It's back to a poetry blog now - Rumi

 

You left ground and sky weeping, mind and soul full of grief. No one can take your place in existence or in absence. - Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī

I shared this quote on Facebook years ago. It’s from the 13th century Persian poet known as Rumi. I don’t know what prompted me to share it at the time, but it came up on my “memories” list recently. I wonder what it means.

No one can take your place. That one is easy enough. We all have had the thought that someone we have lost is irreplaceable. But what about the other part, the part that says their absence is irreplaceable? What could that mean?

Google AI Overview has this:

In existence: Everyone has a singular role and purpose that no one else can fulfill.

In absence: The space left by a person's departure is unique and cannot be filled by anyone else.

But is that it? Don’t those mean the same thing? David Byrne said, “Say something once. Why say it again?” It seems there could be deeper, less pat, and more contradictory (hopefully, maybe?) interpretations.

Is there a way in which someone’s absence becomes a whole separate thing in itself, different, perhaps, than their memory? I’m not sure. But I’ve noticed that absence is ongoing. It’s real in that sense, and distinct (and also in a way not distinct) from presence. Could we honor a person’s absence in the same way we valued them while they were with us? What would that look like?

Maybe Rumi just means it’s OK to miss them. You’re going to do it anyway. Miss them as much as you loved them. Go ahead and sing the blues.

I just like the quote.