Ethan Persaud - Rumi and the Journey

Out of all of the class discussions that we have had throughout the semester I thought analyzing Rumi’s poem was one of the most interesting and thought-provoking for me. The ideas that it presents to the reader is simple yet powerful, showing the idea of searching for something that may have already been within us from the very beginning. I thought this message was something very relatable and is a very human experience. A key part of that was the idea that the journey itself is still necessary, even if the destination turns out to be something familiar. That reminded me of the principle that you never know what you have until it’s gone. Before I left for college, I didn’t appreciate something as simple as my mom’s cooking while I was there. Now that I have to eat Regattas everyday which is mediocre at best, I sorely miss having my mom’s flavorful cooking at home. These ideas also return me to all our discussions on the hero’s journey, and the stages of separation, initiation, and return. In the poem, the speaker undergoes a long search for meaning, only to discover that what they were seeking had always been close to home. This connects to Campbell’s idea that the hero does not simply leave in order to find something physical or external, but often to discover something deeper within themselves. Once again relating it to my experience coming to Christopher Newport, I thought that with such a change in environment, I needed to completely reinvent myself and change myself to adapt to the circumstances. However, over time I realized that a lot of the things that I wanted for myself, developing a social life, strengthening my work ethic, and my overall purpose, were already there. The journey of coming to CNU and putting in work throughout my first year was still necessary because it allowed me to recognize and appreciate those parts of myself. With that, Rumi’s poem helped me realize that sometimes growth is less about becoming someone new and more about realizing who you truly are.

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