On the Children's Holy Day: Tacoma's 12th Day of Ridvan

You could call Tacoma's 2010 celebration of the 12th Day of Ridvan the children's holy day commemoration. It was magical from the very first moment of approaching the door to Lisa's home. The tremendous progress of the Cause through the advancement of the core activities was clearly evident. The majority in attendance were children, those who attend the Baha'i children's classes in Salishan and who are in the newly formed junior youth group in the neighborhood.



From: Northwest BahaiLibrary

Twelfth Day day of Ridvan

On this May day in 1863 Baha'u'llah and his family and friends left the Garden of Ridvan in Baghdad, banished to the Ottoman capital of Istanbul (Constantinople).

One of the tablets Baha'u'llah wrote at this time was Nightingale of Separation. It is a lament at Baha'u'llah's parting and separation from the believers in Baghdad. Only a selected few could travel with him; the rest were instructed to stay in Baghdad or go elsewhere to teach the Faith.

The tablet begins with a poem of lament:

The bird of loyalty sings upon the tree of eternity
with the strains of this parting, you who are filled with yearning;

As does the dove of the two seas upon the twigs of the lote-tree of separation--
that the departure is imminent, you who are filled with yearning.

Say: the time of union has been fulfilled, and by virtue of the decree
that of absence has begun through this parting, you who are filled with yearning;

Tears have flowed from the eyes of the immortals in the concourse
on high because of this farewell, you who are filled with yearning;

The breezes of joy that blew from the paradise of splendor
have been stilled by this departure, you who are filled with yearning.

By God, the faces of the celestial maidens in their chambers
have paled at the prospect of this absence, you who are filled with yearning;

The houris rouge their cheeks blood red, for they have heard
about this leave-taking, you who are filled with yearning;

And will never adorn their bodies with the silks of eternity
after learning of this departure, you who are filled with yearning:

No sorrow shall ever compare to this grief in the realm of the unknowable essence,
for the wind of separation is blowing, you who are filled with yearning!

+++++++++++++++++

Natalie Merchant - Last King of May

OR

"Farewell today
Travel on now
Be on Your way
Go safely there
And never worry never care
Beyond this day
Farewell tonight
To all joy and to all the life
Go on go peacefully
We can't keep Your Majesty
Be on Your way
Make way for the last King of May...

And make your voices one...."

Posted via email from Baha'i Views