on splendor
Anglo-Norman French
splendur
Latin
late Middle English
splendere shine, be bright
splendor Latin
splendor
Etymology via Google
One Report is spiritually-minded content for and by young people. This publication is borne from a reflection of the teachings of the Baha’i Faith and many of our contributors are Baha’is, but not all. The goal is for One Report to offer space for people from all faith backgrounds and beliefs to discuss issues of faith and spirituality. In a time of turmoil, One Report hopes to be a source of unity and collaboration. It is an opportunity for young people to learn from one another and share reflections that feel relevant, pressing, stirring, and elevated. Thank you.
One Report is edited by Anisa Tavangar. Photographs in this issue by Samira Saunders.
joy in bad coffee Written by Nadia Kardan
I was twenty-two when I moved to New York City to start work as a first year teacher in the south Bronx. I wasn’t prepared for the emotional intensity or stress of the job, or even the intensity or stress of living on my own for the first time. My co-worker and mentor at work told me, “Find something to look forward to at every hour of the day—even if it is a cup of coffee.” It’s easy to get a cup of coffee in the city if you’re not picky and you have a buck. Cash only cheap coffee doesn’t pack a lot of flavor. Sometimes it burns a little or leaves a funky aftertaste that might make you cough, but it’s the pick me up I need to get me through the hour and it’s a smell I now associate with New York, my home. So, whenever I’m sad, I scrounge through my purse or wallet, through the holes on the insides of my sleeves and in the places deep in the plunges of my bag for a few quarters or a rolled up, wrinkled, dollar bill. I present to any bodega or cart on the corner and I ask for my small coffee. I smile as I sip it, filled with the joy that will take me to the end of the day, satisfied if just for the moment.
List by Maya Mansour
humans Helping Humans Written by Shakila Zab
We’ve all struggled at some point in our lives, whether it be with emotional drainage, physical work, stress, or moments of anxiety. And at one time, it felt like everything hit me at once. Confusion about my career path, tension from stress, pressure from work, relationships challenging me emotionally, and feeling alone in it all. Yet I was always keeping my cool and making sure everyone around me was happy.
“I stared out at the sunlit street as little tears built up in my eyes. At that moment, I got up and walked out the office”
This one cold winter day at work, I sat at my desk stressing. I stared out at the sunlit street as little tears built up in my eyes. At that moment, I got up and walked out the office, right into the sun drenched, quiet lane of the busy city. I needed fresh air and a moment away from the screen. I walked across the street and sat on the curb. I was wearing a long khaki coat with ‘fake’ cuts and straps, and worn out boots, because... fashion. I wrapped the long ends of coat over my legs, digging my head into my knees as my back soaked up the sun.
That itself was such a serene and splendorous moment as everything I worried about seemed to subdue. I was in my own little world when suddenly I heard footsteps approaching, which stopped right in front of me. I lifted my head to see who was about to bother me. This old man, homeless and scruffy, was looking down at me. He said “Hey little one, ya alright there?” I responded with a nod, telling him I was fine and just taking a break. Before he could let me finish, he continued on, “You got a place to stay tonight? If you’re hungry, in an hour the [salvation charity] is doing a lunch just up the street in that building.” He points down the little laneway he came from. “Oh, and tip, you might wanna go there early to line up, otherwise you might miss out. Gets busy.” At this point, I felt it was too late to explain anything. The man thought I was homeless, yet he was so happy to help. I just stared at him and sort of gave him a “thank you” nod. He continued talking about the winter struggles of homelessness. “You sure you won’t get cold tonight? We’re here ya know if you need anything ma’am, lovely chatting to you.” “Thanks,” I said as he continued his stroll. I felt a little dumbfounded. But then I got up and walked back to work feeling like a different person with a different spirit. That was a moment of splendor. When I think of splendor, I think of random acts of kindness. Humans helping humans. Or humans shedding their light onto you. Nothing stirs my soul quite like it.
“
Every time I lift up mine eyes unto Thy heaven, I call to mind Thy highness and Thy loftiness, and Thine incomparable glory and greatness; and every time I turn my gaze to Thine earth, I am made to recognize the evidences of Thy power and the tokens of Thy bounty. And when I behold
the sea, I find that it speaketh to me of Thy majesty, and of the potency of Thy might, and of Thy sovereignty and Thy grandeur. And at whatever time I contemplate the mountains, I am led to discover the ensigns of Thy victory and the standards of Thine omnipotence.
“
Bahá’u’lláh
Revisiting The Horizon Written by Josh Downer
I moved to San Francisco from Washington D.C. just after Thanksgiving, landing at SFO late at night. The next four weeks were filled with a flurry of focused activity; moving in to my new apartment in the Castro neighborhood, commuting four stops on the “Muni” to the financial district, and working in an open-air office space that is among Silicon Valley’s most head-scratching “innovations.” Back East five weeks later for New Years, I was asked how I was enjoying San Francisco. “The streets are a lot dirtier than Washington’s,” I said, “and the trains more crowded. It’s wet and chilly. Everyone dresses funny; it’s like people think it’s Saturday morning every day. But there are some good burrito places on my street.”
