<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">A Man Talking To His House </div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">I say that no one in this caravan is awake </div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">and that while you sleep, a thief is stealing</div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""> </p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">the signs and symbols of what you thought </div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">was your life. Now you're angry with me for</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">telling you this! Pay attention to those who </div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">hurt your feelings telling you the truth.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Giving and absorbing compliments is like </div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">trying to paint on water, that insubstantial. </div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""> </p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Here is how a man once talked with his house, </div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">“Please, if you're ever about to collapse,</div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""> </p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">let me know.” One night without a word the </div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">house fell. “What happened to our agreement?” </div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""> </p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">The house answered, “Day and night I've been </div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">telling you with cracks and broken boards and </div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""> </p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">holes appearing like mouths opening. But you </div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">kept patching and filling those with mud, so </div><p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""> </p><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">proud of your stopgap masonry. You didn't </div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">listen.” This house is your body always </div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">saying, <i class="">I'm leaving; I'm going soon</i>. Don't </div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">hide from one who knows the secret. Drink</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">the wine of turning toward God. Don't examine</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">your urine. Examine instead how you praise,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">what you wish for, this longing we've been</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">given. Fall turns pale yellow light wanting</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">spring and spring arrives! Trees blossom. </div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Come to the orchard and see what comes to</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">you, a silent conversation with your soul.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- Jelalludin Rumi</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div></body></html>