Letter to the Baha'is of Volusia...

I've just returned from another wonderful Devotional at Rowena's home and I am compelled to share something with you all.

I want to thank all of you for your friendship and love.

I have been a Baha'i in my heart and mind since I was 13 years old but I had never felt involved or connected with my communities. In the beginning, it may have been due to the personalities of members of the communities. It may have been that I was too young and immature to relate to them and appreciate my communities. Perhaps a little of both. These were good communities but for whatever reason we just didn't "click". Then through the years I just stopped going altogether.

Looking back, I see this has severely stunted my spiritual growth. I've come to the realization that I have been a Baha'i for 22 years and I don't know very much about it. Nearly everything that I know about being a Baha'i is from what I learned from age 13 to 17 (and from a teenager's perspective).

My point to all this is that all of my life I have felt like I did not "fit in" with my communities, and subsequently did not "feel" like a Baha'i. I felt as if I were merely an outsider that was tolerated; allowed to join in but not be a part of it.

Since the day I came to the picnic at the park about 6 months ago and met the community I have received nothing but genuine, sincere love and acceptance. The first few months I was waiting for the "other shoe to drop" and things would go back to what I'm familiar with. Communities that are unorganised, distant, or unfriendly. I now know this community is not too good to be true.

Each and every member of our community that I have met is warm, vibrant, and outgoing with a deep, passionate love for The Faith. We have a very cohesive community that genuinely enjoys being with each other. We are a FUN community. We may be small in comparison to others but we have an intimacy that is to be cherished and nurtured. What I/we experienced at Nylah's Welcoming Circle was proof enough for me. That was the single most satisfying Baha'i event I have ever been to.

I, for the first time, truly feel like a Baha'i. I feel accepted, appreciated, and as an equal. Because of this I have grown more spiritually and have learned more about our Baha'i Faith in 6 months than I have in 22 years. I thank you and I cherish you. I am truly humbled by the blessings God and Bahá'u'lláh have given to me through you.

Allah'u'abha