Quote by Rumi, The Dream That Must Be Int

The dust of many crumbled cities settles over us like a forgetful doze, but we are older than those cities. We began as a mineral. We emerged into plant life and into the animal state, and then into being human, and always we have forgotten our former states, except in early spring when we slightly recall being green again. That's how a young person turns toward a teacher. That's how a baby leans toward the breast, without knowing the secret of its desire, yet turning instinctively. Humankind is being led along an evolving course, through this migration of intelligences, and though we seem to be sleeping, there is an inner wakefulness that directs the dream, and that will eventually startle us back to the truth of who we are.

Summary

This quote suggests that despite the passage of time and the rise and fall of civilizations, humanity is connected to its primal origins. It reflects on the cyclical nature of life and how humans tend to forget their previous states of existence, except for brief moments of recollection. It compares the innate inclination of a young person turning to a teacher or a baby reaching for its mother's breast to the instinctive pull towards rediscovering our true selves. It implies that even though we may appear to be asleep or unaware, there is an underlying awareness that guides us, urging us to remember and awaken to our ultimate truth and purpose.