Morning Zen
With palms together,
Good MorningEveryone,
Zazen at 9:30 AM doesnot begin my daydog walking, coffee drinking, conversations with Kathryn,washing, pill taking, writing, all of these come first. Going to the Temple to sit still isfrequently a welcome relief from the day to day practice of being alive.
She asks me, Whatare your thoughts? I scramble, my brainfloats, it doesnt think. I see I needto organize what is floating around in there, but just now? At this very moment?
She says, No lovieson your back unless you talk. Oh my. Itell her my days schedule hoping that will suffice. It doesnt.I scrabble some more. Thoughtsabout the refuge surface. I say, Weneed to get to the mountain house to pack up my remaining things there.
The loviesbegin. I am relieved as I feel herfingers on my back. My whole body sinksinto the bottom of the bed. But then, Saymore, she says. I scramble again. We should go on another camping trip. Isay, thinking of Oliver Lee State Park.But in the back of my mind, I know I need to abandon this exchange ofthoughts for lovies as the dogs need walking and a Zen student will be callingand we will need to be at the Zendo by 9:00it is already 6:30. Good grief. Its one breath and one step, onebreath and one step: life in the Zen lane.
And now with coffeesipped, and writing to you done, it is 7:15. Gotta go walk the dogsbe well.
