Rumi seemed to grasp treating other humans and animals based on hierarchy, not really the way, we should spread love everywhere, treat everyone with love. There are countless stories of his kindness. I love stories of kindness. Love is what shatters false ideas of gender, race, class. We can only control ourselves, and there will always be others with different ways of being. Following spiritual leaders is a choice, you can legislate modesty and make women cover their hair, but you're only teaching obedience, not humility. Freedom is essential to teaching and learning. You can only liberate yourself, but supporting others journey is the greatest gift. 

"The stench of this clogged-up toilet is a hundred times better to me than the company of the anxiety-laden rich" (p.239 Gooch)

The Wine By Michael Metivier

When the townspeople

gave the teenaged Buddha

a glass of wine

so delicious he grew

to an unthinkable size

and froze into a blue statue

that shielded the town

from a wave that broke

upon his back

and would have swept away

the town if he’d not tasted

the wine and...