life has some possibility left

joy from the archives

 

If you suddenly

and unexpectedly feel joy,

don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are

plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed

or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often

kind. And much can never be redeemed. Still life has some

possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back, that sometimes

something happened better than all the riches or power in the world.

It could be anything, but very likely you notice it in the instant

when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case.

Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid

of its plenty. Joy is not made

to be a crumb.

 

Mary Oliver

 

the thousand-stringed instrument

our own heart must teach us

 

The heart is

The thousand-stringed instrument.

Our sadness and fear come from being

Out of tune with love.

 

All day long God coaxes my lips

To speak,

So that your tears will not stain

His green dress.

 

It is not that the Friend is vain,

It is just your life we care about.

 

Sometimes the Beloved

Takes my pen in hand,

For Hafiz is just a simple man.

 

The other day the Old One

Wrote on the Tavern wall:

 

“The heart is

The thousand-stringed instrument

That can only be tuned with

Love.”

 

Hafiz

the gift

 

the first step on the road


 

Love is to see

what is good and beautiful in

everything. It is to learn from everything,

to see the gifts of God and the generosity

of God in everything. It is to

be thankful for all of

God’s bounties.

 

This is the first step

on the road to the love of God.

This is just a seed of love. In time,

the seed will grow and become a tree

and bear fruit. Then, whoever tastes of

that fruit will know what real love is.

It will be difficult for those who

have tasted to tell of it to

those who have not.

 

Sheikh Muzaffer

 

Reality

and the buddha dharma

are one and the

same.

 

Yuanwu