A Favorite Afghan Shrine…

When I journeyed to Afghanistan to visit Sufi shrines, my Afghan host family took me to the shrine above first. In the midst of a war-zone, this shrine felt like an oasis of peace. As I stepped out of the car, I was intrigued by the white color on each niche and brick–and felt compelled to explore the well we passed on the way to the door. Once I stepped inside this shrine’s thick walls, I momentarily felt safe from the violence being waged outside–in all directions…

We all face death in the end.
But on the way, be careful
Never to hurt a human heart…

— Rumi