The other day I was venting from a very high stressed day and the anticipation of a high stress projected few months. I pondered which is more difficult, exerting a lot of brawn or brain? How much is the mind capable of before it just fizzles out? Are we designed to wear so many hats for so many different areas and so many roles in life? Why can’t I just go catatonic for a day???
My catch phrase was thrown back at me: “Be the Buddha.”
I shrieked! “Be the Buddha??? BE the Buddha!! Not even Buddha could be the Buddha in today’s society! Buddha was only the Buddha because he lived in an aesthetic region and didn’t have high speed job functions running through his veins. He didn’t have to deal with being hit on all sides by so many different areas. he didn’t have to drive during rush hour traffic, wait in an express line for an hour… There’s no way Jesus, Mohammad, Buddha or whoever else could have been the “higher” beings they’re rewarded for today. They’d all be in towers with sniper rifles!!!! The fact that I’m NOT should make ME a Buddha!”
Did any of them go through divorces/break-ups/freaks of nature, have children, deal with the health care industry, the IRS, various departments, the DMV, wailing kids in a movie theater, swerving to avoid people driving whilst talking on their cell phones? Technology changing so quickly that once you can afford one critical “must have to survive society”, they develop a new item rendering the one you JUST bought; outdated and useless? Landlords, neighbors, family issues, car problems, plumbing problems, the horrible “I’m starving but there’s WAY TOO MUCH TOO CHOOSE FROM so you starve for a night? Concrete jungles, blaring stereos that mariachi screams out at you, the boom boom boom of the bass that rattles your living room. Global politics, global warming, natural disasters, fashion disasters, computer crashes, program bugs, glitches, protesters, anti’s, pro’s, views being thrown at you from all directions and you must always- always sift through every chunk that’s presented your way in order to take a side, take a stand or just shrug with indifference.
Jesus would have begged for that cross/his untimely demise. He may have been one of the thieves instead of the martyr.
So, living in a city regardless of size, it is increasingly difficult to find your center in order to gracefully move through the various areas of a typical day without feeling overwhelmed by the end of the day. A couple of weeks ago I sat on a lounge chair slightly above a peaceful garden as I listened to little water fall cascade over the life that resided in the pool of water. The stars busied the sky and for ONCE… other than the water whispering gentle encouragements to me…. I heard that forgotten unsound of silence.
I was able to breathe for relaxation, not survival, and all the stress escaped my muscles.
Then and ONLY then was I able to truly be the Buddha.
I’m finding myself slowly bringing that part of life into my apartment living. In addition to my garden lights that set my back porch up as a tiny stage, I have the lounge chair that creates the illusion when I lay on it- that I’m at some relaxing resort. A bucket of daisies joins the ambience and now I’m surrounded by flowers, roses, and carnations that are placed in vases through out my dwelling. My foliage is thriving.. but damn it all… I still can’t seem to get past the horrible distraction of traffic, screaming children and that damned mariachi music!
