Posts by Pat:
Another Zen parable
A traveler finds himself lost, wandering in the forest for many days. Finally he comes upon a grass hut, the home of a lonely hermit.
Exhausted and starving, the traveler remembers hearing stories of the ornery and aggressive hermit he must not confront-or die.
If the traveler threatens the hermit with his machete and demands food, the hermit will probably resist, go for his own weapon, and a fight will ensure.
The traveler could end up murdering the hermit. He could be killed or wounded himself. At the very least he would be burdened with some seriously bad karma for the rest of eternity. So what does he do?
The traveler walked up to the grass hut, and knocked. When the hermit opened the door, the traveler greeted him with a friendly “Hello”, handed the hermit his machete, blade last, and asked “Can I trade you my machete for some food?”
Shocked, the hermit took the machete.
“I’m very hungry.” the traveler said. Feeling safe with the traveler’s machete in his own hands, the hermit invited the traveler in and a meal was prepared.
And after they ate, the hermit handed the traveler his machete, pointed him in the direction of the nearest village, and sent him on his way.
By empowering the hermit, the traveler got what he wanted. And by empowering others, you can too!
Expanding our perspective to the perspective of the other persn can only benefit both of us!
And, maybe, this is what is meant by “blessed are the meek”!
Forrest Gump at Heaven’s Gate
Forrest Gump dies and goes to Heaven and is met by St. Peter himself at the Pearly Gates. But the gates are closed. St. Peter say’s “Well, Forrest, it’s certainly good to see you. I must tell you, though, that the place is filling up fast and we’ve been administering an entrance examination for everyone. […]
Earth Hums Just Like We Do!
Scientists say that our planet generates a constant, deep thrum of noise. Not just noise, but rather a kind of music-“huge, swirling loops of sound” that are so low they can’t be heard by most human ears. But apparently, as of 1998, we have sensitive equipment that is getting better at picking up what the […]
Is it funny?
There’s this story… Theresa, a language teacher, was explaining to her class that in French and several other languages, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine. (I do remember my days of high school French!) “House” for instance is feminine: “la maison.” “Pencil” however is masculine: “le crayon.” So, a student asked, […]
Band-aids or surgery!?
What do Scotch Tape, Post-it Notes, and paper clips have in common? Each apparently has a different function, is made of a different material, and serves its own purpose. Oh sure, you can say they’re all office supplies (and you’d be right) but we can look a little deeper for their common purpose. Paper clips […]
Are squirrels really pessimists?
Nooo! I don’t want to believe it! I’ve prided myself on being an optimist! And I just know that it is good for me to think optimistically!! But… research published by the American Psychological Association last year showed that pessimists-because of their penchant for seeing life through a grim lens-take steps to improve their health, […]
Our stumbles can transform us
An interesting thought from spiritual author and teacher Marianne Williamson: “In order to create their beautiful plumage, peacocks sometimes eat thorns. Hard, pointed, razor-like objects are processed in their abdomens and then contribute to feathers with colors and shapes unmatched throughout nature for their extraordinary beauty. So it is with us. Often that which is […]
How Old is Grandma?
( How old is grandma? The answer is at the end of the article!) Today is Grandparents Day! And here’s a cute story… One day a grandson was talking to his grandmother about current events. The grandson asked his grandmother what she thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in […]
Did you get some right?
Here’s one of my favorite stories from 6 years ago: Little Emma is 6 years old and in first grade and it’s the end of the first week. When Mom picked her up from school, Emma bounced happily into the car. “How was school today, honey?” Immediately and very happily, Emma answered: “I had my […]
It’s that time of year again…
But it’s okay… It’s okay to be lost. It’s okay to not know-because that’s what learning is, that’s what life is. After all, it’s September and back to school time for all of us. Whether we’re in kindergarten or just a bewildered adult, life is all about the learning. And it’s not a waste […]