I was going to start by saying, I have been thinking a lot about life and love recently, but the truth is I have been thinking mostly about myself.

But it was love that actually provoked these thoughts.

You may think that once we meet a wonderful partner, nothing seems easier than just enjoying time together and immersing yourselves in the love you share.

It wasn’t like this in my case.

The love I have the privilege to experience now is beautiful but also challenging for my ego and old habits.

Last spring, I met a wonderful man. We fell in love quite quickly. Despite cultural differences, we felt spiritually connected. Our conversations were deep and challenging from the beginning.

I guess my “demons” started to feel threatened and soon after our honeymoon period had finished, I started to notice that my fears, doubts and insecurities became more active. I felt lost and confused. I blamed myself for every miscommunication between us which wasn’t good for us.

I tried to help myself but I made a simple mistake over and over again.  I focused too much on the behaviour I wanted to change, instead of focusing on who I am, without that behaviour.

In trying to remember who I really am and regain my inner balance I went back to my old practices—meditation, physical activity and inspirational books.

Rumi’s poems are among my favourite inspirational texts. He may have lived in the 13th century but his truths are timeless. Here are my favourite quotes from his poems.

I hope that there will be something here to touch your heart and remind you that we have divinity within us.

1. “When all your desires are distilled; you will cast just two votes: to love more and to be happy.”
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2. “The moon stays bright when it does not avoid the night.”
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3. “What you seek is also seeking you.”
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4. “Set your life on fire, seek those who fan your flames.”
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5. “Let the beauty of what you love be the beauty of what you do.”
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6. “Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.”
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7. “There is a voice that doesn’t use words. Listen.”
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8. “Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.”
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9. “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I want to change myself.”
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10. “It is your road and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.”
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11. “As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.”
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12. “The art of knowing is knowing what to ignore.”
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13. “You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.”
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14. “If you are irritated by every rub, how will you be polished?”
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15. “Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion.”
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16. “Respond to every call that excites your spirit.”
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17. “The only lasting beauty is the beauty of the heart.”
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18. “I looked in temples, churches and mosques but I found the divine within my heart.”
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19. “When you let go of who you are, you become who you might be.”
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20. “You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life?”
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21. “Forget safety, live where you fear to live, destroy your reputation, be notorious.”
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22. “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the whole ocean in a drop.”
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23. “If I love myself, I love you.”
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24. “If I love you, I love myself.”
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25. “My soul is from elsewhere. I am sure of that, and I intend to end up there.”
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These are simple truths that are too easily forgotten in good times.

I am grateful to my partner that he made me feel uncomfortable with my life and encouraged me to explore afresh who I am and what I want to do with the rest of my life.

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Relephant read:

Quote: Rumi, on how (& how not) to find True Love.

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Author: Ola Radka

Editor: Khara-Jade Warren

Image: Artis Rams/ Flickr

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