Imagine This...

A portable gazebo in the back garden. White sheets elegantly adorning the sides, gently cascading down to the emerald lawn. As the slightest wind wafts through the trees it catches the corners of the cloth and offers a peek inside. The viewer is rewarded with a glimpse of the interior of this tent-like structure, (striving to emulate something that might once have been found in the garden of Ridvan): Persian carpets adorn the floor, there are plump, inviting pillows along the interior side of the wall, flowers piled in profusion, prayer books are on hand, sitting atop a royal blue and shimmery, silver, fabric from India. As visitors to this prayerful oasis arrive they are welcomed by the song "Garden of Ridvan" and are scented with rose water before respectfully entering the tent (holding the flowers that they have made specially for the occasion). Prayers are offered reverently and a short story about Ridvan told. The guests then exit the tent and make their way to the refreshment table which is set with a white table cloth and roses. There is a candle in the shape of a gift on every plate and platters filled with fresh pineapple, watermelon and banana, as well as dried apricots, plums, apple rings and a fruit and nut mixture. After refreshments the children play nicely together and the adults get a chance to talk. Before leaving the children dance and swirl in a shower of bubbles while listening to lively Baha'i music. They wish each other a very 'Happy Ridvan' before parting ways and heading home.

That was the plan...somewhere things went awry. It probably started when I (determined to use what we have as opposed to buying anything new) attempted to fashion an elegant tent out of sheets and our clothesline. Between the children pulling on the fabric, the blustery gale force winds and the dysfunctional pegs I was doomed before I had even begun. In a last ditch effort to have something remotely decent to present I had Mehran race out and get a small garden gazebo. In the interests of cost effectiveness Mehran got the cheapest one he could find made of plastic and, well...plastic. It was, in a word, dilapidated. It also had no sides so I was back to square one with the sheets, which didn't stay put and were determined (despite my desperate attempts at pinning and securing as well as numerous structural alterations) to droop and sag. We sold the Persian carpet and the Chinese one that might have worked was under too much furniture to be of any use, so the luxurious middle-eastern floor was made of fabric off cuts, which the kids used as personal slides, getting them all mixed up and grassy with dried bits of lawn that, after this drought, is anything but emerald. I was still pinning sheets when our guests arrived. The Garden of Ridvan CD had a scratch so literally all that would play was "In the Garden of Ridvan...In the Garden of Ridvan..." (you get the idea) Bayan decided that he didn't want to share anything and that everything was his. He confiscated my 'grown up' scissors (you know, the sharp kind) while we were making paper flowers and actually hit another child (thankfully not with the scissors). When it was time to head to the tent Ruhi was hot and tired and didn't want to sit or participate so she lay sprawled across the floor, the younger ones sat for a few minutes and then disappeared to play. At this point I decided not to push it and went to go get snacks. After eating the girls played nicely together and Bayan managed to avoid any further unsavory 'incidents'. We headed back to the tent to at least try a prayer. At least the second time we remembered the rose water, and the girls all sang a couple of prayers together. Which was really sweet. Ruhi even said extras. We played the Ridvan music (which Haleh had, thankfully, brought with her) while the children popped the bubbles that were blowing about the garden. Just before leaving, young Jordan actually drank his bubbles and while the girls managed to exchange "Happy Ridvans" he was not a happy little guy. Poor darling. While the day certainly did not go to plan I think that the kids had fun. I have certainly learned a few things and have been reminded of the fact that simplicity is best, especially when preschoolers are involved.

One analogy that did work well was that I had candles that looked like presents. (The kids each had one on their plate.) We talked about how Ridvan is special because it was during this time that Baha'u'llah announced that He was a Prophet of God, how the Faith (Religions) are a gift from God and how the Messengers (like the candles) bring light to the world. I think Ruhi really got it. As for the younger ones, well, there's always next year.