When I was born,
My heart was but a pond—
Desires, like tiny fish, swam restlessly,
Dancing with the waves,
Infusing life with a fresh energy,
Turning autumn and summer into endless spring.
But my heart sank into quiet sorrow
When the fragile joys I held slipped away.
As I grew,
My heart became a river—
It flowed, exploring love’s fleeting glow,
Only to find its light dim and distant.
With each rise and fall,
Wisdom began to surface,
Illusions crumbled,
And desires faded into a soft, quiet death.
Now, I am neither afraid of loss,
Nor am I elated by fleeting victories.
Both are merely reflections
Of what has been taken from me,
Of what resides within.
Today, my heart beats like the ocean—
Vast, gentle, and still.
No desires ripple its surface,
No illusions disturb its calm.
I have found something far deeper,
And in that discovery,
I have forgotten everything else.
Now my soul smiles—
This is the truest wealth I have gained within.
-Rashid Ali Ghazipuri