Better Than Cabbage Soup
It’s the Rumi poem with the ugliest title. The real meaning of the poem doesn’t suit my purposes, and I’m not quoting the whole thing, because the “Better than cabbage soup” line spoils the mood for me.
For some reason.
Before Poet Joey accuses me of a literary sin, I have a defense: religious words have such a long history of selective pruning to suit the purposes of the selector, I have plenty of precedent.
For the record, I like cabbage soup. It’s just not evocative of a Rumi mood.
If your mind and stomach
burn with the fire of hunger
it will be like a heavenly song for your heart.
In each moment that fire rages
It will burn away a hundred veils
And carry you a thousand steps
toward your goal.Be empty
and weep with the fullness of the reed flute.
Be empty
and discover the mysteries of the reed pen.
The (out-of-context part of a) poem seems to say it all for me. Sometimes, when something is your only option, it’s a whole lot easier to make a success of it. If the obstacle to your goal is what stands between you and food in your belly, pushing past that obstacle becomes world’s easier.
How do you stoke the fire in your belly? What makes it easy for you to push past that which is hard? Which obstacles are you thankful for?
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Natasha Fondren is an eBook developer, writer, and classical pianist. After a fifteen-year piano teaching career, she moved to Arizona and built a book design business. She enjoys the lizards and desert heat in Arizona with her Border Collie, Padfoot, and her cat, Dixie Doodle.
For me, pushing past that which is hard often involves breaking things down into smaller tasks. When I had knee surgery last spring the road to recovery looked long and hard. I just took it step by step appreciating each shuffle forward.
I think I’m thankful for most obstacles, now that I think about it, because they help me to look at things from different perspectives and angles, and to see things that I may not have seen and to try things that I may not have tried. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Right now I’m smiling as I think of my obstacles. I wasn’t a moment ago
Wow, the recovery looks impossible from a distance, Paul! Yay for you!
I think what you said about taking it step by step is important. I focus so much on my fear that BIG, HUGE THING won’t get done, and I need to just focus on the next little step.
It’s not easy to push past that which is hard. I get an idea, then I want to put it on paper. I screw something up, and I think of something to unscrew it. Then I want to write it.
As for the fire in my belly, I think it’s always burning.
Kathryn and I were totally talking about what an inspiration you were to us. I need some of your fuel in my belly, LOL!
I’m way more motivated by someone needing something than anything. I’m really great in an emergency, but then I fall apart later. When we didn’t have our visas for China, Adam was impressed with how calm I was. I felt like I needed to be, because he was freaking out. Then, when we got on the plane, I was shaking!
I really need to be more motivated with my writing. I have some time free over the holidays, and I want to crack down like crazy.
Not motivated at all by obstacles. Hate obstacles. Want to run from obstacles.
You ARE great in an emergency, Robin! And I’m not great with obstacles, either. Not really. Not unless they get me angry, LOL.
I need to crack down like crazy, too!
I don’t know how much of a pusher I am. I don’t like big dramas, particularly in my own life. I tend to like things to just be nice and quiet. So when I lost my job, that was probably the best thing that ever happened to me, because I was forced to make a living freelancing which is far far better and it also gave me enough of a jolt to actually do some serious writing which, while not helping the finances much, has been satisfying in other ways.
Eric, I am so like you in many ways. I like things nice and quiet, too. And really, if there’s one thing this past year has taught me, it’s that one can be gloriously happy living inside small means, but miserable working a job that provides good means.
Very interesting is your question, “what obstacles are you thankful for.” I’ve never thought of it that way. I want all obstacles crushed as quickly as possible.
I want your spirit, Charles! There are a few I’m grateful for. I was grateful for getting sick in my twenties because it led me to teaching and writing. There are a few others. I’m glad my business wasn’t doing any better last year, or I wouldn’t have made this jump I did.
Oddly, I find anger is a motivator at times. Anger at injustice, let’s say. There’s nothing like grim determination to smash down obstacles.
Right now I have no fire, just endurance to hold me upright.
Anger rocks. Seriously. Anger is an awesome motivator for me.
I wish I could give you fire, Bernita!
Most of the time in the past it seemed to me to be just cussed dogged stubbornness. That’s getting a bit harder to come by.