August 8, 2006
Dear Kriswest,
Thank you for the touching story. You were obviously fortunate to meet one of the finest of souls. She brings to mind my tiny 80-year-old lady dentist 30 years ago who did most of my root canals. We never had any deep discussions because she was too busy rasping out my teeth’s roots and placing gold crowns. She was very determined that I should have some teeth to last me. She had the strength of a big man, and something told me she was as saintly as Mother Theresa.
Setting standards of refinement is the natural strength of women; with just men around there is no balance. Take that as a compliment if you wish, but don’t let it stop you from correcting me if you think I should be corrected.
Clearly, as we all are, you are about love in the highest sense. And that’s what devoutness is about to me. It’s about loving so much that you can’t just say it anymore; you have no choice but to prove it. To give your life to, to breathe and sweat for what you believe in. Your lady reminds me of the religious folks who read the quotes of the alleged person Jesus in the Book of Matthew and see their own beautiful souls and love in those words, and that their existence depends on that perfect love and forgiveness even though they may not always attain to it. They have a happiness because they know nothing and no one can take their realization away from them, and the glory of loving all the great beauty in people and life. With understanding all things are forgiven, and happiness is not possible unless they are forgiven. There are manifestations of imbalance that go beyond our understanding and that is karma for transgressions that most will never comprehend. And all the “worst” people in life are merely victims. I always say Adolf Hitler must have been fun at parties. His nurse said he was a perfect gentleman. But, as the Turkish proverb goes, “Fish rots from the head”. When we know how the rot sets in, then we might return to the Garden of Eden, and might have a safe world to live in.
By the way, I am not religious, but I am devout. The Sufis are the same, and they don’t even care to be labelled as Sufis. They are mistakenly thought to be a sect of Islam by many. In former times, there were Christian, Jewish and Islamic Sufis. The roots of Sufism are thought to be in ancient Egyptian religion, or what was no doubt the esoteric heart of such, familiar only to a few.
‘When the power of love replaces the love of power, man will have a new name: God.’ (Chinmoy)
“And though I have [prophecy, knowledge, faith] so that i could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.”
(1 Corinthians 13:2)
Truth without Love is useless;
Love without Truth has no purpose. (Luxin)
Love is the fulfilling of the law. (Romans 13.10)
The green shoots of lowliness are love. (Ibn Gabirol, Mibhar HaPeninim, c. 1050)
Love without criticism is not love. (Jose B. Hanina, Genesis Rabbah (Midrash))