A woman visited the Master in Haifa, in May 1910
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When in Bahá'í history
Haifa (today: Haifa, Israel)
A woman visited the Master in Haifa, in May 1910. She later wrote about this visit, saying: ‘As He talked with me, I felt my heart soften under the influence of his goodness and kindness, and the tears came to my eyes. He asked me about myself, if I were well, and if I were happy. I replied to the latter question, “I have had many sorrows!” He replied, “Forget them. When your heart is filled with the love of God, there will not be room for sorrow, there will only be love and happiness.”’
She continued, ‘I cannot tell you the sweet sympathy of his voice as he said these beautiful and comforting words. Then he had the attendant bring in tea, a cup for him and a cup for me. We drank together, wishing each other health and happiness, and then he told me that he hoped he should take tea with me in the Kingdom of Heaven. “Was that not a pretty thought?) When I praised the tea, he said it was real Persian tea, and presented me with a package to take away with me.’
Source: Honnold, Annamarie, Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 127
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: depression).
Discuss this story
For adults
- Where do kindness and love meet in this story?
- How does this story illustrate the practice of kindness?
- What stands out about 'Abdu'l-Bahá's response in this account?
For teens
- How could the spirit of kindness show up in your week?
- What does this story say about how to face hard moments?
Reflection
- Take one line from this story and let it stay with you today.
- What in this account feels timely? What feels timeless?
- If you could bring one quality from this story into your next conversation, what would it be?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "A woman visited the Master in Haifa, in May 1910" drawn from?
Where does this story take place?
What period of Bahá'í history does this story belong to?
Which historical figure is featured most prominently in this story?
Which virtue does this story most clearly illustrate?
Cite this story
Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/depression
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