The Guest House
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 are 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 whatever comes
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
— Jellaludin Rumi
(1207-1273)
“This being human is a guest house.” Right now, I invite you to welcome whatever emotion you are feeling at the moment into your “home” as a guest, whether it be anxiety, fear, grief, sadness, anger, frustration, or helplessness (the list goes on). Let’s take anxiety as an example — how would you treat anxiety as an honorable guest? What would you say or do to make anxiety feel welcome? Can you invite anxiety for tea and cookies, a glass of wine?
Take a few moments and write what comes to mind. Embrace whatever you are feeling and start writing; allow your pen to keep moving (or your hands to keep typing) and let your thoughts tumble out onto the page. Naming our emotions gives them less power. Writing helps remove the negative thoughts swirling around in our heads, allows us to create some distance from our feelings and provides a new perspective.
For more writing prompts, search “Writing Prompt” in the search bar on the top right of this page.
If you have an essay on Creative Aging which you'd like to share with others on the blog, click here for submission info. Since I also teach “Writing Through Grief” and “Writing as a Tool to Cope with Anxiety,” if you have an essay related to these topics that you’d like to share, I’d love to read it. Feel free to email it to me!
Now, more than ever, it’s important to share our stories.
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