From the file of I-didn’t-realize-what-I-had-until-it-was-gone:

Last year, while in Turkey, we visited the city of Konya.  We visited a museum/shrine connected to Hazrati Mevlana, a Muslim mystic from the 1200’s.  The most intriguing bit of that day to me concerned the Whirling Dervishes, followers of Mevlana’s who practiced a unique form of dance as a spiritual exercise of submitting and uniting their spirits to God.  Odd my most standards around me, I found it touching.  Along that same day, a few mentions of the famous poet Rumi were made.  I confess that I was only marginally familiar with the name.

In the past twelve months, Rumi (aka Mevlana) has crossed my path a dozen times or more, I kid you not.  And the thought that we were in his tomb before I knew who he was–well, that’s a bit unfortunate!

But in a recent quest to stretch my reading list and to seek out something beautiful, I’ve come upon Rumi’s poetry.  A couple pieces that have initially resonated with me go like this:

All your stress and all of your troubles
are due to your reading your own letter all the time
and not listening to the melody of the Darling.

And:

Listen, O drop, give yourself up without regret,
and in exchange gain the Ocean.

Listen, O drop, bestow upon yourself this honour,
and in the arms of the Sea be secure.

Who indeed should be so fortunate?
An ocean wooing a drop!

In God’s name, in God’s name, sell and buy at once!
Give a drop, and take this Sea full of pearls.