How I Became a Baha’i by Cynthia Norris
Submitted May 2024
| Though I heard of the Bahai Faith and declared in 1971, I think my story starts years before, at four years old when I learned the song “Jesus Loves the Little Children,” with lyrics that said, “all the little children of the world–red and yellow black and white, they are precious in his sight…” Living in the racially homogenous environment of NW Iowa, I had never seen any of those other children so it taught me that they were out there somewhere and that Jesus loved them all. Flash forward to 6th grade Sunday school– My Sunday school teacher had an influence on me, too. She had told us the story of how people reacted to Jesus when he proclaimed that he was the Messiah. Then she asked the question: “If you had lived in Jesus time, do you think you would have accepted him?” I still recall this feeling in response to her question and I thought to myself that I indeed would want to. So when I met Todd Fletcher where I was working on a YMCA playground in my neighborhood in Spencer, Iowa and when he told me that Baha’u’llah’s claim was that He was the return of Christ I was first, shocked. Then I thought that if it was true I didn’t want to deny Him and if it wasn’t true, well, I would just let it go… The first time I heard the word “Baha’i” was a couple months before that. As I was riding in the car with a friend who happened to be living with Mark Harries, I asked him how Mark was doing. He said, “He’s doing fine. He’s into this Baha’i thing.” “Baha’i?” I asked. “What’s that?” My friend replied, “Oh, I don’t know–they just sit around and have firesides.” Well, my interest was piqued, but I didn’t really think about it again as I was busy getting ready to graduate from high school. But that summer, in July, as I was working as a Y playground leader, a young man rode up on his bike and asked for Tammy Beck, my co-worker. I said she wasn’t working that day so he started to ride off. Being uncharacteristically nosy, I asked what he carried in his backpack, since it was a really fine leather one. He said, “Oh, I’m a Baha’i and I carry around information in it.” So there was that “Baha’i” word again! Naturally I asked what it was. Todd told me the basics of it being a new revelation from God and Baha’u’llah’s claim. He gave me some pamphlets and told me about a gathering in the park coming up on Friday that I could attend to learn more. It was a wonderful gathering. I brought my guitar and sang something. Then I think it was Todd’s brother, Vaughn, who showed me a passage in the book BAHA’I WORLD FAITH that encouraged setting the Holy Words to music. I remember thinking–I want to do that! And a classmate of mine and good friend, Zora Jackson, was signing a card which is how I found out that was how one enrolled in the Faith. I wanted to do it right then too, but thought maybe I should tell my parents about this first. A week or so later Arlene Jennrich from Illinois, who I’m pretty sure was an Auxiliary Board Member, gave an inspiring talk at the YMCA. But when it came to her Q & A, some people in the audience became very belligerent toward her, then left the room but were talking loudly and rudely outside the door. That’s when Arlene smiled this peaceful smile and said, “I think it’s time for a unity prayer.” That is when I knew this Baha’i Faith was true. I declared after the meeting, along with another youth, Janet McQuirk. That was August 9th, 1971. That next week, as a new Bahai, I sat down with THE HIDDEN WORDS and composed music to nine of them and somehow they all fit together into a medley. I shared this with the local new Baha’is and at the Frontenac Baha’i Summer School the next week in Minnesota. A Hand of the Cause was there, Mr. Khadem, and he encouraged me to keep singing these. One of the joys of my life since then is to set music to the Writings, but especially the Hidden Words. Maybe in another submission I will share a bit of those early times, as a youth, how I served with music and travel teaching, especially on Indian reservations in North Dakota with Spencer Baha’i, Janet Larsen. |