On Brunching with Baha'is: I have a good feeling about it

dubietytolight, the Ashley who describes her brunch with Baha'is in the following post, has started a blog just for her religious questions, A Spiritual Quandary. She invites the Baha'is especially to offer their thoughts on the questions she poses, somewhat reminiscent of a blog previously featured on Baha'i Views, T-Mac's Questions and Answers about the Baha'i Faith. -gw

So, yes, this morning I went to a Baha'i brunch. And it was awkward, to say the least, since I was virtually the only non-baha'i there, but they were as accomodating as they could be. More than accomodating, actually. The secretary and I talked for a long time about Psychology since she is also majoring in that, and I spoke briefly with a girl named Sonya, a freshman here who has already made herself at home with these people. The best part was the very long talk I had with a woman named Stephanie, who does not go to Columbia, was just visiting the Nancy, the president of the club. She was amazing, she listened to all my concerns, she actually pulled a Baha'i prayer book and something called The Seven Valleys out of her purse and told me to keep them. She was all around wonderful to me. She also sent me an essay her brother wrote on why the Baha'i faith is not a cult for me to show to my roommates. I gave her the link to my new blog too. I have a feeling she'll be understanding of all my concerns because she says it took her eight years to convert to the faith. Eight years! So, that actually really made me more at ease.

I did tell them a little about Mana, but not much. They all shared their sympathies, but admitted that death is an unusual way to learn about the faith. But only one girl was even partially Persian, and she said she might cook some Persian food sometime. That would be nice. Oh, and Sonya, the Freshman, and I might be putting together a weekly study circle, that another girl, the half-persian who is also a Barnard alum would tutor, although they asked if I could bring some friends to it, and honestly, my friends will want nothing to do with this, so that just isn't going to happen. But there were also NYU Baha'is there and we might network the study circle with them. Too soon to tell.

I'm writing all of this from the library where I *should* be catching up on my work. But anyway, this is all very exciting and confusing and disorienting for me all at once. I felt really out of place, yet something still felt right. How can you feel both things at the same time? I don't know.

My studies call to me. I don't know where all this will head. But I have a good feeling about it.

Ashley, "The University Baha'is," O Look How She Listens