Da Capo By Jane Hirshfield Take the used-up heart like a pebble and throw it far out. Soon there is nothing left. Soon the last ripple exhausts itself in the weeds. Returning home, slice carrots, onions, celery. Glaze them in oil before adding the lentils, water, and herbs. Then the roasted chestnuts, a little pepper, the salt. Finish with goat cheese and parsley. Eat. You may do this, I tell you, it is permitted. Begin…
We walked through the waterlogged park this morning stepping across broad puddles and breathing in the fresh, clean air. It’s supposed to storm two more days and as Tin likes to say, “It’s dropping rain outside.” Nonetheless, rain or shine, on the way home from the park we saw a rainbow and although the tests are not done on this and that to figure out that and this, what has been made clear is that…
So the other day I ran into an acquaintance who said, “Whoa, you were a wild thing.” And I said, “Back in the day.” At this point the idea of dancing on a table top, tripping the light fantastic sounds like anathema. Oh my. Oh my. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, in his poem “Nature,” compares the old to a child who must “leave his broken playthings on the floor” and go to bed: So Nature deals…
Tin sat in his room instead of napping and ripped up a book that he loves. How often do I want to do the same thing? Instead, I went to two doctor’s appointments and am being recalled to one tomorrow and have another one as well as a meeting with the City about the Bridge. I have a few books I’d like to rip up. While I was reading about Steve Job’s petulance and brilliance,…
We went to a formal party the other night held in this beautiful hall across from Loyola and were celebrating friends birthdays – milestone ones – 50 and 60 – and well the theme was dance while you can. I was sitting, unaccustomed to high heels these days, I had been going since early morning and was flat out done before I showed up at the party. But nevertheless I enjoyed myself thoroughly. Everyone loved…
Yesterday was a master cyclone of output and little input, today a full day of input with very little output – makes me realize that no must be part of the vocabulary. I need many more days like today – meditate, walk to the park and feed the ducks, read the New York Times, read a book (reading the Steve Jobs’ biography), nap, eat a delicious lunch of broccoli and zucchini soup with a quesadilla…
My favorite take away from this morning’s meditation and subsequent talk is that happiness is within us already, you don’t have to try to get it.
In the dharma talk today, the zen teacher said to leave the slights with the people who offered them, because it is their pain. I thought of this yesterday as I encountered someone who never has enough opportunities to say unkind things to me. I encountered it the other day when someone wrote a snarky reply to a Facebook post. You sort of know this but it is a good reminder – if someone is…
Yesterday was a psycho day from start to finish much as I tried to avoid it – there it was. Zumba to Pitot to Shotgun Tour to Crawfish Boil to Formal Party – I was swaying by 9PM not from drink but from severely impacted inability to simplify my life. So today, a no brainer, I walked to the Zen temple down the street and meditated for two hours. I came out of this sensory…
“Can I touch it?” “It comes back full and beautiful. At least mine did after cancer and chemo.” “Mommy, I like your head.” “It makes your eyes stand out.” “Do you need to sit down?” “That’s pretty sexy.”