Zen Moments

Not-Knowing is OK

Alan — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 20:31:02 +0000

“Not-knowing is not easy, it’s not comfortable…” “And what do you do?” Back when I was 21, I was unemployed. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and I hated that question. “I’m unemployed” was the truth, but I would cringe each time I gave that answer. In those days maybe there was more [...]

The Art of Listening

Alan — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:35:04 +0000

“It is through this creative process that we love and are loved…” I want to write about the great and powerful thing that listening is. And how we forget it. And how we don’t listen to our children, or those we love. And least of all – which is so important, too – to those [...]

Harold and Maude…

Zen Moments — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 11:49:36 +0000

“Reach out! Take a chance! Get hurt maybe. But play as well as you can…” MAUDE: Like a puff, Harold? HAROLD: Well, I really don’t smoke. MAUDE: It’s all right. It’s organic. HAROLD: I sure am picking up on vices. MAUDE: Vice? Virtue? It’s best not to be too moral. You cheat yourself out of [...]

When My Sorrow Fell Away….

Zen Moments — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 12:12:10 +0000

I lost twin babies to death at a few days of age. That was forty years ago. The circumstances of the time prevented my expression of grief until I recently found catharsis in the writing of the poem below. THE SMILES Tomorrow will be another day, some told me, to offer solace or new hope [...]

Strong Enough To Bend

Alan — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:00:40 +0000

“…I saw how it bends, flowing with the wind…” newborn – we are tender and weak in death – we are rigid and stiff living plants are supple and yielding dead branches are dry and brittle so the hard and unyielding belong to death and the soft and pliant belong to life an inflexible army [...]

This is Water

Zen Moments — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 12:40:29 +0000

“How’s the water? “ “..There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the [...]

Sisters

Zen Moments — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 18:28:54 +0000

“Because, you understand, they are sisters…” The Ladies have been trying lately. Trying to make me crazy by the end of summer vacation, I am convinced. They get along for brief periods of time – usually involving some sort mess and mayhem – which intersperse the fighting. Fighting over space on the couch, over which [...]

The Thirst for Spirituality

Zen Moments — Tue, 18 May 2010 20:10:06 +0000

“…You think you can choose God like you choose a pair of shoes?…” There is something spiritual and magic about old book stores and libraries. Maybe it is just the smell of old books bringing back forgotten childhood memories, or maybe there is a deeper spiritual connection I can’t explain, but every time I am [...]

Seeing the lighter side…

Zen Moments — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 20:40:04 +0000

“He has said to us that we can keep it!” Elusive artist Banksy made his own addition to the collection of Gallery 49 in the British Museum. A drawing in the style of prehistoric cave art showing a caveman with a shopping trolley, appeared alongside finds from 4th Century Roman Britain. A British Museum spokeswoman [...]

The Amazing Hidden Talents of Ordinary People

Zen Moments — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 22:20:31 +0000

“Without a doubt, that was the biggest surprise I have had in three years of this show…” Susan Boyle – Singer – Britains Got Talent 2009 “SHE lives alone with her ten-year-old cat, has never been kissed, and is teased by children in the street. But 47-year-old Susan Boyle could just be the UK’s next [...]