The Watchman in Central Park
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When in Bahá'í history
New York (today: New York, USA)
One day, during the Master’s visit to New York City, He paid a visit to Central Park. After spending several hours in the Museum of Natural History, He came out to rest under the trees. A solicitous little old watchman inquired, “Would you like to go back after you have rested? There are fossils and birds.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá smiled and replied, “No, I am tired of going about looking at the things of this world. I want to go above and travel and see the spiritual worlds. What do you think about that?” The watchman scratched his head—he was puzzled. Then the Master queried, “Which would you rather possess, the material or the spiritual world?” “Well, I guess the material.” “But,” continued ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “you do not lose it when you attain the spiritual. When you go upstairs in a house you do not leave the house. The lower floor is under you.” Suddenly the old man seemed to see the light.
Source: Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (Annamarie Honnold), p. 142.
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: spiritual-life).
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