“It is a story” – Poem from the Film Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour

Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour is a beautiful film commissioned by the Universal House of Justice that reflects on the efforts and learning carried out by a burgeoning Baha’i community since the passing of Abdu’l-Baha in 1921. If you haven’t already seen it, we definitely recommend watching it – you can find it here on the official YouTube channel for the Baha’i Faith.

“It is a story” is the poem included near the end of the film and we’re thankful for permission to share it with you as per the film’s terms of use.¹

It is a story

It is a story

almost as old as time itself.

Even before she was born

they tried to make her disappear

like a magic trick.

But her presence was noted

if only

in her absence.

When she was born

instead of sharing sweets

they shared ribbon-tied bags

of sorrow.

And when she received

she received

the smallest, the least and

the last

or often none

at all.

Food, comfort, education, respect.

If she went to school

she had to be careful to

not to learn

too much, to

not to speak

too much, to

not be seen

too much.

She must not take up

too much

space.

She must make herself

smaller and

smaller.

Fold herself

into shapes

that are

quiet, restrained, contained.

Learn that her

own body

is not a safe

house for her soul.

But now

with this new Revelation

a new story is being written.

A story that unravels all the stories

of the past.

A story where women stand

side by side

with men.

Even before she is born

there is celebration

for the anticipation of a

brand new soul.

When she is born

the family, the village, the city, the nation

rejoice.

She will receive.

Food, comfort, education, respect.

She will go to school.

She has so much

to learn

to understand

to speak of

to teach.

She will grow

and she will grow.

She will breathe and

she will dream and

she will do and

she will know that

her voice is powerful.

She will arise.

She will unfold

from shapes that are

quiet, restrained, contained.

Until her family, her village, her city, her nation,

too,

will blossom.

Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour is available in Arabic, English, French, Persian, Russian, Spanish, and Swahili. You can watch or download the film here: www.bahai.org/glimpses

You can also watch the film here on the official YouTube channel for the Baha’i Faith: Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour

1. Terms of use

   © Baha’i World Centre, 2022.

   Subject to the following restrictions this film may be freely reproduced in whole or in part without the need to obtain special permission:

   1. The Baha’i World Centre retains full copyright protection for this film;
   2. You acquire no rights to or license over the content other than the limited right to use the film in accordance with these terms;
   3. You may reproduce, copy, distribute, publish, or display the film in whole or in part for any non-commercial use [for Baha’i communities only],but you cannot modify, edit, create derivative works from it or use it in any manner inconsistent with its original intent;
   4. This copyright notice must always be attached to any reproduction of this work. [↩]

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Sonjel Vreeland

In her innermost heart, Sonjel is a stay-at-home parent and a bookworm with a maxed out library card but professionally she is a museologist with a background in English Literature. She currently lives on Prince Edward Island, an isle in the shape of a smile on the eastern Canadian coast. Sonjel is a writer who loves to listen to jazz when she's driving at night.