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November 19, 2005
A Running Monk
I fantasize that I’ll get to a place in my life where I feel I have time for the things that are most important. The key is feeling like one has the time. What an odd thing – our feelings are so often totally out of whack. This week I felt I was going to be late for one of my many flight, but I really had plenty of time. What good were all those feelings of anxiety?
So then I wonder what it would feel like to actually have all the time I wanted to do all the things I wanted. I’ve been in situations that approximated having a lot of time. It didn’t feel all that good.
I’ve imagined that Buddhist monks must feel a lot less worry than I do. Their practice drives them deeply into the present – and I can only think this is a very peaceful place to be. You’ll understand my surprise then at seeing a Buddhist monk running through the airport Monday with a very worried look on his face. There was nothing serene about his composure.
I’ve been thinking about that monk a lot since Monday. I was really encouraged by his presence at the airport, stressed out like the rest of us. I felt like we were on the same journey. Having a companion like that makes coping with my feelings seem more manageable for some reason.
Posted by pgutwin at November 19, 2005 9:52 PM