Everybody Holds Their World in Their Heart
A Sufi Tale
Share this tale with loved ones. It’s an invitation to honor what’s inside your heart. It may also ignite remembrance.
A Sufi Tale
Once upon a time, there was an old man sitting at the gate to a city. A stranger came up and asked him: “I've never been to this city-what are the people who live here like?”
The old man answered with a question of his own: “What were the people like in the city you’ve come from?”
“Selfish and wicked. In fact, that’s why I left,” said the stranger. The old man replied: “you’ll find the same kind of people here.”
A little later, another stranger came up and asked the old man: “I’ve just arrived, tell me what the people who live in this city are like.”
The old man replied: “Tell me, friend, what were the people like in the city you’ve come from?”
“They were kind and welcoming. I had many friends. It wasn’t easy for me to leave them.”
“You’ll find the same kind of people here,” replied the old man.
A merchant who was watering his camels not far from there had heard both conversations. No sooner had the second stranger gone away than he asked the old man, reproachfully: “How can you give two completely different answers to the same question?”
“Because everybody carries their world in their heart.”
Share a comment. What world do you carry in your heart? I’d love to hear from you.
I love this tale. It reminds me that we never truly leave our true selves far behind when we travel on vacation, take on a new job, or move to a new city. Summed up in a bumper sticker as “wherever you go, there you are,” it’s a good reminder to practice both gratitude and forgiveness for the monotony OR the mayhem. It’s our world, after all. Might as well embrace it.
What a beautiful reminder.
Thank you again for your impactful words and insightful voice.
Surrender to the flow.
Loosen your grip.
Breathe.
Embrace the ups and learn from the downs.