Smiling, unadulterated but abstract,
her joy knows no earthly limit,
her love knows no earthly expression,
her life a shining beacon of faith.
A kiss could never be pure, her mouth
profaned its lust with her pious words.
The contradiction between love and in love,
it always superseded her revelry.
Reverence was her only purpose.
In the face of such piety
I was nothing.
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Oh friends, not these tones, Let us sing yet more joyfully!
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Having read your subsequent posts about your divorce and views on the Baha'i faith, I find poem quite heartbreaking. I stumbled across your writing in the context of a current dilemma I have about dating a Baha'i man, and to say that it has given me pause is an understatement. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. This poem was basically the first thing I wrote at the start of the divorce process.
ReplyDeleteRelationships between Baha'is and non-Baha'is can definitely work, but just like in any relationship, you have to make sure you're communicating. It's important to be clear about expectations and needs. Some Baha'is are a lot more intense about their devotion to the particulars of the Faith's teachings than others, and some are much more insular than others. In my experience, the most balanced Baha'is have an active social and professional life outside the Faith. On the other hand, some have few or no non-Baha'i friends or interests outside of service to the Faith. That's a red flag that you might struggle to really connect.
Those are good points, thanks. Connection is not our problem at the moment, but foreseeing potential problems down the track with marriage and family is proving a challenge. I'm also concerned that the level of devotion can change, and it sounds as though your (ex?) wife's level of involvement did evolved during your relationship. Would you mind if I contacted you via social media to continue a discussion about this kind of interfaith situation? I completely understand if it's the last thing you want to think about, so just let me know if that's the case.
DeleteI'd be happy to lend whatever limited insight I can. Easiest is to DM me on Twitter (@Paul_Franz) if you have an account.
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