Today’s Excerpt:

What emotions have you been experiencing a lot this week?

A Persian poet named Rumi wrote many hundreds of years ago that emotions are like guests in your house. He said that we should let them in instead of pushing them away and pretending they don’t exist. Here is one English interpretation of the poem:

The Guest House by Rumi
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

Discuss:

• How do I treat every emotion as a gift?
• What do I learn from feeling numb, thankful, excluded?