My intention for this space has always been to write something meaningful, something needed and something true. Often, we expect inspiration to fall into our lap, forgetting that creativity ebbs and flows and may require observation, comprehension, reflection, and consideration. Through boredom, we give our minds a chance to roam and free themselves from the constant busyness of life. We are pulled in many different directions in our daily routine, and this often creates an exhaustion that leaks into the next day, creating a cycle of lethargy and fatigue. Before I sat down to write this piece, I was experiencing a bout of boredom. I woke up early this morning and started my day with prayer. To be honest, I kind of just wandered around our house, trying to occupy my mind with something to do. I settled on endlessly scrolling through the apps on my phone, and I could tell that I was starting the day with a lack of purpose and drive. My Mom often teases me that I “get lost in the clouds” when I pray and meditate, but those two practices are what keep me grounded most in my reality. It allows me to reflect and ponder and leaves the door open for creativity to enter.
I have my upbringing to thank for my heart’s love and soul’s yearning to engage in daily devotionals. I have been blessed with a family and community that loves to pray. My family and I host a devotional for our community via Zoom every Monday. So many wonderful souls join and contribute to this spiritually uplifting space. Often, we share our specific prayer requests and settle into the atmosphere (although virtual) of serenity and grace. We have had many friends who face challenges with their health, and this space serves as a respite from daily duties. We created this space during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, many community members felt disconnected and despondent. There was a sense of hopelessness and uncertainty. Those who struggled with depression and anxiety found themselves discouraged by the lack of human connection and emotional engagement. As social, emotional, and spiritual creatures, it is natural that we crave warmth and companionship. When we are experiencing challenges that are related to loneliness and disconnect, our hearts yearn for the comfort of a loving friend. Developing meaningful bonds of friendship creates the space for emotional intimacy at a soul level. We create this intimacy through spiritual resonance, authenticity, transparency, and truth. There is a special grace to be appreciated in finding a friend who holds the enabling space for you to be the truest version of yourself and create an atmosphere of vulnerability and trust.
Whether they realize it or not, every soul craves the affinity associated with authenticity. During the pandemic, we all felt isolated, lonely, and withdrawn because we could not fully express ourselves. We were all cooped up and fearful of contagion, and rightly so. Upon reflection, I recognized that late in my teen years, I experienced the dread that I most experienced during the pandemic. I could relate to the panic attacks and severe anxiety as the fear of the unknown gripped me, and I could not escape the haunting narratives that my mind had conjured up. I felt empty, misunderstood, and depressed about where my life was headed. I lacked a sense of purpose, and I compared myself to my peers. It felt like God had placed me in an unwarranted time-out. I could not understand the reasons behind God’s orchestration of these “unfair” events, and I think, during the pandemic, we all felt this way, maybe to different degrees. Still, we felt compelled to hide behind our masks and manage our dysregulated nervous systems, ever aware that we could be a carrier of a life-threatening virus. This virus showed how easily fear can take hold of you if you are not grounded in the truth that although we may have been disconnected from our human relations, we still had a direct line to the One who understood the reasons behind this unfolding event.
Sometimes, we forget that life will inevitably challenge us with setbacks we don’t see coming. Most of life’s tests leave us bewildered, wondering about their purpose. We often judge ourselves and our inability to “be strong and soldier on”. We place a deadline on our grief and disappointment, not seeing the unfair standards we have set on ourselves to “get over it”. When we isolate ourselves during our challenges, we exclude our nearest and dearest from stepping into our messy chapters and seeing who we are at our not-so-greatest. We dismiss their attempts to meet us in our truths and close the door on vulnerability (a value worth knowing, nurturing, and pursuing). Our minds trick us into believing that nobody cares, especially when we are on the lookout for evidence that suggests our existence is insignificant, unimportant, and irrelevant. Sentiments of “Who cares?” get tossed around our society like it’s normal to be unconcerned and disengaged from our peers. There is a special kind of irony in holding the vision of meaningful connection and self-rejecting before anyone can get too close to know the “real” you. We have created this narrative that the “real” us holds the darkest shadows of our being, and nobody could ever accept us in our entirety. But these are all lies that society has perpetuated.
With the advancement of social media, we have created a society more concerned with hashtags and algorithms instead of meaningful connections. Social media trends expose the threads of habitual apathy and leave us wondering whether our value is determined by the number of interactions we gain from our posts and witty captions. There are a notable amount of things that could be improved in the systems of our social sectors, which require careful analysis and evaluation. Our value in society is “ranked” according to our productivity, and our social status determines whether our lives and experiences are worthy of validation, not forgetting that “verification” comes with a price.
