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One Who is in Love Always Prays
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The man was sitting on a wooden chair, wearing his wool jacket and drinking tea, much oblivious and relaxed. The teacup, however, was full of memories as if it was telling the story of the tea farm and its teenaged farmer girl, with her charming smile, the twinkle in her eyes, her tired hands and the flower patterns on her skirt.
The tea was very tasty which means the farmer girl must have been in love when she picked the leaves.
And one who is in love is anxious; and one who is anxious must pray, and one who prays must believe in God.
Therefore, the farmer girl must have believed in God.
***
His wool jacket was very warm and it made him think about the heat amongst the sheep, and the tall mountains at the far away village with the shepherd who woke up every dawn, alone, and stared at the faraway lands while he played his flute as his heart longed and longed.
And one who has a longing in his heart plays the flute, stares out into eternity and is lonely must be in love.
And one who is in love prays, and on who prays must believe in God.
Therefore, the shepherd must have believed in God.
***
The man then touched his wooden chair. In the memory of the wood was an image of the carpenter, and the carpenter remembered the tree; the tree then remembered the gardener who had watered it for years. He had nourished it, trimmed it and loved it with all his being, becoming attached to every tiny branch and leaf.
And one who plants and waters, trims and gets attached to tiny leaves is hopeful; and one who hopes must be in love and must pray.
And one who prays must believe in God. Therefore, the gardener must have believed in God.
***
Then the man, as he sat on his wooden chair, wearing his wool jacket and drinking his tea told himself, “Now that the farmer girl, the young shepherd and the old gardener all have a God, then there must be a God for me as well.”
And what an amazing moment that was when he knew there is a way to God even from the memories of a wooden chair, a wool jacket and a cup of tea.
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The Lover’s Tear
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The droplet longed for the Ocean. It had been a long time since he had asked God for this.
Each time, God would say, “From being a droplet to the Ocean is a long road; a road full of pain, love and patience. Not every droplet deserves the Ocean.”
The droplet passed by. It left things behind. It would stand still and freeze. Sometimes it would flow and other times, it would evaporate into the sky.
Each time, it learned something about pain, love and patience.
Until finally one day God said, “Today is your day. The day of becoming Ocean.” Then God sent the droplet to the Ocean. It tasted the Ocean but…
Later the droplet told God, “I want something bigger than the Ocean! Is there anything possibly bigger than the Ocean?”
“Yes, there is.” God replied.
“Then I want that. The vastest—infinity.” The droplet said.
***
Then God picked up the droplet and put it in the heart of man. He said, “This place is infinite.”
Man was in love. He was searching for a word to pour love into. But no word was able to bear the weight of love. The he poured all his love into one drop. The drop passed though his heart and when it came down his eyes, God said, “Now you are infinite for the lover’s tear contains my picture.”
Translated from Persian by Layla Khamoushian, www.dreamgatepress.com (Layla Kamm)
