Quote: “The path of love is full of thorns, but the garden at the end is worth all the pain.” – Attar
A profound truth about the nature of a purpose driven life is that the path of love is full of thorns, but the garden at the end is worth all the pain. He uses the metaphor of a “path of love” to represent any journey pursued with deep passion, acknowledging that it is inevitably filled with “thorns,” the sacrifices, difficulties, and pain that come with commitment. Yet, he provides a powerful assurance that the destination, a metaphorical “garden,” holds a reward so great that it justifies every single hardship. This wisdom teaches us that the pursuit of what we love is a journey of endurance and that the ultimate fulfillment at the end is far more valuable than the suffering endured along the way.
This teaching is a cornerstone of a 12th century Persian Sufi poet and mystic. Attar’s work, such as The Conference of the Birds, is a famous allegory for the soul’s arduous journey to find truth. In the Sufi tradition, the path of love, or tariqa, is not an easy road, but one that leads to the ultimate spiritual garden of divine union. The thorns and the pain are seen as necessary parts of the purification process, a test of the seeker’s devotion and faith that prepares them for the magnificent reward at the end.
For me, this quote is a profound reminder that our journey towards Mehr Wins will have its thorns. It encourages us to not be discouraged by the inevitable pain or challenges, but to hold onto the vision of the “garden,” the joy, fulfillment, and feeling of triumph that waits at the end. The philosophy of Mehr Wins is about having faith that the ultimate reward of a life lived with love and purpose will always far outweigh the temporary pain of the struggle. It empowers us to push through the hardships, knowing that a beautiful destination is worth every step of the journey.
