"BEYOND THE TEARS IS SUNSHINE"

Stanwood Cobb, the renowned educator, wrote, "This philosophy of joy was the keynote of all Abdu'l-Baha's teachings. "Are you happy?" was His frequent greeting to his visitors. "Be Happy!" 'Those who were unhappy (and who of us are not at times!) would weep at this. And Abdu'l-Baha would smile as if to say, "Yes, weep on. Beyond thetears is sunshine." "And sometimes He would wipe away with His own hands the tears from their wet cheeks, and they would leave His presence transfigured.' In California it was observed that 'despite the Master's fatigue at times, and His physical ailments, He welcomed everyone with a beaming smile, and in His pleasing and vibrant voice would ask,"Are you happy?"' He loved the sound of laughter and often told stories and anecdotes to make us laugh. When we heard Him laugh, we knew that He or someone else had told an amusing story, and the sound of His laughter made us all happy. Once the Master told us that during the most dangerous and trying times of His imprisonment Baha'u'llah would ask each member of the family to relate the most amusing incident or story they had experienced or heard that day. After the tale had been told, they would all roar with laughter." ( AnnaMarie Honnold, Vignettes from the Life of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 127 and Ramona Brown, Memories of Abdu'l-Baha, p.38)