Sometimes, we build walls around our hearts and call them beliefs. We find a way of living or a set of rules that feels safe, and we cling to it so tightly that we stop seeing the beauty in anything else. Ibn Arabi’s words remind us that while having a foundation is important, closing ourselves off to the rest of the world is like trying to see the whole sky through a tiny keyhole. To attach ourselves exclusively to one creed is to accidentally blind ourselves to the vast, shimmering truths that exist in other perspectives.

In our everyday lives, this often shows up in much smaller, quieter ways than religious doctrines. It happens when we decide that there is only one 'right' way to parent, one 'correct' way to work, or even one way to experience joy. We become so convinced of our own narrow path that we start judging anyone walking a different trail. We mistake our personal map for the entire landscape, forgetting that the mountains and valleys look different depending on where you stand.

I remember a time when I was feeling quite stubborn about how things should be done in my little garden. I was so focused on my specific way of planting that I dismissed a neighbor's advice about different soil nutrients. I thought my way was the only way to ensure a bloom. But as the season progressed, I saw her flowers flourishing in ways mine weren't. It was a gentle lesson that by being so attached to my single method, I was missing out on the wisdom of the earth and the shared knowledge of my community.

Embracing a wider view doesn't mean you have to lose your own identity or abandon your values. It simply means leaving the door to your heart a little bit ajar. It means being able to say, I believe in this, but I can also see the beauty and the truth in what you believe. It is an act of profound courage to remain open when the world feels so divided.

Today, I want to invite you to look at something you usually dismiss. Is there a person, an idea, or a way of life that you have been judging from a distance? Try to look at it with curiosity instead of criticism. You might just find a piece of the universe waiting to be rediscovered.