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Articles by Nancy Flood-Golembeck
Jesus and The Bab: Parallels in divine lives
On Nov. 10, Baha’is around the world will celebrate the birth of The Bab, the herald of their faith. From small villages on the continent of Africa to modern mega-cities such as New York and Toronto, to our own small Baha’i community here in Springfield, Baha’is will gather to celebrate the birth and the life of this remarkable messenger.
Preparing for the journey
Not to be morbid, but have you thought about death lately? I’ve had plenty of opportunities to do just that recently, having said good-bye to three close Baha’i friends, a nephew and an admired acquaintance since May. That’s quite a tsunami of death, so there was no way for me to avoid thinking about it, even had I wanted to. With every funeral or memorial service I attend, the brevity of our lives on this planet strikes me ever more forcefully.
The mail carrier, the grocery clerk and the barista
No, the next line isn’t “walk into a bar!” although creating such a joke might be an interesting challenge. What, then, is the relationship between these three? They each represent the kinds of relationships sociologists call “weak ties.” That is, the kind of casual relationships that don’t generally lead to strong emotional bonds, although they tend to be pleasant.
A summer of hope and action
This summer, as tensions rise along with the temperature and the persistent deep divisions in our country give rise to a sense of hopelessness in some quarters, there are those bringing renewed hope and purpose across this land. Young Baha’is, along with their friends from numerous faith traditions, backgrounds and ethnicities, are spending their school break working to foster change at the grassroots level – change that demonstrates a new pattern of how society can operate.
A common endeavor
As the 250th anniversary of our country’s founding approaches, rather than celebratory peals, millions of Americans will be hearing alarm bells ringing as they witness the daily erosion of traditional American ideals such as freedom, justice and equality. Of course, this country has never fully lived up to these ideals; even so, they have served us well as aspirations to work toward.
The Baha’i festival of Ridvan
The Baha’i Festival of Ridvan (pronounced Rez-vahn) is the holiest season of the Baha’i year. Beginning at sunset on April 20 and ending at sunset May 2, this 12-day period commemorates the time in 1863, when Baha’u’llah sojourned along with family and followers in the Najibiyyih Garden, situated on an island in the Tigris River. Subsequently, this garden was called the Garden of Ridvan by his followers, Ridvan being the Persian word for paradise.
The promise of one world
We all know what a time waster surfing the internet can be yet, occasionally, something pops up which illustrates a truth, simply but profoundly. Sometime during the past year, I came upon such a story. It goes something like this. Somewhere in the U.S., a middle-aged man is standing in the checkout line at a grocery store. Behind him, a young woman is having a quiet conversation on her cellphone.
The greatness of a nation
It is ironic and more than a bit frightening that in this Black History Month, 2026, those who claim to want to “make America great” are actively working to erase the numerous contributions made to this country by people of color and to downplay the enduring effects of slavery. A nation does not achieve greatness by denying past evils. Confronting the reality of those evils and striving to overcome them is a fundamental step on the path to greatness.
In praise of single women
I hope the title of this column makes at least a few people do a double take! It isn’t every day, after all, that you hear words of praise directed at single women. Perhaps you’re one of those who recently viewed that perennial holiday favorite, It’s a Wonderful Life. If so, you’ll recall the scene in which angel-in-training, Clarence, shows George Bailey, Jimmy Stewart’s character, what things would be like had he never been born.
The gift of silence
Knowing my own faults and foibles, I try to be tolerant of such things in others-even those who think that Brussels sprouts are actually edible or who don’t like animals! There is one habit I find difficult to understand, though: so many people seem to have an aversion to silence. More than one person has told me they turn on the television when they are alone, “just for the noise.” The word “noise” does not hold a positive connotation for me.
Of life, purpose and Jane Goodall
Recently I came across a video clip of Dr. Jane Goodall, filmed near the end of her long, beautiful life on this planet. She spoke, of course, about the fact that we cannot separate ourselves from nature but also spoke movingly about each of us having a purpose and how our actions make a difference. There are many passages in Baha’i scripture which address the purpose of life in this world, but I am most familiar with three of them.
What if we truly dared to love?
Just when we think the divisions in this country can’t get any worse, they do. Overnight, the cracks in our society become crevasses, the crevasses, chasms. We are in danger of splintering into innumerable pieces which can never fit together again. Aside from being appalled, how is a person of faith to deal with this situation? No matter what religion we follow or what label we give ourselves, we are all, clearly, called to love.
Nancy Flood-Golembeck
Posted inCommunity & Lifestyle Just when we think the divisions in this country can’t get any worse, they do. Overnight, the cracks in our society become crevasses, the crevasses, chasms. We are in danger of splintering into innumerable pieces which can never fit together again.
