HELP

  
A dragon was pulling a bear into its terrible mouth. 

A courageous man went and rescued the bear. 
There are such helpers in the world, 
who rush to save 
anyone who cries out. Like Mercy itself, 
they run toward the screaming. 

And they can't be bought off. 
If you were to ask one of those, "Why did you come 
so quickly?" He or she would say, "Because I heard 
your helplessness." 

Where lowland is, 
that's where water goes. All medicine wants 
is pain to cure. 

And don't just ask for one mercy. 
Let them flood in. Let the sky open under your feet. 
Take the cotton out of your ears, the cotton 
of consolations, so you can hear the sphere-music. . . . 

Give your weakness 
to One Who Helps. 

Crying out loud and weeping are great resources. 
A nursing mother, all she does 
is wait to hear her child. 

Just a little beginning-whimper, 
and she's there. 

God created the child, that is, your wanting, 
so that it might cry out, so that milk might come. 

Cry out! Don't be stolid and silent 
with your pain. Lament! And let the milk 
of Loving flow into you. 

The hard rain and wind 
are ways the cloud has 
to take care of us. 

Be patient. 
Respond to every call 
that excites your spirit. 

Ignore those that make you fearful 
and sad, that degrade you 
back toward disease and death. 

— Jelaluddin Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks