The Baha’i Club at UAFS hosted their weekly Meaningful Conversations discussion on Tuesday the 28th at 7 p.m. to discuss the topic for the week: “Finding Meaning in Life’s Difficulties.”
The club’s faculty advisor, Dr. Mary Sobhani, opened by informing everyone of the upcoming “Stock the Pantry” event the club is hosting on behalf of the Dave Stevens Lions Pride Food Pantry on campus. Dry goods will be collected on Friday, February 28th, at the park across from the Stubblefield Center, from 4 to 6 p.m.
This Meaningful Conversations served as the Baha’i Club’s third gathering for 2025, and Will Heath, a community supporter of the club, noted several new faces in the gathered crowd. The group consisted of several UAFS students many local community members. Mr. Heath facilitated the discussion for the evening. Participants read from Baha’i writings and shared personal experiences and beliefs based on discussion questions.
The discussion began with everyone introducing themselves and sharing how they dealt with difficulties in life personally. Many suggestions were offered for coping physically, mentally, and spiritually, including prayer, taking walks, reading, listening to podcasts and music, and working on mindsets.
The first discussion section focused on the purpose of difficulties in life and how we find meaning in suffering, as well as defining suffering itself. Hearing everyone’s individual perspectives was very thought-provoking, and the first section alone took nearly an hour. The conversation remained respectful, and Mr. Heath did an excellent job making sure everyone had a chance to speak and be heard.
The second section breached further into how times of struggle bring communities together. Many people brought up examples of altruism, or helping others, and just being with someone through their struggles.
Finally, the closing section discussed what role spirituality plays in helping build stronger, more peaceful communities out of hardship and injustice. Dr. Sobhani described spirituality as the “glue” that holds all spiritual beings together. We are all connected, and spirituality is what makes us more alike than we are different.
The discussion offered a fantastic opportunity for local Fort Smith residents to connect with college students and for both groups to feel more a part of the community. Baha’i hosts Meaningful Conversations weekly on Tuesdays at 7 p.m., with a different discussion topic each week. An upcoming topic includes “Is Love Something You Do?” on February 18th.
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