Be Happy

Virtues – Radiant Heart

Be Happy

Source: The Chosen Highway, Lady Blomfield, Pg. 163

‘Abdu’l-Baha’s desire that everyone should be happy showed itself in many ways. “Are you well? Are you happy?” He always asked.

One day the sound of peals of laughter came from the direction of the kitchen. The Master went quickly to the cheery party.

“I am very much pleased that you are so happy. Tell me, why are you laughing?”

It appeared that the Persian servant had remarked “In the East women wear veils and do all the work,” to which our English housekeeper had replied: “In the West women don’t wear veils, and take good care that the men do at least some of the work. You had better get on with cleaning that silver.”

The Master was delighted, laughed heartily, and gave each of them a small gold coin for being happy.”

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“— the joyousness with which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá always depicted the spiritual life as He enjoined it upon us. And why not? Is man’s spiritual life not in reality more joyous than any other kind of life that he can lead?

“This philosophy of joy was the keynote of all of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s teaching. ‘Are you happy?’ was His frequent greeting to his visitors. ‘Be happy!’

“Those who were unhappy (and who of us are not at times!) would weep at this. And ‘Abdu’l-Baha would smile as if to say, ‘Yes, weep on. Beyond the tears is sunshine.’

“And sometimes He would wipe away with His own hands the tears from their wet cheeks, and they would leave His presence transfigured.” (Bahá’í News July 1962, p. 5)