The midnight sighing of the poor
Lately, the phrase I’ve chosen as the title of this column, “The midnight sighing of the poor,” has been running through my mind, especially when I hear of planned government cuts to programs designed to benefit those who are living at or below poverty level. This phrase is part of a longer Baha’i quote which I’ll share later. But, what scenarios it evokes, this “midnight sighing”: Midnight, in a dingy apartment where a single mother cannot sleep.
Humility: The endangered virtue
Country music is not my favorite genre. However, there is one country song that never fails to bring a smile to my face each time I hear it. That song, “(Always Stay) Humble and Kind,” is sung by Tim McGraw but it was written by Lori McKenna, a mother of five, and it’s easy to hear her heartfelt advice to her children in it. If you’re not familiar with it, I encourage you to seek it out and give a listen. It’s available on all streaming services and YouTube.
Stumbling toward unity
More than 150 years ago, Baha’u’llah proclaimed the oneness of humanity. Addressing mankind, he said, “The tabernacle of unity hath been raised; regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the leaves of one tree and the fruits of one branch.” In another place he says, “O children of men! Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created.
Ageism: The last acceptable prejudice?
Quick! Finish this sentence with the first words that come to you: Elderly people _______________________. Did you make a positive statement? Then good for you; you haven’t bought into the stereotypes of this youth-obsessed society! Or perhaps it’s just that you’re a “senior citizen” like me who chafes at the persistently negative images of older people presented in the mass media.
Healing the World, Part III
In Part I of Healing the World, I wrote of the need for self-care and using the spiritual practices of prayer and meditation to stay grounded in turbulent times, and in Part II, the theme was collaborating with others and the efforts the Baha’is are making to reach out to the wider community. In this final installation, I want to share some of the things the Baha’i community does internally and how, perhaps, we can offer a model for others.
Healing the world, Part II
You’ve probably noticed the plethora of self-care articles and posts over the last couple of months. It’s hardly surprising given the ongoing chaos which surrounds us. As I suggested in my last column, self-care is essential but it’s not enough if we are to begin to heal the world. Baha’is, guided by Baha’u’llah’s vision for a peaceful and united world, are taking small but consistent steps toward that goal.
Healing the world,
That the world (and perhaps, primarily, our nation) needs to be healed is a premise few would dispute. One needs only be a conscious, thinking adult to discern the signs of its disease, which are both too numerous and too obvious to list. The old institutions which have served us well for hundreds of years are losing their potency and are rapidly disintegrating. Along with this process of disintegration but less easily discerned, a parallel process of integration is taking place.
Cultivate awe in the new year
I do not fancy myself a skilled prognosticator. However, I can make one prediction about 2025 with a high degree of certainty: It will be a turbulent year. Those of us who value justice, equity, racial and religious harmony and the welfare of animals and of our planet will be sorely tried in the struggle to uphold those values. It’s important to practice self-care as we “fight the good fight.” People of faith will, of course, rely on prayer and meditation to sustain them.
Be thankful for your problems
That most American of holidays has arrived. And, even though the merchants would have us believe that holiday is Christmas, it’s actually Thanksgiving. In many homes throughout the country, the day will be celebrated in the grand tradition of feasting, football and family feuds! Others will pause to reflect on the blessings they enjoy, for even though this country is broken in many ways, it is still uniquely blessed, especially materially.
Whistling in church: Finding the joy in religion
As I (slowly) make progress in writing a memoir, I find that one of the perks is that little nuggets of writer’s gold sometimes bob to the surface as I sift through the stream of memory. Recently, I found one that speaks to joy: I was raised in the Protestant Christian tradition and, as in many homes, my mother was the parent who saw to it that my sister and I attended Sunday School and who attended church herself.
Honoring Sonya Massey
I did not know Sonya Massey. But I do know this about her: She should be living among us, loving her family, complaining about the heat, singing along with her favorite music, stretching a dollar, laughing at life’s absurdities and crying over its injustices. She should be savoring her joys and struggling with her fears, trying to make her way in the world – just being human.
The destiny
Some years ago, a well-known comedian (Johnny Carson, perhaps), had a routine which began with the question, “Would you believe?” This was followed with an absurdly improbable proposition, and the routine took off from there. Lately, my own “would you believe” inquiry has been increasingly on my mind: Would you believe America is destined to lead all nations spiritually? Absurd? You bet! At least on the face of it. But this is no comedy routine.
Elections that actually unify: They happen every year Original
How do you feel when you hear or read the words “election year?” I’d venture to guess that very few of you feel any kind of positive patriotic pride. More likely, these words produce feelings of aversion or dread in most of us because we know we will be assaulted with a seemingly endless barrage of mudslinging, lies and threats. Sadly, the political situation in our country, and most of the world as well, has deteriorated into this abysmal state.
Acknowledging equality of men and women benefits everyone
Recently, while pondering how to honor Women’s History Month in my March column, I came across some notes I’d made from something I’d read a few years ago. Among other things, they said that in 2018 the Southern Poverty Law Center had added a new category to its tracking of hate movements around the country: male supremacy.
