A heart makes a good home for the friend.

"A heart makes a good home for the friend." — so spoke Yunus Emre, the mystic poet of Anatolia, whose words still breathe across centuries like incense in a temple. In this simple truth, he reveals the essence of love, friendship, and divine unity — that the truest dwelling for another soul is not built of stone or wood, but of the heart. It is there, within the quiet chambers of compassion and sincerity, that the spirit of friendship finds rest. To Yunus, whose poetry bridged the realms of the earthly and the eternal, the heart was not merely an organ of emotion, but the sanctuary of love, where both human and divine presences are welcomed.

The meaning of this quote is profound in its simplicity. To say that “a heart makes a good home” is to remind us that the worth of friendship lies not in gifts or gestures, but in genuine affection — the warmth that only an open heart can offer. When a friend is held not by obligation but by love, he finds shelter that no distance or hardship can destroy. In Yunus’s vision, every true heart becomes a house of mercy — a hearth that burns with kindness, where the weary may rest and the wounded may heal. Such a heart reflects the Divine itself, for it loves without measure and gives without asking.

The origin of these words rises from Yunus Emre’s own life, steeped in both hardship and illumination. Born in the thirteenth century, during an age of chaos and war, Yunus wandered through Anatolia seeking not gold nor power, but understanding. He was a dervish, a lover of God, and a teacher of the soul. For him, friendship was sacred — a mirror of divine love reflected in human form. His teacher, Tabduk Emre, once told him, “If you cannot find God in the heart of your fellow man, you will not find Him anywhere.” And so Yunus came to see that to make a home for another in one’s heart was the highest act of devotion — for in loving others, one learns to love God.

There is a story told of Yunus that reveals this spirit. When famine struck his village, he sought food from the dervish lodge of Haji Bektash Veli. He asked for wheat, but the sage offered him prayers instead. Yunus refused, not understanding their worth, and went home empty-handed. Later, realizing his folly, he returned — but by then, Haji Bektash had given his spiritual blessing to Tabduk Emre, saying, “This soul is meant for him.” Yunus became Tabduk’s disciple, serving for years in humility, carrying firewood and learning love. Only through service and friendship did he come to understand that the heart — not wealth or knowledge — is the true home of the divine. From this realization was born his teaching: that the heart, when pure, becomes a dwelling for love, friendship, and God Himself.

This teaching is not bound by religion or time. Every great soul has known it. St. Francis of Assisi called all creatures brothers and sisters because his heart was vast enough to hold them all. Mahatma Gandhi won the allegiance of millions not by force, but by compassion — by making his heart a home for both friend and foe. The ancient sages of every faith have said the same: that the measure of a life is not how many houses one builds, but how many hearts one warms. For a home made of walls may crumble, but a home made of love endures forever.

To make the heart a home for a friend requires humility, forgiveness, and generosity. It means to see beyond differences, to listen without judgment, to comfort without condescension. The heart must be cleansed of pride and bitterness, for no friend can dwell in a house filled with resentment. In this, Yunus teaches the art of hospitality not of the body, but of the soul. Just as we open our doors to guests, so must we open our hearts to others — making room for their joys, their sorrows, their imperfections, and their light.

Let this then be the lesson: keep your heart open, and let it be a home for others. Do not let envy or anger close its gates. Be patient with those who err, kind to those who fall, and loyal to those who trust you. Offer warmth where the world is cold, and compassion where it is cruel. In doing so, you will not only gain friends — you will become a friend of the Divine. For, as Yunus Emre knew, to love another truly is to house God Himself within your heart.

So remember, O seeker: the grandest palaces will crumble, the greatest titles will fade, but the heart that shelters love will never decay. Make of your heart a home — wide enough for all, deep enough for forgiveness, and strong enough for eternity. For in such a heart, friendship lives forever, and in such friendship, the soul finds its way home to the Infinite.