An incisive verse by Sufi poet Jalāl ad-Dīn Rūmī translates: “Wherever you stand, be the soul of that place.” This wisdom is not easy to embrace. It demands a lifetime of wakefulness practice. Like travelers on a crowded station platform or milling around a bustling terminal, we are pressed to be ever on the move, as though we were only passengers simply passing through. So, we pass our days looking for the next while we overlook the now. And so much wonder and woundedness pass us by or fail to penetrate. How much do we lose each time we try to grab at many things while failing to grasp what is essential?
