When we converse, we can find ourselves in a hall of mirrors if the subject be tender and thorny. Perhaps it reaches deep within us to some damaged spot that needs to make an unwelcome appearance. We may be facing someone who we cannot recall ever loving because it is not time now for that; it is time to be unwell and share and need their medicine.
These times warrant a skill and Hafiz points to this in this poem. We can fall into a stubborn way of diverting the point in a conversation by habitually responding to situations in such a way that our intention and innocence is lost. We have within us a multitude of amazing feelings and thoughts with a curious creativity that hungers for a place in the world. Yet...we talk only to the donkey. Communication is a skill and it is toned in the practice of discipline over time. The voice of the heart is a muscle that must be utilized or it will atrophy. We can practice when our hearts are light so we can remember what to say when we are weighted and need to speak our truth.
Thank you for listening.
Music: I had this beautiful song saved away, apparently, for this post. It asks us to tenderly turn away from how we have been short circuiting ourselves by our past to say our peace - and, I might add - our joy. It suggests to me that we can have connection if we understand what it is that we do to undermine it.
The original post in this series of poems by Hafiz can be found here.
The Gift: Poems by Hafiz and translated by Daniel Ladinsky can be purchased here.