I'm Not Packed Yet and Other (Zen -?) Thoughts.

I never thought of my mother as being very "Zen".  My Grandfather was but then he'd grown up so very differently.  When I think about how I am so very busy lately - I leave for Bead and Button tomorrow - it feels like I'll never get the kinks worked out of the new computer platform, get used to the new keyboard, get caught up on TAO, get the beads labeled, and on and on and on.  I don't know about you but I start making lists.  Sometimes I swear the lists begin with numbers and then deteriorate very quickly to alphabets, roman numerals, and bullets.  By the time I get to side notes and colored ink I know I'm obsessing.  When I start obsessing it gets debilitating because I gain feet of cement.  I simply quit moving forward.  It's about then I remember what my Mom used to say when I'd get like this and start complaining, "I'll never finish".  She'd just look at me and smile gently and say, "This will pass."

There were times that was very calming and times it just plain wasn't.  I think the times it was calming was because I matured and realized tomorrow would arrive regardless and there was nothing earth shattering that would happen between now and then even if I didn't "finish". 

I do hope I passed that on to my children.  Life some how seems "bigger" these days - this century of information at our finger tips. The world will turn another revolution and life will change - or not. 

Off to pack - leaving at 5AM tomorrow.  I'll write from the road but for now I'll leave you with this Zen story.

It Will Pass

A student went to his meditation teacher and said, "My meditation is horrible! I feel so distracted, or my legs ache, or I'm constantly falling asleep. It's just horrible!" "It will pass," the teacher said matter-of-factly.

A week later, the student came back to his teacher. "My meditation is wonderful! I feel so aware, so peaceful, so alive! It's just wonderful!'

"It will pass,"

the teacher replied matter-of-factly.