth for every human being should be recognized, moderating the systems in our societies so to eliminate the extremes in poverty and in wealth, having a world where, "All the peoples of the world will enjoy like interests, and the poor shall possess a portion of the comforts of life. Just as the rich are surrounded by their luxuries in palaces, the poor will have at least their comfortable and pleasant places of abode; and just as the wealthy enjoy a variety of food, the needy shall have their necessities and no longer live in poverty.” (From a Talk by `Abdu'l-Baha on May 6, 1912, "Promulgation of Universal Peace", p.103)

Beyond this binding principle, for those minds that gaze ever higher and soar above the limits with nobler aspirations—whatever their standing point, the following passage is a defining lofty standard. It is a mission statement for every individual of today, and a guiding light for present-day societies across the globe which are to nurture and recognize, sustain and value those who are endowed with these matchless gifts and who minister to common good and the betterment of all. I think it should be engraved with choicest diamond on the perceptive and fair golden minds!

“The happiness and greatness, the rank and station, the pleasure and peace, of an individual have never consisted in his personal wealth, but rather in his excellent character, his high resolve, the breadth of his learning and his ability to solve difficult problems.”

(`Abdu’l-Baha, "The Secret of Divine Civilization", p.23)

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Welcome to visit and read recent post on my bilingual Chinese and English blog:

Timeless Treasures: Words with Meanings
http://timelesstreasureswordswithmeanings.blogspot.ca/