Considering the amount we spend worrying about how much time we have left to meet our deadlines, it is easy to think that time has become a commodity, and our worth is stripped down to what we can do and not who we can be. The transactional nature of modern relationships has gathered momentum, specifically with the trend of the “hook-up” culture and situation-ships (an uncomfortable but prevalent practice in our society that cannot be ignored), which leaves many feeling devastated, disheartened and discarded. Micro-moments of meaning and simple acts of presence, like preparing and enjoying a meal together or showing affection and assurance through affirmation, have dissipated in many communities. Parents are overworked, children are dismissed, social media is poorly regulated, and most of us still need to develop the beautiful art of meeting someone where they are and holding space for meaningful conversations. The conversations we ought to have. The ones go beyond “How was your day?” and “What did you do?”. Unfortunately, we have not cultivated and nurtured compassion, connection, comprehension, and proper consultation in our relationships because we have this idea that relationships are supposed to be instant and easy. So instead, we created a society that hides behind screens, swiping on profiles that we view as commodities, chasing the highs of a quick fix while ignoring the need to build bonds that transcend social complacency.
One of the most intentional ways to meaningfully connect with someone is through praying together. Some of the most important conversations we have are the ones we have with God, and when we bring the sacred Scriptures into the looms of our communities, we create an environment of purpose-driven connection. Many people have recognized the significance of believing in a Higher Power during the pandemic, and something more potent and notable than our prayers are the prayers we say for and with others. During that period, there was an increased desire for connection and fellowship. Our affinity for one another was strengthened and deepened, and those special moments revealed a desire for assurance, hope and certainty. This desire can only be found in worshipping and praising our Lord.
Praying together is a spiritually intimate act of devotion that enables unity, understanding and compassion. We all need support, whether we recognize and admit it or not. Nobody remains unaffected by life’s challenges, and we are all searching for the light that can be conjured up through the expansion of our hearts and the sincerity expressed through the power of our souls. Take time to reflect on the significant role we can play in another’s life by praying for and with them. Sharing holy scripture, which was created to alleviate anxiety and despair, could play an incredible role in lifting another’s spirit. Nothing stops us from being and becoming a blessing to others and the world.
It is possible to intentionally aspire to uplift ourselves and others through deep communion with God. We need Divine Assistance, and we can accurately assume that God will indeed aid us and answer our fervent prayers when we prioritize unity, sincerity, solidarity, and community. He promises He is present where two or three gather in His name. Dismantling society’s collective ego, which tries to convince us that we can overcome the circumstances created through competition without God’s aid, is crucial when constructing a culture of humility and collaboration. In all events, God gives us the capacity to endure and overcome. We are never left alone. Scary yet reassuring, right? Knowing that in every moment, we are covered in His grace and mercy. It’s one of His gifts that He bestows upon us, which we often overlook. There is power in that gift. A gift that provides us with the choice as to whether we stay in a state of discouragement or shift to a condition of faith. It is up to us to choose to follow what God deems best for us and our communities through discernment, compassionate consultation, and constructive communal activities, specifically prayer.
Through communal prayer, we strengthen the devotional character of our communities, and we develop deeper bonds of friendships with our neighbours and peers. If we use the events of the pandemic as an example, we can see that the need for meaningful connection was emphasized and amplified. As we have ventured out of that stressful period, we can appreciate the literal freedoms that come with leaving our home and moving about the way we yearned to when we were all cooped up. We should never underestimate the power of meeting someone where they are and holding space for them to authentically express what they most need to get off their chest. In the process of active listening, we perform service, regarded as prayer, which holds all the bounties and blessings of worship and praise. Our daily acts of service are confirmed as prayers when we exert the effort to relieve those around us who are most in need of kindness, support and compassion.
Abdu’l Baha sums it up beautifully when He says:
“Be not a slave to your moods, but their master. But if you are so angry, so depressed, and so sore that your spirit cannot find deliverance and peace, even in prayer, then go quickly and give some pleasure to someone lowly or sorrowful or a guilty or innocent sufferer! Sacrifice yourself, your talent, your time, your rest to another, to one who has to bear a heavier load than you — and your unhappy mood will dissolve into a blessed, contented submission to God.”
– Abdu’l Baha
(Pilgrim note dated 5 August 1910 in Sonne der Wahrheit, a German Bahá’í journal. It was published in Volume 13, December 1933, Issue no. 10, p. 103.)
(Attributed to Abdu’l-Baha in an unpublished English translation of notes in German by Dr. Josephine Fallscheer taken on 5 August 1910)
