From August 30 through September 9, the Baha'i community of Canada commemorated the visit of 'Abdu'l-Baha to our country in 1912. He was, as many of you know, the perfect Exemplar for us, and in his visit to Montreal, had given eloquent speeches in churches, to the press, and in the Maxwell home where he stayed for a portion of his time here, and which is now kept as a Shrine for visitors to come and to say prayers in the room where he slept.

This picture, courtesy of Bob & France Pilbrow, who are both my neighbours and Baha'i friends, and who spent ten years in service in Haifa, Israel, shows a group of us gathered together to commemorate the visit. We are gathered under a picture of 'Abdu'l-Baha. Such photos are often found in Baha'i homes. Here you see, on the left, Janis Zrudlo, who lives part time in our community of Gatineau and part time in Cyprus, with her husband Leo, seated in front in the jean jacket. Next to Janis, standing, is Monique Bastien, a talented local artist and photograher, and seated between Janis and Leo, Louise Cusson, a warm and lovely woman who joined the Baha'i community here within the last two years. I am in the centre, at the back, with my arms around Monique and around David Erickson, an erudite and sometimes mischievous friend who is the paterfamilias of the community, a poet, a knowledgeable appreciator of music, a scholar, and an appreciator of my lemon meringue pie! At the far right of the picture is Bob Pilbrow, our co-host. His wife, France, is the eye behind the camera.

In addition to the stories of 'Abdu'l-Baha which we shared that evening, and the lovely hospitality, we saw a film, "Invitation," in which the late Ruhiyyih Khanum, who was born Mary Maxwell and raised partly in Montreal before her marriage to Shoghi Effendi, the grandson of 'Abdu'l-Baha and the Guardian of our faith until his death in 1957. Ruhiyyih Khanum made many, many trips around the world on behalf of the faith and was given the station of "Hand of the Cause" by the Guardian. As you know more about the Baha'is, if you are interested, you will learn that as with any community, there is a language embedded in the knowledge: deepening, fireside, Hand of the Cause, Auxiliary Board Member, Ruhi Institute...names given to features of an ever-expanding world community of believers in Baha'u'llah.

Speaking of firesides...yesterday was our monthly "waffle and wisdom" breakfast. My husband Bernie makes up a big batch of his now famous waffles, we ensure that we have lots and lots of maple syrup, whipping cream, yogurt, and seasonal fruits...and at ten in the morning, friends begin to stream through the door for breakfast and a talk to be given by someone we invite. Yesterday we again enjoyed having a diverse group, including an Ethiopian friend and one from Colombia, to hear Deirdre Jackson Farr speak on the journey to God. Her talk was both simple and deep, acknowledging, of course, the vastness of the subject and the impossibility of containing it...but I always find her eloquence moving. She is able to employ many of the Scriptures, either through preparation or memory, as an integral part of the talk, and particularly emphasized her own journey as she had gained greater understanding of spiritual development through her deepening understanding of the writings.

The afternoon and evening were also spent in uplifting spiritual pursuits, but I want to close this morning with a description of an evening I enjoyed in Ottawa on Saturday night.

Dr. Ray Johnson, and his wife LaNelma, are American friends who pioneered for many years in India, and subsequently were at Maxwell International Baha'i School for seven years before moving back to the U.S. for Ray to work at a university in Kansas. Ray was the principal at Maxwell during the first year I spent there, 1994-1995, so when I heard that he and LaNelma were coming through, I decided to attend the talk. It was lovely to see them personally, of course, but I really enjoyed the presentation itself. Ray used a Power Point presentation very effectively as an adjunct to his words. So often I find that people use the technology to the detriment of the message, emphasizing the technology rather than the message itself. Ray did not; he is still a master teacher/speaker, and used the technology as a helpful tool for writing out quotes, emphasizing points, showing salient photographs...and illustrating stories. I came home and shared two of the stories with Bernie because they were so moving. I do not feel that I should write them out, however, for others: they are his stories, not mine. But I very much enjoyed hearing them. The Johnsons are travelling extensively in Canada and the States, and the presentation is really worth taking along friends who are interested in the subject of the Baha'i approach to the education of children. Watch for them in a city near you! I believe they are in Montreal next, then Québec City, then travelling across to P.E.I. before heading down into the eastern U.S.

I also hosted the Baha'i feast for our community on Friday night, so it has been a very busy weekend with activities for the faith. This week also promises to be full; there are activities both this evening and on Friday night, I have been asked to give a talk in Ottawa, on the creative process, for an Arts event.

I was interested to note that when I received my copy of This Magazine in the mail, I had short-listed again for their poetry contest in this year's Great Canadian Literary Hunt. That was a good surprise.

On to more writing, as the fall sets in and we begin to really anticipate the arrival of Mom and Dad, and gather in the last of our still-ripening tomatoes, the sunflowers, a couple of zinnias...there are still nasturtiums and sweetpeas in bloom, but a chill in the air of an evening. Some years it makes me sad, but this year I have told Bernie that I am going to try to adopt a positive attitude to winter, and by doing so, have my thoughts become my reality. Wish me luck.