In all stages of his evolution, progress and work, one thing never left Inayat Khan through all joys and sorrows and it was a sense of mirth, and he mostly used this sense of mirth in his everyday life, in speaking and writing, but frequently by psychic power, he played and amused himself.
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A youthful Inayat
One day a young man came to him, a son of a mureed and said his mother had sent him, for he was in a great despair, thinking that Murshid will give him some advice; and Murshid asked him what was the reason of his despair. He answered: he had loved a girl who first showed him a great love, but now she is beginning to get detached, because she seems to be getting interested in some other young man. Murshid seemed amused at hearing this from quite a young man. He said, “Then what do you wish to do?” The young man said, “I want her to love me or else life has no interest for me any longer.” Murshid laughed and said, “O, life is always interesting. If not in one object, in another object, one finds interest. It is perhaps your momentary spell that makes you so depressed. Let her alone, if she loves someone else, you go and love somebody else too.” The young man made a face of disappointment and looked at Murshid, who asked, “What do you want?” “I want her to love me.” Murshid said, “Go just now and she will be alright.” He went immediately from there to her and found her to his great surprise entirely changed, as amiable, sympathetic and agreeable as ever. The young man was so pleased that he left a note of thanks to the house of the Murshid. When next day he went she was quite indifferent and did not care for him and he again was very unhappy. For two or three days he was too depressed and then came again to Murshid and said, “The time when you sent me she was loving and good, but after that she is treating me in the same manner as before. Now I do not know what to do.” But Murshid said, “What do you want?” He said, “I want her to be good to me.” As Murshid said, “Go just now, she will be good to you”, and when he went there she was very kind to him, very loving, but only that day, next day she again turned. He came again home and was very disappointed and came to Murshid to give the report of her behaviour. Murshid was very amused and said to him, “Now look here, my son, I showed you what power is latent in man. But at the same time this power is not to destroy anybody’s freedom. As you wish your freedom in life, so she must have her freedom to choose whom she must love. Although it is a bitter experience to you, after some days you will be most thankful to think that you did not induce some one to love you by force who was not in reality your lover. I would be all my life without someone’s love who did not care to love me and would be quite content. You are young, you have life before you waiting. You do not know what is in store for you. It is just a matter of patience. Therefore be cheerful and go and all will be well.”
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A day Murshid was walking in the street and saw a soldier walking stiff and straight. He seemed as stiff as a log of wood, no movement, no bend in his walk. Murshid was very amused at it and as Murshid walked immediately behind him, he thought, he must make this log move. First he felt irritation in his neck and gave a slap on his neck and began to rub his neck. Murshid was very amused, but thought it is not enough, he must twist a little and he felt uncomfortable in his waist and he began to twist both sides. Murshid thought that is not enough, he must look back. Something came in his brain, giving him a feeling that somebody was calling him from behind and he looked back. This made this man turn and twist which provided for Murshid a good amusement.
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One day Murshid was travelling in a train. After the whole day’s work, in the evening Murshid was so tired that he really desired quiet, but those sitting with him in the compartment were all busy talking among themselves, which was to Murshid rather a nuisance. Therefore Murshid thought, “Now I must get them all to sleep. That is the only way of getting quiet.” He looked at the person who was sitting just before him, an old man, who was smoking, which was a double nuisance, and dropped his head down, and the old man began to nod. His cigarette fell down from his hand, and in one moment he began to snore. Then Murshid looked at a young man, who was talking so much with his girl and dropped his head down, and the girl dropped her head on the breast of the man, and the man dropped his head on the head of his girl and both fell fast asleep. Murshid looked at the man who was sitting at his side who was looking in a book and mumbling to himself and no sooner was the glance cast on him, then he began to yawn, raising his book against his mouth. He once stretched and twisted and turned and stretched his body on the legs of the old man and went to sleep. Murshid was very amused and had all the quiet he wanted all through his journey, for all of them were so fast asleep that the porter at the station had to waken them after Murshid had left the compartment.
from The Biography of Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan