I Can't Breathe

Sizzla - Be Strong - Video Lyrics

I've Got The Spirit (Baha'i song)

If You Believe - song/rap about UNITY

a beautiful song and message about UNITY..

Javon Johnson - "cuz he's black" (NPS 2013)

"In the Bahá'í view, racism will be eliminated only when the peoples of the world are convinced of the oneness of humankind and proceed to reconstruct their lives and their societies on that basis."

 ~ Baha'i International Community, 1989 Feb 08, Eliminating Racism 

being a black man in America.  this speech conveys the reality.  no rhetoric.  just a gem of oneness that connects us with the unjust reality of what it is like to grow up as a black boy in America.
 

'Africa to America' - Walter Heath

i came across this song/slideshow presentation today.  it depicts the agonizing story of slavery and ends with the birth of emancipation through the healing Message of Baha'u'llah.

"To know this is not enough. All knowledge is good, but it can bear no fruit except by action. It is well to know that riches are good, but that knowledge will not make a man rich; he must work, he must put his knowledge into practice. We hope the people realize and know that unity is good, and we also hope that they will not be content to stand still in that knowledge. Do not only say that Unity, Love and Brotherhood are good; you must work for their realization."

~ Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 59

the art of African words

i like this impressive demonstration of how the art of words communicated throughout the African continent for hundreds of years is significant today for the progress of art and design technology. 

Bahai Youth Conference 2013 (Voices of the Caribbean)

'nobility is yours' ~ video

nobility is our God-given station.  it is the station of our soul.  it transcends all other stations.  it is our destiny as a human race..

i love the gems of oneness in this video!

new hip hop artist ~ Ridvan Tu'itahi

 


a dear friend of mine just introduced me to Ridvan Tu'itahi, her nephew from Tonga.  he has a fresh style that reminds me of Tupac.  i was immediately taken by his story and then felt taken back to a time when rap was full of lyrics and meaning.  i love how rap has spread around the world and touched many young people's lives in positive ways.  i hope his music spreads from the south Pacific and touches many lives throughout the rest of the world.

i love listening to rhythms that move me, that penetrate my heart and enable me to feel connected to the Oneness of our humanity.  i especially love hip hop (without profanity).  it tells a story.  it introduces a message.  it makes you reflect.  sometimes it reminds you of what's wrong with the world, or what morals have declined but it's honest.  it's in my veins as if it's a part of me even though i'm far removed from the world in which its being told. the beats and rhymes have been reverberating through me for more than 25 years.. 

John Hunter: Teaching with the World Peace Game

perhaps some of you have heard of John Hunter and his 'World Peace Game'.  i learned about it for the first time today when reading a review about it and his new book. watching this TED talk made fueled my desire to engage kids this way.  the way in which he taps into all of the essential themes for gaining skills -- like critically thinking and patience while resolving an issue -- is beautifully blended with how he demonstrates his humility, respect and honor toward the students.  the game itself is genious.  ah! i just love it!  it's a phenomenal way of engaging children, allowing them the opportunity to learn how to collaborate to ensure that everyone in the game is a winner -- for the sake of humanity's well-being rather than an individual's!  this is an example of how to be an educator, how to impart wisdom to a child, how to stimulate their inner capacities and become a compassionate thinker of the great problems of our time.  every school needs an educator like John Hunter and a game like this..

Ghanaian rap

when i listened to these guys and girls rapping, it brought me back to the 1980's in America when rappers really rapped, tellin' a story and barely, if at all, having a chorus.

i love how rap can be music that serves as a ladder for the soul.  the vibe of this rap is so cool that i want to capture that energy, spread it around the world, lift youth up and stir up a spiritual revolution..

Andy Grammer singing 'Where there is love'

"Show love to all; 'Love is the breath of the Holy Spirit in the heart of Man'."

~ Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 30 

i share this song in the spirit of One Love.  the words are simple and yet encompass the limitless ocean in which we can experience life when we have Love in our hearts.  our essential purpose in this life is to love God, to have our hearts so full of love for our Creator that we have no room for worshiping ourselves.

as they sing, 'where there is love, nothing is too much trouble, and there is always time', i am reminded that love has the power to cast beams of light into the world and touch souls everywhere, all the time.  may this song bring a smile to your face as you arise to bring your love to others, each and every moment of your day.

95 Youth Conferences

"Three great fields of service lie open before young Bahá'ís, in which they will simultaneously be remaking the character of human society and preparing themselves for the work they can undertake later in their lives.

"First, the foundation of all their other accomplishments, is their study of the teachings, the spiritualization of their lives, and the forming of their characters in accordance with the standards of Bahá'u'lláh. As the moral standards of the people around us collapse and decay, whether of the centuries civilizations of the East, the more recent cultures of Christendom and Islam, or of the rapidly changing tribal societies of the world, the Bahá'ís must increasingly stand out as pillars of righteousness and forbearance. The life of a Bahá'í will be characterized by truthfulness and decency; he will walk uprightly among his fellowmen, dependent upon none save God, yet linked by bonds of love and brotherhood with all mankind; he will be entirely detached from the loose standards, the decadent theories, the frenetic experimentation, the desperation of present-day society, will look upon his neighbors with a bright and friendly face, and be a beacon light and a haven for all those who would emulate his strength of character and assurance of soul.

"The second field of service, which is linked intimately with the first, is teaching the Faith, particularly to their fellow youth, among whom are some of the most open and seeking minds in the world. Not yet having acquired all the responsibilities of a family or a long-established home and job, youth can the more easily choose where they will live and study or work. In the world at large young people travel hither and thither seeking amusement, education, and experiences. Bahá'í youth, bearing the incomparable treasure of the Word of God for this Day, can harness this mobility into service for mankind and can choose their places of residence, their areas of travel, and their types of work with the goal in mind of how they can best serve the Faith.

"The third field of service is the preparation by youth for their later years. It is the obligation of a Bahá'í to educate his children; likewise it is the duty of the children to acquire knowledge of the arts and sciences and to learn a trade or a profession whereby they, in turn, can earn their living and support their families. This, for a Bahá'í youth, is in itself a service to God, a service, moreover, which can be combined with teaching the Faith and often with pioneering. The Bahá'í community will need men and women of many skills and qualifications; for, as it grows in size the sphere of its activities in the life of society will increase and diversify. Let Bahá'í youth, therefore, consider the best ways in which they can ug and develop their native abilities for the service of mankind and the Cause of God, whether this be as farmers, teachers, doctors, artisans, musicians, or any one of the multitude of livelihoods that are open to them."

    (The Universal House of Justice, Wellspring of Guidance, Messages 1963-1968, p. 94)

Ayyam-i-Ha song & video by 'Enable Me to Grow'

This is such a precious song for children to learn during the time of Ayyam-i-Ha.  It includes adorable videos of children around the world being of service and full of joy.

Ndikhokhele ~ South African gospel/hip hop video

nothin' better than spiritually-oriented hip hop from south africa!!  to me, this music uplifts the soul to the realms above and beyond this material world.  it makes me get up and move!

music truly serves as a means of uplifting our souls if it is spiritual:

"We have made music a ladder by which souls may ascend to the realm on high. Change it not into wings for self and passion."

 (Lights of Guidance, p. 410)

"Ndikhokhele" is a song about praising God.. i hope you love it as much as i do!

Professor Ruha Benjamin speaks at rally for JUSTICE: TRAYVON MARTIN

Professor Ruha Benjamin speaks about racism from the heart using statistics and stories that convey the truth in a most powerful, touching way.  it's raw and deep:

Professor Ruha Benjamin of Boston University speaks at rally for JUSTICE: TRAYVON MARTIN

www.youtube.com

it's vital to lay aside all aspects of one's ego and currently held views in order to be a receptacle for the message to touch your heart..

additional links on this subject:
racial profiling discussions
london riots

"youth can move the world" ~ Olinga Njang

living in ghana enables us a link closer to musicians throughout africa.  this artist, Olinga Njang, is a Baha'i from Nigeria who sings upbeat, positive songs full of joy.  we saw him sing at a jr. youth festival last spring in accra, ghana.

