Letting Go

One Thing at a Time

It is wonderful to learn to do one thing at a time. When we do formal zazen, we just sit; this means we do not add to the sitting any judgments such as how wonderful it is to do zazen, or how badly we are doing at it. We just sit.

When we wash the dishes, we just wash dishes; when we drive on the highway, we just drive. When pain comes, there is just pain, and when pleasure comes, there is just pleasure. A Buddha is someone who is totally at one with his experience at every moment.

- Francis Dojun Cook, How to Raise an Ox, Wisdom Publications

Jack Learns of the Widow Hardesty or…

A Victorian Moment

Jack gazed around the drawing room and sighed, “perhaps I’m just not in the mood for a party.” 
“So, Jack,” said Robert enthusiastically, “tell me, who would you like to meet?” 
Jack cast another glance sad around the room. “Well, I suppose that woman by the window.” 
“Oh, the widow Hardesty?” 
“The widow Hardesty,” repeated Jack, suddenly perking up. 
“Widowed twice actually,” said Jack. “Both husbands died under, well… unusual circumstances. Left her rather well off. But tragic, all the same.” 
“Well,” said Jack, who thought widows were rather a speciality of his, “perhaps I can be of some comfort to this twice bereaved young woman.”

—Gaippe

[Also posted at: http://scrawlers.com/stories/425]