The latest article from the Baha'i site at BellaOnline.com is a response to a conversation I overheard while standing in line at the supermarket. (Yes, I do enjoy watching people, LOL.) The subject was "kids today" and how hard they have to work in school so they can have jobs that won't be hard work later. (The speaker was of an age that probably meant hard farm labor instead of school when they grew up in this rural area.) As usual, the talk deteriorated into general complaint about how younger generations were so lazy, etc., etc. (Never mind that the young persons working as checker and grocery bagger a few feet away were really sweating their jobs in the pre-holiday rush.)

The last comment I heard before it was my turn to pay for my groceries was that clergy had the easiest jobs, and becoming a monk was the way to go. Really? That has not been my observation of either local clergymen or the men and women in cloisters up the highway from us near Big Sur, CA. My admiration for their selfless service is unbounded.

However, I am at the age where I can understand the notion of "lazy youth," LOL. It's just that my elders were saying the very same thing when I was one of those youth! So, nothing has changed. The work ethic seems to be most esteemed by older generations, or perhaps is just defined differently. So, I went to the Bahá'í Writings to see what they have to say about work, wealth and prosperity, not to mention salvation.

The Bahá'í Attitude Towards Work
Bahá'í teachings make it clear that every single person has God-given gifts and talents and is expected to use them for the betterment of themselves and mankind.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art182184.asp

Also, there are many holidays this month and wonderful opportunities to share each others' best wishes and dreams for a better world. Here are links to a couple articles from the past on how Bahá'ís enjoy this time of year:

Tis the Season - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art31005.asp
Christmas Musing - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art36969.asp

Do visit bahai.bellaonline.com for more articles on parenting, education, and tools for character building, plus links to the sacred texts of the Bahá'í Faith. You don't have to rely on only my understanding, when you can go straight to the source!

Join free online discussions, view time sensitive announcements and check out interesting external links in the site forum located here -

http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=321

I hope to hear from you sometime soon, either in the forum or in response to this email message. I thrive on your feedback.

Cheryll Schuette, Baha'i Editor
http://bahai.bellaonline.com

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