We are born terrified. It is our nature to struggle to arrive in all that we do. We do not peck, peck, peck our way out of an egg shell or nibble our way out of an embryonic encasement. No. We have to work with others right from get go in intimate and painful ways to arrive fully into our lives. We cry as our first breath is searing our insides. Our mother's scream holding open a portal for our entry. It is our nature to twist, writhe, and wail. It is also our need to be embraced and welcomed with warmth and a sense of belonging and connection to secure our sense of presence in our life. We reenact this dynamic over and over again all through our lives as we evolve and grow.
Hafiz suggests in this poem that there is a point in being human where there is a kind of peace that can be achieved and the terror stops. Perhaps it comes when it is realized that against all odds and despite all fears, one has made it through a horrible trauma or to a ripe old age. One eventually meets the terrified child within and knows exactly what to say and do to calm them. Who knew comfort was always so close? Certainly not the frightened child.
Thank you for listening.
https://pixabay.com/music/world-muslim-13410/
Music: Some needn't wait until they are beaten down or elderly to catch on to the ways of how they are born and wired into a kind of perfection. Lady Gaga singing Born This Way. Need I say more?
It doesn't matter if you love him, or capital "H-I-M" (M, M, M)
Just put your paws up
'Cause you were born this way, baby
The original post in this series of poems by Hafiz (including an addendum regarding the authenticity of these poems) can be found here. Also, my thoughts on this series a year into these poems, HERE.
The Gift: Poems by Hafiz and translated by Daniel Ladinsky can be purchased here.