The gifts of lovers to one another are, in respect to love

“The gifts of lovers to one another are, in respect to love, nothing but forms; yet, they testify to invisible love.” Thus spoke Rumi, the mystic poet of Persia, whose words still burn with the light of divine longing. In this teaching he reminds us that tokens exchanged between lovers—flowers, rings, letters, jewels—are but forms, mere shapes in the world of matter. Yet within these humble offerings is hidden something far greater: the testimony of invisible love, which cannot be seen, yet is more real than all treasures of the earth.

The ancients also knew this truth. The Greeks spoke of Eros as both a god of passion and a force unseen, binding souls together beyond touch or sight. In their temples lovers left offerings, not because stone or bronze could contain their devotion, but because the form bore witness to a flame too great to be held within the heart alone. Rumi’s words echo this wisdom: it is not the gift itself, but the love behind it, that carries weight eternal.

Consider the story of Shah Jahan, emperor of India, who raised the Taj Mahal in memory of his beloved Mumtaz Mahal. The white marble tomb, adorned with jewels and symmetry, is but a form—a physical structure of stone. Yet to this day, it testifies to an invisible love so enduring that it outlived both the lovers themselves. The building is admired not for its grandeur alone, but for the devotion it represents. This is Rumi’s truth made flesh: the gift is but the vessel; the love within it is the soul.

And yet, Rumi warns us gently: we must not mistake the form for the essence. Lovers may give jewels without love, and such gifts are empty, hollow shells. But a simple smile, a word spoken with tenderness, a hand held in silence—these testify more powerfully to love than gold ever could. For it is not the richness of the gift that matters, but the presence of the invisible flame it seeks to embody.

O children of the future, learn this with care: love is not measured by the weight of rings nor the price of gifts. These are but shadows, signs pointing to something greater. Do not cling to the form and forget the essence. Seek always the invisible, for it is there that true love dwells. A flower that wilts tomorrow may testify to a devotion that lasts forever. A letter written in trembling hand may outlive all monuments of stone.

The lesson is clear: when you love, give not only gifts of form, but gifts of heart. Let your tokens—whether great or small—carry the breath of sincerity. Do not give to impress, but to reveal. Let each gesture be a window through which the invisible may be seen. And when you receive, look beyond the form to the love it bears, lest you miss the treasure hidden within the simple.

Therefore, let your practice be this: honor the forms, but cherish the essence. Give with sincerity, and receive with gratitude. Teach your children that love cannot be bought, but it can be testified through kindness, through care, through offerings that whisper of what cannot be spoken. In this way, even the smallest gift becomes sacred, for it is a testimony of the eternal.

So I say unto you: remember Rumi’s wisdom. The gifts of lovers are but forms, yet they shine because they carry within them the light of invisible love. Do not despise the form, but do not worship it either. Look always to the essence, for there lies the truth that endures beyond time, beyond death, beyond the world itself.