Melody Moezzi

In Rumi’s words:

Become the sky and the clouds that create the rain, not the gutter that carries it to the drain.

Of course it’s easier to be the gutter than the sky, to imitate rather than to create, but imitation builds cults, not communities. It may seem counterintuitive, but true community demands originality, not conformity. I know this firsthand, because every time I write something new it helps me feel less alone, reminding me that we are all inextricably linked to and through a sacred spark within each of us.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/opinion/rumi-poems.html

How a Persian Mystic Poet Changed My Life

My father recited Rumi to me as I grew up. I finally chose to listen.

By Melody Moezzi

Ms. Moezzi is a writer and activist.

Feb. 26, 2020, 5:00 a.m. ET