Anxiety, violence, lack of compassion are by-products of materialism
Nancy Flood-Golembeck Springfield State Journal- Register Are you staying abreast of the tiny house movement currently gaining momentum across the country? At our house, we sometimes watch “Tiny House Hunters” and other similar programs, and I look on in amazement at the creative use of space by those who design these diminutive dwellings. It seems the major motivating factors for those who opt to go tiny are freedom from mortgage payments and inherent mobility options — both worthy goals.
Not religious? You can still engage in meaningful acts of worship every day
My father would not have described himself as a religious man. My mother was the one who saw to it that my sister and I attended Sunday School regularly, and she, herself was an enthusiastic churchgoer. Dad pretty much limited his appearances at church to Christmas and Easter. It wasn’t until I embraced the Baha’i Faith as a young woman that I began to realize that my father, although not “religious,” was actually engaging in meaningful acts of worship every day.
Racism is a spiritual disease rooted in a lack of understanding; all must work to end it
More than 30 years ago, the national governing body of the American Baha’i Community released a profound statement called “The Vision of Race Unity, America’s Most Challenging Issue.” In honor of Black History Month and in light of continuing violence engendered by racist beliefs and attitudes, I thought it appropriate to review and comment on parts of that statement.
Nancy Flood-Golembeck: Tahirih, first female martyr of the Bahai Faith, was defender of women
This month, as we celebrate the lives of accomplished women who’ve been left out of most of our history books, we will no doubt hark back to the beginnings of the women’s rights movement in our country and the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848. It was there that pioneering women such as Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony rose to prominence.
Bahai's work toward spiritual, material transformation of society Original
Along with the new year, January ushers in a time for reassessment, reflection and resolution. Resolve for an improved life runs high. While personal transformation can be gratifying, an even more fulfilling prospect is working to bring about the spiritual and material transformation of the whole society. That notion may sound unrealistic and Pollyanna-ish, but it is the goal of the Baha’i Community worldwide.
Nancy Flood-Golembeck: An extraordinary life, Part III: Stories of ‘Abdu’l-Baha
In my last two columns, I’ve alluded to the fact that, this year, Baha’is are commemorating the centenary of the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, our exemplar and eldest son of Baha’u’llah. We have been asked to meditate profoundly on his life and the remarkable example he was to us all, as we strive to emulate him. Stories have always been used to teach, to illustrate and illumine, and we are fortunate to have hundreds of stories about ‘Abdu’l-Baha.
Nancy Flood-Golembeck: Messenger of joy
I remember, as a child, lying in bed, putting my fingers in my ears, squeezing my eyes shut and burrowing my face into the pillow in an attempt to find out what it was like to be dead. I don’t think I could imagine a state of non-being. I still can’t. As I grew older and started attending Sunday School, I listened eagerly to stories about heaven. Then, when I embraced the Baha’i Faith at age 20, I was delighted to find much in the Baha’i Scriptures that addresses the immortality of the soul.
Nancy Flood-Golembeck: So this is love
During my years of teaching elementary students, I was amazed and amused at the importance they placed on Valentine’s Day. The anticipation began on the first day of February and increased for the next two weeks. When the big day finally arrived, they delighted in delivering their cards to each other’s “mailboxes,” and when it was time to open them, each word of the little dollar-store valentines was read with the attentiveness one might give to a Shakespeare sonnet.
Nancy Flood-Golembeck: Reaching critical mass
To say that nobody will mourn the passing of 2020 would likely be the understatement of the century. It has been, no doubt, a watershed moment in our collective life about which much will be written in the years ahead. A watershed event or moment is typically one which marks a turning point, a time when previous ways of thinking or behaving are replaced by new ones. Already we are referring to things as pre- or post-COVID.
Nancy Flood-Golembeck: Whither America?
By Nancy Flood-Golembeck Saturday Nov 7, 2020 at 10:15 PM As I write these words, it is Election Day in America. In a matter of hours the polls will close and the presidential election of 2020 will be over — or not. Political prognosticators have predicted several possible scenarios for this day. Regardless of which one, if any, plays out, one thing has become glaringly clear during this long, bitter election season: we live in a deeply divided and troubled nation.
New kid on the block
By Nancy Flood-Golembeck Saturday Sep 19, 2020 at 6:00 AM When I wrote my first column for this space in early August, I contemplated making it of an introductory nature. However, in light of ongoing events, I decided it was more important to address racism, our nation’s "most vital and challenging issue." So, being the new kid on the block, I’d like to backtrack a little and try to do that now.
Nancy Flood-Golembeck: Our most vital and challenging issue
By Nancy Flood-Golembeck Saturday Aug 1, 2020 at 10:00 PM On May 25, two crises, one of recent origin, the other lasting over 400 years, came together violently with the tragic homicide of George Floyd under the knee of one who had sworn to serve and protect.
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