Sufism

"This poor Sufi dressed in rags walked in to a jewelry store owned by a rich merchant and asked him, 'Do you know how you're going to die?' The merchant answered, 'No. No one knows how they're going to die.' And the Sufi said, 'I do.'

'How?' asked the merchant. And the Sufi lay down, crossed his arms, said, "Like this," and died, whereupon the merhcant promptly gave up his store to live a life of poverty in pursiut of the kind of spiritual wealth the dead Sufi had acquired." (John Green p. 173)

Miles' religion teacher is grumpy, but serious old man. Who's expected to croak any minute. Religion, which a requirement only for 11th and 12th graders at Miles' school. During 11th grade they study Christanity, Islam and Buddhism. Sufis are Islamic mystics who try the best not to even step on ants. (According to Ms. Embry.) The Sufis fascinate Miles in his religion class as they did me when we discussed them in world history. Or perhaps they fascinated me because I read about them somewhere else. I find it so strange when I read something, or watch something, or just listen to a conversation and come across something I've learned about. Anyways Miles,(who now is just reading enough background information to pass the class) is FASCINATED by the Sufi's last words.

I don't think a lot of people know how they're going to die. That just reminds me of the television show Lost for some reason. Everyone in that show seems to be destined to something, someone always knows what's going to happen.