ii feel humbled when i realise that i can actually receive help myself from a research participant (similar feeling to when i am feeling i am growing as a result of working with clients in counselling…). I had written an email to A. (now in canada) about my experience of our interview. in that email, i kind of cimmunicated to him that i am in a process of finding new perspectives etc and how his experience was so much different than mine. JHe wrote back, offering a sufi poem which just spoke inside me, just at the right time, when feeling low, and needing sth to uplift me togo though the panel. Here it is:

There is a poem by a famous sufi master “Hafiz”  I would like to share with you, entiteld

‘My sweet, crushed Angel”
   
  You have not danced so badly, my dear,
  Trying to hold hands with the beautiful one.
   
  You have waltzed with great style,
  My sweet crushed angel,
  To have neared god,s heart at all.
   
  Our partner is notoriously difficult to follow,
  And even his best musicians are not always easy to hear.
   
  So what if the music has stopped for a while
   
  So what
   If the price of addmission to the divine
  Is out of reach tonight.
   
  So what, my dear,
  If you do not have the guts to gamble for real love.
   
  The mind and the body are famous
  For holding the heart ransom,
  But Hafiz Knows the beloved’s eternal habits.
   
  Have patience,
   
  For he will not be able to resist your longing
  For long.
   
  You have not danced so badly, my dear,
  Trying to kiss the Beautiful One.
   
  You have actually waltzed with tremendous style,
  O my sweet,
  O my sweet, crushed Angel.
   
  I actullay did waltz with tremendous style at the panel after all, a big thank you to A. and the spirit that connected us…