Admit something:
Everyone you see, you say to them, “Love me.”
Of course you do not do this out loud; otherwise,
someone would call the cops.
Still, though, think about this, this great pull in us
to connect.
Why not become the one who lives with a full moon
in each eye that is always saying,
with that sweet moon language,
what every other eye in this world is dying to hear?
This 14th Century verse by Persian poet Hafez, With That Moon Language, cuts to the heart of what we as human beings desire above all else: to be loved and accepted. Nothing renews us more than love. At the same time, the poet challenges us to give the love you seek, the same way Gandhi challenged us to be the change we wish to see in the world.
Vault of Hafez tomb in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz
Connection takes many forms
The human social network is complex and varied: families, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, strangers. While a person may have all of these relationships, s/he may still feel disconnected, distant. Those who have difficulty reaching other human beings often find it possible to connect with Nature or with animals because animals are not judgmental and don’t care how you look or act; they “live with the full moon in each eye,” giving love and acceptance unreservedly.
Scientific research has proven what we know intuitively and have experienced first-hand: that healthy and fulfilling interactions renew and improve our physical and emotional well-being. It is easy to give if you know you will be getting something you want in return and in this case giving becomes a kind of contract based on terms. To give and love freely is particularly foreign in a social paradigm based on the exchange of goods and services; we tend to carry this into our personal relationships. And yet, as Hafez writes, to give love without conditions, as the moon shines unconditionally, is the first and essential step to finding the connections we desire.
For more on the therapeutic power of animals, visit: Furry Friends, read Bunnies That Bring Love All Year Long!, and watch this video about Baxter.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Absolutely this is true.