What happens to the grist in the mill when no one shows up to tend to the stone? These days the grist is the information...and the stone? Perhaps our discernment and critical thinking. We each need to separate the wheat from the chaff. If we do not tend to our own discernment and default to others definitions of events because of fear or a sense of impotence, we run the risk of not having access to the best information and what we truly need to know to move forward. Feelings of not being enough are invitations to explore why we imagine that about ourselves and what, if anything, we want to do about it. Understanding that we have all we need to step into our lives fully helps us realize that we have sense enough to inquire, debate, accept error, share ideas and learn new things.
Hafiz seems to suggests that we have a madman within us. He may externalize and show up at any hour at our door making demands and proposing deals. The madness within us doesn't allow us to see the madness in our guest until we reflect and ask for something more meaningful and find it. That is how this is played. We must own our madness; our wild abandon; our easy-outs; our bad ideas and our own jive deals. We must choose. Knowing ourselves in this way allows us to do something about this appearance that darkens our doors telling us what we want to hear and betrays our trust.
Thank you for listening.
Music: Sorry, not sorry for the corny stone reference but, hey, sometimes it actually works....The Rolling Stones grinding the grist.
Can't you hear me knockin', ah, are you safe asleep?
Can't you hear me knockin', yeah, down the gas light street, now
Can't you hear me knockin', yeah, throw me down the keys
The original post in this series of poems by Hafiz (including an addendum regarding the authenticity of these poems) can be found here.
The Gift: Poems by Hafiz and translated by Daniel Ladinsky can be purchased here.
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