Embracing the Unexpected: A Perspective From a Sufi Saint or Spiritual Fool

One dark night, two men were having a heated argument right outside Nasruddin's house. 

The loud noise woke Nasruddin up and he lay in bed, waiting for them to stop and leave. But their argument continued and he couldn't fall back to sleep. 

Frustrated, Nasruddin wrapped a blanket tightly around himself and stepped outside to try and resolve the dispute. 

But as he tried to talk to them, one of the men snatched the blanket from his shoulders and both men ran away. 

Nasruddin went back into his house, feeling bewildered. 

His wife asked him, "What was the argument about?" 

Nasruddin replied, "I'm not sure, but it must have been about the blanket. They took it and now the argument is over.”

In many mystical traditions, it is believed that everything that happens in our lives is a part of the greater plan of the Divine whose name is echoed in a variety of ways.

This includes unexpected events, which can often leave us feeling confused or disheartened and even excited or overjoyed. However, by approaching these situations with a broadened perspective, we can find a deeper understanding and connection to that of many names.

The story of Nasruddin, a beloved figure in Sufi folklore as well as many world traditions, is an example of this.

When Nasruddin's valuable blanket was stolen, he could have easily become upset or even lost sleep over the loss. However, he chose to see the situation from a broad perspective and went right back to sleep. 

A key to observe here is that he made a choice… a decision.

This shows that Nasruddin understood that maybe the loss of his blanket was not just an accident or mishap but maybe a test from the Divine and he accepted it as a part of the greater plan.

In a majority of faith based traditions and religions, it is believed that every event in our lives, whether it is good or bad, is a test from the Divine. 

So from this lens, if life is a school in and of itself then the events that we are placed in, by choice or fate pending upon your viewpoint, can be observed as the pop quizzes or tests.

Many Sufis have noted that tests are meant to help us grow spiritually and to bring us closer to the Nameless or that with Many Names. 

It is not for us to question why certain things happen, but to accept them as a part of the greater plan and to use them as an opportunity to grow closer to the Divine.

When unexpected events happen in our lives, it can be easy to focus on the negative or even be over consumed by the positive and let it control our thoughts and emotions. 

However, by approaching the situation with a spiritual perspective, higher awareness, and presence, we can find a deeper understanding and connection throughout it all. 

We can remind ourselves that everything happens for a reason and that there is always an opportunity to grow closer to the Divine, our essential self, or a variety of other ways to call It.

It's important to remember that unexpected events are a part of the greater plan or mystery of life, individually and as the whole, and by approaching them with a perspective as such, we can find a deeper understanding and connection along the way. 

Instead of dwelling on a moment, we can use these situations as an opportunity to grow, to understand, and learn.

For if I dropped a book after reading one sentence that did not sit well with me I would never see the majesty of the continuation of the story. 

A takeaway from the beloved tale of Nasruddin could be that one has to comprehend unforeseen and unknown events with a gentle and compassionate outlook fostered through presence.

It would have been no use lamenting the loss of his valuable blanket and losing sleep over it, so Nasruddin treated the loss with a similar viewpoint and went right back to sleep! 

For if we brought “nothing” into this world, neither may we carry any thing out of this world. 

Nasruddin may have been considered a fool by many, but his wisdom and tradition of approaching unexpected events with a compassionate outlook, is something that has been long forgotten by many. 

Instead of seeking to possess or control, we should seek to explore and adopt the present moment. 

In this way, we can find peace and understanding in the face of unexpected events or even those that are expected, similarly to the joy of the gentle winds that caresses us everyday, turbulent or not.

I mean, I never saw anyone who can grip the breeze even with the strongest of muscles or tightest of grips. Have you? 

Until then, I will take it moment by moment and with every breath in the non permanence of what we can call this Divine Reality we appear to reside in.