People come in and out of our lives, helping us at just the right moment, in just the right way, sometimes staying side-by-side on the pathway for much of the journey, sometimes for a brief season.

I had a relationship like that with a man, a sponsor for a number of years, a great man who helped and guided greatly. I can’t say thank you often enough.

He tells me to stop trying.

He loved this little video, this re-imaging of Rumi’s poem My Soul Is From Elsewhere.

He taught me to love it all — the poem and the video and most importantly, the message it contains.

I hope you learn to do so as well.

---

MY SOUL IS FROM ELSEWHERE

All day I think about it, then at night I say it.

Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be doing?

I have no idea.

§

My soul is from elsewhere,

I’m sure of that,

And I intend to end up there.

This drunkenness began in some other tavern.

When I get back around to that place, I’ll be completely sober.

Meanwhile, I’m like a bird from another continent, sitting in this aviary.

The day is coming when I fly off.

§

But who is it now in my ear who hears my voice?

Who says words with my mouth?

Who looks out with my eyes?

What is the soul?

I cannot stop asking.

If I could taste one sip of an answer,

I could break out of this prison for drunks.

I didn’t come here of my own accord, and I can’t leave that way.

Whoever brought me here will have to take me home.

§

This poetry.

I never know what I’m going to say.

I don’t plan it.

When I’m outside the saying of it,

I get very quiet and rarely speak at all.

§

We have a huge barrel of wine, but no cups.

That’s fine with us.

§

Every morning We glow

And in the evening We glow again.

They say there’s no future for us.

They’re right.

Which is fine with us.

Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi (K.S)

---