Rest thou not for a moment, seek thou to draw no easeful breath.

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Originally uploaded by Julian Bach

Today in class we were reading over some quotes about youth and how to go about living one's life, and this quote from Abdul Baha particularly touched me:

Be thou a summoner to love, and be thou kind to all the human race. Love thou the children of men and share in their sorrows. Be thou of those who foster peace. Offer thy friendship, be worthy of trust. Be thou a balm to every sore, be thou a medicine for every ill. Bind thou the souls together. Recite thou the verses of guidance. Be engaged in the worship of thy Lord, and rise up to lead the people aright. Loose thy tongue and teach, and let thy face be bright with the fire of God’s love. Rest thou not for a moment, seek thou to draw no easeful breath. Thus mayest thou become a sign and symbol of God’s love, and a banner of His grace.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 26

What a challenge! To "share in their sorrows" is such a profound idea. We are not usually taught to empathyze with others, but rather to take care of our own needs first and that if we do that, all will be well and everyone else will be taken care of. This of course if not true: to care for others is to care for oneself! The more love we give out, the more love we get back in return. I have experienced this first hand. Sometimes that love you give, in whatever form you distribute it (be it helping someone with their homework, or just listening to someone vent their feelings, etc.) is not always felt by you immediatly and is not always returned in the way that you gave it out, but sooner or later, God takes care of you and rewards you for your good deeds.