The tavern of ruins (Photo: Emily O'Dell)
Within tears, find hidden laughter.
Seek treasures amid ruins, sincere one.
— Rumi
Before exploring each nook of this structure on my own, I spent some time playing with these rascals–who greeted us when we drove up to the house. When I stepped out of the car, they asked me to join them for a game of hide-and-go-seek–which seemed like the perfect game to play in a house thought to have belonged to Rumi’s family. My Afghan host family, who kindly brought me here on their way to visit other Sufi shrines, said a number of prayers–and the little girl who accompanied us recited verses from Rumi’s masterpiece–the Masnavi–right in the middle of the house. Like her–and these other tiny custodians of Rumi’s memory in Afghanistan–Rumi was a child affected by war too…
Come on, my friend.
Step into the tavern of ruins.
Taste the sweetness of life
in the company of another friend.
— Rumi
Gather your things, looks like this caravan of friends is moving on…
