"There is one thing in
this world that you must never forget to do. If you forget everything
else and not this, there's nothing to worry about; but if you remember
everything else and forget this, then you will have done nothing in your
life. It's as if a king has sent you to some country to do a task, and
you perform a hundred other services, but not the one he sent you to
do. So human beings come
to this world to do particular work. That work is the purpose, and each
is specific to the person. If you don't do it, it's as though a
priceless Indian sword were used to slice rotten meat. It's a golden
bowl being used to cook turnips, when one filing from the bowl could buy
a hundred suitable pots. It's a knife of the finest tempering nailed
into a wall to hang things on. You say, "But look, I'm using the dagger.
It's not lying idle." Do you hear how ludicrous that sounds? For a
penny, an iron nail could be bought to serve the purpose. You say, "But I
spend my energies on lofty enterprises. I study jurisprudence and
philosophy and logic and astronomy and medicine and all the rest." But
consider why you do those things. They are all branches of yourself. Remember the deep root
of your being, the presence of your lord. Give your life to the one who
already owns your breath and your moments. If you don't, you will be
exactly like the man who takes a precious dagger and hammers it into his
kitchen wall for a peg to hold his dipper gourd. You'll be wasting
valuable keenness and foolishly ignoring your dignity and your purpose".
Jalal al-Din Rumi, 13th century Persian Poet & Sufi Philosopher , Translation by Coleman Barks
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