Soto Zen Buddhist Association 2012

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It wasn't so much the picture and comment posted by James Ford on his blog that caught my eye, though it was interesting to see so many gathered at what I took to be a recent meeting of the Soto Zen Buddhist Association 2012.

Rather it was the the sole comment that followed the entry: "Such an inspiring and encouraging image."

The comment swept me back to a mindset of another time -- a mindset that agreed and yearned and was touched and believed and was equally hopeful: "Yes indeed! What an inspiring and encouraging image!" I too have been deliciously in love and even today I would not disdain or pooh-pooh that deliciousness. I'm an old fart, but I'm not that cranky.

"Yes! Yes!" some voice agrees. Fall deeply in love! Be convinced! Be assured and reassured! Feel the warmth and taste the sweetness! Damn! It's better than chocolate, cozier than a down quilt. I'm being serious here. Where the light seems to shine, do not ignore it... Zen practice, mountain climbing, stamp collecting, NASCAR driving, nursing, politics, family, extreme Frisbee, money, travel ... where the light seems to shine, do not ignore it.

But in the quiet times, the times when no one is looking, the times when the applause is still, take time as well to answer the question that whispers ...

The question that only you can answer properly...

"Inspiring and encouraging ..."

For what?
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