"Come to My Orchard"

by Narendra Jaggi

Professor and Chair of Physics

Minor had an abiding affection for, and a deep commitment to, diversity in spiritual matters. On three different occasions, he had asked me if I would like to say a short prayer, and I had responded by reading the translation of short Sufi/Bhakti poems by Mirabai, Rumi, and Bhulla respectively. We know that, of these three, "Come to my orchard" by Rumi was Minor's favorite, because as I hope you will see, it captures the essence of community.

Rumi says,

"Come to my orchard in spring,
There is light, wine and flowers
And sweethearts among the pomegranates,
But if you do not come, none of these matter,
And if you do come, then none of these matter"

What mattered most to Minor was you, whom he saw as an extension of his family.

And, for that reason, Minor, you don’t have to "come" here (in this arena) because you are already here (in our hearts).