When life gives you pain, transform it into gold. Where there is ruin, there is hope for a treasure. Where there is a wound, there is light entering. 13th-century Persian poet Rumi spent his life traveling and meditating on the meaning of life. Contemplating the universe, he became aware of life’s biggest mysteries and shared them with humanity in the most glorious form – poetry. Rumi’s vivid and thoughtful poems can change the way you look at life forever. 

These are some of the most important lessons we can learn from Rumi:

Love is what keeps us alive

Rumi’s understanding of love goes beyond Hollywood romantic comedies. He sees love as an energy that sustains life and brings inspiration. If you love what you do, if you are grateful for the people around you, or if you find joy in helping others, you’ve already understood Rumi’s definition of love. There is no such thing as seeking and finding love, as love already resides in all of us. 

“You think you are alive
because you breathe air?

Shame on you,
that you are alive in such a limited way.

Don’t be without Love,
so you won’t feel dead.

Die in Love
and stay alive forever.”

Everyone is your teacher, everything is your lesson

There is no shortage of teachers in the school of life. Is there a person you admire? This person is your teacher. Is there a person whose lifestyle you can’t understand? This person is also your teacher. Everyone comes to your life to teach you a lesson, be it through their success or failure. Accept this and you’ll never stop learning.

“Like a sculptor, if necessary,

carve a friend out of stone.

Realize that your inner sight is blind

and try to see a treasure in everyone.”

“Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.”

Live like there is no tomorrow… because there isn’t one

Focus on your present because the past is gone and the future is uncertain. This is an eternal truth that we all know, but we somehow tend to ignore it. Whenever we worry about what others will say about our words, looks, or choices, we forget life’s real value.

By the way, I thought you might want to read this:

https://langlittravel.wordpress.com/2022/02/24/life-is-short-here-is-what-seneca-and-steve-jobs-would-reply-art-of-saudade/

Hope never dies

Stoicism teaches us to be resilient and embrace everything that happens in our life. Rumi’s lessons are an elegant form of Stoicism. His poems instruct us to accept both chaos and beauty in a highly artistic manner.

“I said: what about my eyes?
He said: Keep them on the road.

I said: What about my passion?
He said: Keep it burning.

I said: What about my heart?
He said: Tell me what you hold inside it?

I said: Pain and sorrow.
He said: Stay with it. The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”

You’re worth more than you think

Rumi explains that we are part of the universe and that the universe exists within us. 

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