When I knew myself a Thorn, soft Rose-buds' Swell I sought for then.

Excerpt

When I knew myself a Thorn, soft Rose-buds' Swell I sought for then; When I saw myself all bitter, sweet Honey's Cell I sought for then. When I saw myself all Poison, I quaffed Life's Stream as Antidote; When I saw myself Lees turbid, Wine's clear Foam Bell I sought for then. When I saw myself all sour Fruit, I caught the ripening Sunbeams' Glow; When I saw myself droop feebly, the breezy Fell I sought for then.

Source Rûmî, Divan (Hastie), Gazel 31 · 📖 Read the full passage

✨ To meditate on today

According to Rumi, each time he found himself a thorn, bitterness or poison, he sought its opposite: the rose, honey, the water of Life, the light of the sun; in this way our lacks become a path toward sweetness. Today, when you notice some hardness or bitterness in yourself, immediately look for a gesture of gentleness that answers it: a kind word, a smile, a moment of calm.

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