Reflections on a Train

On November 12, 1912, Abdu'l-Baha was aboard a train, a train that was carrying him from Washington, D.C. to New York City. Since November the 12th was also the birthday for Abdu'l-Baha's father, one can safely assume that he must have been thinking about his father at some point during that day.

Today, when Baha'i pilgrims in Haifa visit the grave of Abdu'l-Baha's father, they say a special prayer. A few lines from that prayer provide the readers of this blog with hint of the sort of thoughts that might have passed through Abdu'l-Baha's mind on November 12, 1912.

Here are a few lines from that prayer, lines on which he may well have reflected, as he looked out the window of the train:


"Waft then unto me, O my God and my Beloved, from the right hand of thy mercy and thy loving kindness, the holy breath of Thy favors, that they draw me away from myself and from the world unto the courts of Thy nearness and Thy presence. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, truly hast been supreme over all things."