The Cassandra Song

This human being 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, still treat each guest honorably. He may be cleaning you out for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at your door laughing and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes because each has been sent as a Guide from Beyond.
(Rumi, The Guest House)

In the olden days when I was introduced to the Way, I received messages from songs that magically popped up on the radio just when I was ready for a new set of spiritual instructions. There were so many uplifting messages, but there were also some darker tones; the reminders that I had yet again abused my loved ones, and that I needed to apologize instead of fuming with anger. In particular there was one Cassandra song that predicted my dark night of the Soul episodes with mathematical precision. There was nothing I could do about it; the wheels of karma were simply turning merciless. I still hear the Cassandra song occasionally but all fear or dread has left me when it plays on the radio. As Rumi expressed so beautifully in his Guest House poem, I have discovered in the meantime that in order to manifest sunshine and blue skies, we also have to welcome the heavy rain. Today, rain or shine, I welcome all seasons.