I have been reading the beautiful poetry of Hafiz, a poet and Sufi master of the 13th century. In his poem titled That Does Perish (translated into English by Daniel Ladinsky) I love the line,
“The Earth would die
If the sun stopped kissing her.”
Scientists have often told us that if our sun were to burn itself out, our planet would die along with it. It gives an entirely new meaning to “until death do us part.” It is a beautiful idea, that the sun and the earth are lovers. We humans thought we had the original trademark on love, but love exists throughout the universe. My own poem, Physics, a one liner that I had written when I was still in high school, goes
“Love
is the focal point
of the universe.”
The thought had come to me after an art class where I was learning to draw. That single point, the focal point, is that place from which all life originated; and to which all life returns. Life is love and love cannot be destroyed. It returns again and again in different forms. Some would say that we are always connected to it by a silver cord. Knowing that we all came from the same place, the same creator, why would we ever want to be anything but kind to others? We are all connected, so when we hurt another or have animosity towards another, we hurt ourselves. It is said that the sun shines on the just and the unjust. The rain falls on those with evil hearts, as well as those who are good. It does not care. The sun knows only to shine and is not concerned where its beams land.
