Encouragement

A couple of days ago Shoghi came home from school with an assignment. (I love the fact that my spellchecker keeps wanting me to change Shoghi's name to "hoggish".) He is to interview someone who is doing a job that he would love to do. There are a series of questions (like, 3 or 4) (I mean, he is only in grade 2) that he has to ask, and then write down the answers. The first trick, of course, was figuring out what he would like to do when he gets older.

His first response? "A spy."

Now remember, we live on a military base. My wife is a musician for the Canadian Navy. So we know all sorts of people in Intelligence. Do they count as "spies"? We're not sure, but that seemed like a good last resort.

"Anything else", we asked. "I'd like to make computer games."

Aside - There is a web-site that Shoghi totally loves. It's called Sploder, where he gets to use the various elements to make his own game. He would be on this site every day, given half a chance. And some of the games he makes? They're really tough. He is regularly getting e-mails from other gamers who just love his creations. I don't think they realize he's only 8, or that he was 6 when he began building these games.

Anyways, I put it out on FaceBook to my friends that we were looking for someone that Shoghi could interview, preferably in French.

And wow, did they come through.

We have an marvelous offer from one very popular game company for Shoghi to phone and talk to them (we actually have a number of their games here in the house), and another from a very dear friend's brother who is a 3D animation artist.

Overall, Shoghi is extremely excited about this.

And me? I'm very touched by my friends' loving encouragement to him. It is because of their encouragement that he will be able to give the very best he can. It reminds me of that guidance from 'Abdu'l-Baha, where He says, "Encourage ye the school children, from their earliest years, to deliver speeches of high quality, so that in their leisure time they will engage in giving cogent and effective talks, expressing themselves with clarity and eloquence." While it may not be a speech he is giving in this assignment, he is being encouraged to do the very best he can. I'm certain the speeches will come later.

He also says, of the children, "They must be constantly encouraged and made eager to gain all the summits of human accomplishment..." He says that this encouragement is "of the utmost importance", for it strengthens their heart.

So, to all my friends who have eagerly arisen to help Shoghi, thank you very much.

"...the friends should love each other, constantly encourage each other, work together, be as one soul in one body, and in so doing become a true, organic, healthy body animated and illumined by the spirit. In such a body all will receive spiritual health and vitality from the organism itself, and the most perfect flowers and fruits will be brought forth."