One day in London the hour for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's private audiences had arrived
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When in Bahá'í history
London (today: London, UK)
One day in London the hour for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's private audiences had arrived. Appointments had been made and, of necessity, an attempt was made to adhere to them rigidly. But ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was a Man who taught moderation and consideration. A woman arrived without an appointment and was told it was not possible to fit her in, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was talking with some 'most important people'. Descending the stairway, she was greatly disappointed. Suddenly, to her astonishment, a messenger from the Master dashed down to her saying that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wished to see her. With authority His voice was heard, saying: 'A heart has been hurt. Hasten, hasten, bring her to Me!'
Source: Honnold, Annamarie, Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 54
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: kindness).
Discuss this story
For adults
- Where do kindness and patience 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
- If you were in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's place, what might you have done?
- What does this story teach about kindness?
Reflection
- Is there someone in your life who would be helped by hearing this story?
- Sit quietly for a moment after reading. What does this story stir in you?
- Take one line from this story and let it stay with you today.
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "One day in London the hour for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's private audiences had arrived" 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/kindness
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