Fine dining

Hello again and welcome to soulkids!

My father-in-law went overseas this week to visit family and he asked me to compile some photographs for him to take along. When he asked me for ‘some photos’, I realised he meant almost a mini-documentary on the last few years of our individual and collective lives because it’s been a few years since his last overseas trip! Of course, I agreed and began sifting through the countless photographs we have (which as a result of digital technology we rarely print) but occasionally go back in time to admire. Going through these photographs I realised there was something common in many of them which have been taken at our home. The item I noticed existing in many of the photographs was our dining table. Think about it – this multi-purpose object is almost a home in itself. It is the centre of the household.

Viewing the photographs of my beloved family, I noticed that we have shared many occasions on and around this piece of furniture. Birthdays, family meetings, tea with friends, homework sessions, family dinners and even art classes! How many times have you been rushing to cook dinner whilst helping your independent little one install batteries in his shiny, noisy, new car toy which you thought was ‘a good idea to purchase at the time‘ (because it wasn’t anywhere near that loud in the shop!); your middle one with his new found love of kindergarten readers; and your eldest with his more elaborate homework which this week is to build a volcano which erupts; and this is all before dressing them in their appropriate attire and dropping them off to their afternoon activity??? Think of where this all happens... Yes, around your dining table, or your kitchen bench, or elsewhere in your home...

To me, the dining table symbolises a centre – the heart of an existence – and for your family this ‘centre’ may slightly differ but the core remains the same. It brought to my mind the wonderful family that we have and the many precious, life-shaping moments which we have shared together so far, and God-willing, will share many more. The photos brought to my heart the love, caring, dedication, expression, creativity, beauty, excellence, justice, reverence, unity, wisdom, wonder, purposefulness, service, sacrifice and humility we endeavour to surround our children with. We get so caught up in meeting deadlines and arriving at our meetings or venues punctually that I do hope we actually pause sometimes and absorb all that we are striving for.

This wonderful quote from 'Abdu'l-Bahá is very clear: “I give you my advice and it is this: Train these children with divine exhortations. From their childhood instil in their hearts the love of God... and have confidence in the bestowals of God. Teach them to free themselves from human imperfections and to acquire the divine perfections latent in the heart of man. The life of man is useful if he attains the perfections of man...Therefore make ye an effort in order that these children may be rightly trained and educated that each one of them may attain perfection in the world of humanity. Know ye the value of these children for they are all my children.” ('Abdu'l-Bahá in the Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 52-54).

Whatever the ‘dining table’ happens to be in your family, do take firm note of how the events which occur around it shape our children, the men and women of the new world.

The Editor