The eyes in front of me were glazing over. We were watching football and, returning from a break, the screen showed an aerial view of the San Francisco bay as the sun was setting. “Hey Josh, there it is!” I looked up and froze. “That’s where I live?”, I mumbled to know one in particular. My friends laughed. “You’re kidding, right?” I was silent for a few moments, then realized they were still looking at me. “Not really. I mean, I guess I haven’t seen the water since I moved there. I don’t think it’s that close to my apartment.” “Um, all of San Francisco is a few square miles. It’s surrounded by water.” They laughed again and moved on. But for the next few minutes I couldn’t stop picturing the image I had seen. It was breathtaking. A modern
city surrounded by the sea, with rugged mountains on the horizon. The Golden Gate bridge was a marvel of painted steel and clean lines. The Pacific Ocean was an endless expanse, with colors as vibrant as they were diverse. I noticed an airy sensation in my chest that I hadn’t felt in a while, not since I had left D.C. My mind drifted to the last weekly devotional gathering I attended in the Columbia Heights neighborhood. More than 15 of the friends were there, with guitars and prayer books in tow. These gatherings had become like bread and water to me. During forty-five minutes of spontaneous prayer and song, a spiritual presence would emerge that I would lean into, and rest in, and which seemed to carry me deep into the following week.
“He draws us back to Him even when we leave and it was neglect the spiritual Somehow here now, too. In splendor of communities in our the a single sunset – one I hadn’t even midst.” seen in person – I
was suddenly in a state of spiritual vitality. For weeks I had been locked in a lifeless ritual of sleep, eat and work. Having left a community I spent years cultivating, I had made little effort to invest in my new one, and a quiet cynicism already began to crowd out my previous wellspring of joy. But God does not let us go so easily. He offers His loving presence to be felt far beyond the confines of our religious activities and services. He draws us back to Him even
when we leave and neglect the spiritual communities in our midst. With glimpses of His Splendor, we are shaken from the smallness of our material routines and thoughts, and in a state of awe, we are transported to His presence.
Thrill of Color Written by Brianna McCord
Thrilling is what comes to mind when I think of color. We often take them for granted but most of our decisions, to acquire or try something, are heavily swayed by color. It is primal. What we gravitate toward, in regard to color, might be one of the most personal relationships we have with ourselves, those decisions shaping our world. I can still remember, as a teenager in the French countryside, realizing the colors of the landscape I was seeing were the same as in paintings I studied in art history classes. In my travels, living in New York, growing up in Florida, going back and forth to Haiti, I notice the way light diffuses over the landscape in each place. It’s hard to believe there are all these incredible colors to see and experience in a new way. All around the world, in places I have never seen before, there are new colors. Color doesn’t just enhance a locality; it reinforces joy. When people take risks with color, using it as a vehicle for expression, they can enhance their own mood and that of others, making visual connections to memories that hit us in such a powerful way. I use color in my painting practice to tell a story. Color can represent a mood or communicate a certain spirit. I want the colors to evoke a heightened expression of reality.
Artists vary in mastery of color and technique but when the two meet harmoniously, those artists evoke strong feelings, creating a memory in their viewer. Color will always be my main splendor and I can’t imagine a world without the joy of color. Paintings by Brianna McCord
From a Seed Written by Defne Inhan
Seeds are both the end and the beginning. Mirrored through the letters B-E conjoined together, these awesome vessels of power possess mighty potentialities... The seeds are patient. They can surrender themselves to thousands of years of sleep, kept away from the beloved, moist and all-embracing soil... until they fall into and shake the Earth with their life-giving power, tucked into a humble beginning that soon transforms into a majestic tree. The seeds are self-sacrificing. They happily die within the bosom of the Earth, to make her flourish. The seeds are generous. They contain information that is vital for the survival of countless beings. They know their existence is of no use if they don’t share it with the soil, the microorganisms, the fungi, the birds, and the bees... The seeds feed all.
The seeds are creative. They can make mighty sequoia trees that take your breath away, medicine for ailments we never knew, juicy fruits with unmatched alchemies, impeccable and uncountable designs. The seeds are intelligent. Some have built-in rain gauges and will germinate only after a certain amount of rainfall. Others have built-in calendars that determine when to spring forth. Some seeds are so sensitive to light that even the moonlight can stir them into germination. The manifold mysteries are embodied within them. May we be given eyes to behold the splendor of even the tiniest of seed.
Songs on Splendor Playlist by Naomi Tewodros
Have You Ever Been/To Electric Ladyland (Nai Palm) To Zion (Ms. Lauryn Hill, Carlos Santana) Holy (Jamila Woods) This Feeling (Alabama Shakes) Midnight Mischief (Jordan Rakei, Tom Misch) Barefood In The Park (James Blake, ROSALIA Orbit (Nao) Plastic (Moses Sumney) As (Stevie Wonder)
Listen at bit.ly/songsonsplendor
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