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December 31, 2019 - January 1, 2020
The most popular tales, whether from East Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Iran, or the Arab world, or those that originate in the heart of Europe, the Americas, or Africa, all share the same themes, motifs, and didactic tones, communicating the principles of morality and the values of courage and chivalry.
All that is best in the great poets of all countries is not what is national in them, but what is universal. Their roots are in their native soil; but their branches wave in the unpatriotic air, that speaks the same language unto men, and their leaves shine with the illimitable light that pervades all lands.
Our essential need to gather together, paired with our compelling desire to share our experiences, thoughts, dreams, and entertainment, ultimately culminates in the act of storytelling. Stories are an ingrained part of lives everywhere, and in fact life is a series of successive stories with endless changing promises and surprises.
short stories translated into prose for broader accessibility. Ritual has historically been an essential part of any society in which citizens come together to share meaningful experiences. Carrying out rituals that have connected people for millennia instills behaviors and thought patterns that shape the character of a people within their society.
One must never compare oneself to others, even though they may appear to be the same on the surface; truly nothing is as it seems!”
Was it not true that the human tongue is like an uneasy aggregation of rock and iron, which, when struck against each other, can spark off a fire?
Once the arrow has left the bow it will never return, and so are words that leave our lips.”
“That parrot was no relation to me, but by his action he taught me how to free myself!” confessed the jolly parrot. “Without actually speaking, he helped me understand that my imprisonment was due to my beautiful song, my talent for entertaining you and your guests. My precious voice was in fact the cause of my servitude!
my freedom would lie in the act of dying in the sense of forsaking my attachment to my worldly talents, which I had prized so highly.”
A lover who only sees himself is no lover at all but needs to roast in the fire of separation until he's properly cooked!”
“Anger makes most kings lose their heads, but anger is my obedient slave! It's indeed my patience that has freed me from the yoke of anger.
You spat at me, and thus raised an issue that did not directly involve God; and I never fight for any reason other than God. Your spitting aroused my ego and thus sparked off my anger. Had I used my sword, I would have been fighting half for God and half for my ego! That's why I thought it best to withdraw my sword.”
Unless we suffer occasionally and express our hopelessness, the doors of grace cannot be opened to us; as in this case, the boy's tears were required before the gates of generosity could be unlatched.
“I was excited, aroused by their enthusiasm,” agreed the darvish. “But I was foolish to imitate them. Imitation has destroyed me! I curse it a thousand times, for it has damaged me beyond repair!”
“My revered master, all my life you've fed me the most delectable foods. I was too ashamed to complain, as it was the first time that you'd given me something unpalatable. The reason for my whole existence is your benevolence; how could I possibly complain about one instance of being served inedible food?”
I've already tried my luck using my mind and my reasoning power; this time I'm trying out madness instead!”
Sometimes, the truth is much too obvious; people erroneously search for its signs while the real thing is staring them right in the face.
Such was the manner in which the prayers of all four men, who had tried to outdo each other in their judgments, were annulled that day.
Patches of dirt are immediately apparent on a clean surface;
“The middle path, my great shaykh, is relative,”
If you don't want to remain defeated, it's time for you to ignore what you see on the surface and begin to concentrate on the essence.
What creates differences between men is precisely this superficiality, but once they understand what lies beneath the surface, duality vanishes.”
As more and more people walked inside the dark room, each one came out with a different understanding of the phenomenon they had encountered. None of them were able to truly find out what the elephant actually looked like, for they were in the dark and had to rely on the acute limitations of their imperfect senses.
You're only in love with the state of being in love, not with me! You're attached to me hoping to experience that state once again. This isn't true love. The true lover is as one with his beloved; his beginning and end are contained in her beginning and end. They're one and the same. If you truly seek pure love, keep on searching, for that's the only water that will quench your thirst for a lifetime. That is the original fountain of purity that your soul has been reaching for, not me !”
And such was the fate of the ignorant teacher, who'd been fooled by baseless repetition and indoctrination conducted by mere children.
friend: “When you see that you're being taken advantage of and are unable to make the proper decision, be patient and wait. In fact, try to wait for at least three whole days, for patience is one of God's most precious qualities, while rushing headlong into decisions is specific to the devil!”
“When you throw a slice of bread in front of a hungry dog, does he eat it right away? Of course not! He first smells it to make sure it's safe, and then he eats it. The dog uses his power of smell to make wise decisions as they pertain to him, while men and women must use their minds and their wisdom!”
In their hearts, they know better, and they try to stay focused on the hardship they endured in past winters and the certainty that it will recur the following year. But the dogs have become fat and lazy, able to convince themselves that no home will be capacious enough to shelter them from the cold. Thus, the vicious cycle is repeated.
Before the wind entered the court of Soleiman, the mosquito had already flown miles away in the opposite direction, a little wiser about not challenging an opponent who's in an entirely different league.
He wished that the young man might remember this encounter and never again underestimate a working man's efforts to earn his keep rather than relying on handouts, like some.
Therefore, I say to thee, the answer to fools is silence!”
new life was good, and he was thrilled that he had believed in himself and taken a chance on the unknown.
“My first advice to you, my good sir, is to never believe the impossible from anyone.”
“The second advice is to never regret the past. When something is in the past, it's never coming back.”
To only grasp what's on the surface is the reaction of an idiot!”
“To only perceive what's visible to the eye is like having a beautiful jug but being oblivious to the real beauty of the wine inside, because you can only see the container.
