One Quiet Question

A retelling for children, based on Portals to Freedom by Howard Colby Ives (George Ronald, 1937).

In the city of New York, a group of friends sat together in a room, having a meeting. They had given their little group an important-sounding name. They called themselves an executive committee — which simply meant they were the ones who would get things done for the Faith in their city.

One day, 'Abdu'l-Bahá came and sat down quietly with them while they met.

For about half an hour, the friends talked. They discussed and they planned. They turned each idea this way and that, deciding what was best, just the way people do at meetings. 'Abdu'l-Bahá said hardly a word. He simply sat, and listened, and watched.

After a while, He rose to leave. The friends watched Him walk toward the door. But there, right at the doorway, He stopped. He turned around and looked at all their faces. For a quiet moment He said nothing at all. Then, with a gentle smile, He asked them one small question:

Why do you not execute?

And that was all. Then He was gone.

The friends must have smiled too — because they understood exactly what He meant. They had named themselves the people who get things done. Yet here they were, after half an hour, still only talking! 'Abdu'l-Bahá had not scolded them. He had not raised His voice. With one kind, playful question, He had reminded them of something easy to forget.

Talking and planning are good. But planning is only the beginning. Sooner or later, you have to get up from the table and actually do the thing you planned. That is what 'Abdu'l-Bahá's gentle question helped the friends remember — and it can help us remember too.

This is a retelling for children. For the fuller account, see "Why Do You Not Execute?".

Ives, H. C.. (1937). *Portals to Freedom*. George Ronald. https://bahai-library.com/ives_portals_freedom