his songs are infused with the spirit from the Message of Baha'u'llah which is all about the nobility of the human race and striving toward a standard of living that is moral, dignified, free of all forms of prejudice, and at peace with all the peoples of the world.  hope you enjoy the video of his latest song, Youth Can Move the World.

living..with lymphoma

dad needs to receive saline in his bloodstream every other day.  this is done at home as part of the system of healthcare he's receiving.  a nurse comes twice a week to draw his blood and someone else from a lab picks it up to have it tested.  the next day dad will receive a call to let him know if his blood is low in platelets and/or hemoglobin.  if so, later that day he will have to go to the hospital for a blood transfusion.

this is dad paying the bill at his favorite local diner where he likes to eat breakfast, the Moorestown Cafe.  he took me there for my first time last weekend.  the regulars greeted him warmly and affectionately, seeing that he's come a long way with his struggle over the cancer.  they come and sit with us as dad shares his current trials and victories.  i can see that he is fully himself as he tells his stories and makes them laugh with his light-hearted jokes and humor.

this is dad's desk.  he has been accumulating post-it notes for his business for more than 30 years.  he finally has a computer to input his sales, but the majority of his business dealings are on paper..all around him.

he comes into his office almost every morning, depending on whether he feels up to it or not.  he likes talking on the phone with his customers and they like his way of caring, being reliable and sending little gifts in the mail with their order.

this video is dad waiting for his food to come where he gets his blood transfusion.  they treat him like a king, putting warmed blankets around his shoulders and over his legs.  he has a flat screen tv with a touch screen to choose whatever he'd like to watch for the couple of hours he'll be sitting there.  he likes to nap half way through the procedure after he's eaten..

dad is living..with cancer.  he chooses to be happy and think in positive ways all throughout his days.  he says his life is in God's hands..he has surrendered to the Will of God and celebrates each day of his life this way.

remembering Delft, South Africa

dyami playing checkers on a handmade board with soda caps

  

today i am quiet and tired.  after 6 hours of sleep i woke at 4:45 for the fast.  at first i was very sleepy but after a cup of water and a cup of a green drink, i was ready to buzz around the kitchen preparing everything for the morning routine.  by the time i had taken nutritional supplements, enjoyed a strong cup of coffee, and savored toasted flat bread with homemade hummus, i was running upstairs to wake ayana (who was sleeping in my bed because dashiel is out of town) and sing a prayer to the boys who are always so sleepy upon waking.  when the time reaches 7:20am and it's time to leave, they have brushed their teeth, dressed, prayed, recited, read a story, eaten breakfast and taken turns to talk with me about whatever is in their young hearts and minds..

during the fast i don't pray until the kids have left for school.  the other days of the year i wake early and pray before everyone wakes.  for these days of fasting, i like to spend that first hour or so making my body strong for the day.  when the sun rises and i'm done taking care of the kids' lunches and breakfast, it's time to clean -- sweep, sometimes mop or clean the floors, wash a load of laundry, etc. and then i become immersed and wrapped in prayer, reflection and reciting of the holy Word with wholehearted devotion, humility and submission..

a jr. youth, Siphesihle, who became a Baha'i

after a long period of quiet time and working in the kitchen, i started to feel tired.  writing gives me energy so i decided to write a post.  i stayed up a bit too late last night looking through old videos on our external drive.  i wanted to find a short one that would not take up too many megs and one that was from South Africa, related to our time of serving there as Baha'is.  the videos of South Africa evoke a deep longing in me to return there -- to Cape Town in particular -- where a group of young souls touched our lives in immeasurable ways.  words continue to be inadequate to express the love our hearts experienced living in south africa.  that love reached it greatest depths in delft when arising to serve in one of the neighborhoods -- we offered spiritual education classes from the Baha'i teachings on Oneness, universal brotherhood, justice, peace and a high moral standard of conduct.  we have very few memories on video that capture the essence of joy, unity and spiritual bonds of friendship that were established over a period of 3 years, but the one above depicts the joy they felt being with our family.

 

a few of our closest young friends from Delft

my heart is still saddened if i dwell on how much i miss those dear souls.  when i am tired, as i am now, i close my eyes and pray for each soul in south africa that is in my heart.. each morning.. each moment..as i remember them.