A couple of years ago, Sean Marr was invited to a junior youth group by a friend, the way many other youths are introduced to the core activities.

Sean joined the junior youth group and then didn’t attend for a while before coming back. He was beginning to engage in a path of service, which is not always linear. 

In its 12 of December 2011 letter, the Universal House of Justice underlines that the path of service, among other things “invites participation, it beckons to new horizons, it demands effort and movement, it accommodates different paces and strides”. 

Before Sean joined the Baha’i inspired activities again, his junior youth animator invited him to chat about his neighbourhood, and this conversation had an impact on his view of service. It was about “ways to help the community and aspects like that. I just found it very interesting”, he recounts.

He then started the main sequence of courses when he was in grade 10, and eventually, started to animate his own junior youth group. 

One very big change I noticed in myself, especially, is my outlook towards others…

As Sean progressed in a path of service, his perception of his environment shifted. “One very big change I noticed in myself, especially, is my outlook towards others”, such as “people in my community and in my life.” With time, Sean realized the world didn’t owe him anything, that he could actually give back to society instead. “I can’t remember the exact moment when I made that switch. I think it’s just a collection of little things over time, since maybe the start of grade 10 to now, five years almost.” 

The Universal House of Justice also states that the path “is structured and defined “, “it requires of the individual volition and choice; it calls for a set of skills and abilities but also elicits certain qualities and attitudes […] “.

Service had an impact on his attitude, he believes. With his family and friends, it was “just being more outgoing and being more cooperative”. “I think before I was a lot more reserved with them, but now I’m trying to be more open”, he adds.

Now, Sean serves in the Killarney community as a junior youth group animator, facilitating the book Habits of an Orderly Mind, with about six participants. “I want to help them grow. I think everyone should have higher goals for themselves. And I want to help them work towards that.”