Sunday, April 24, 2011

Two Little Chinese Girls

In the YMCA locker room, the sight of a little Chinese girl cutely combing the hair of her younger sister, then the two of them hugging. That's all it took to take me to a sorrowful state. 

Mind flashing back to happy, earlier times with my two daughters when they were that age. The depth of our bond back then, and my identity as a mother. 

Mind playing tricks on the heart, from wanting to hold on to the past. I saw it, just as it was happening, and recognized the self-made suffering. 

Mind over mind, protecting the purity of the present moment. 

When is the last time when you had such a moment of insight, and you did not let your mind go down the path of more suffering?

8 comments:

  1. I family member recently passed away from a long painful death. I felt immediate relief to know that she is closer to us now more than ever. However I could not help remembering the past and suffering from not being able to live it again. Now I see it too; so much suffering in my life from clinging to a moment instead of living the new moments life offers me. Being present to "protect the purity of the present" is all we must live for.

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  2. Greater access to insight, step by step.

    nice:)

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  3. Yesterday, over dinner with friends I opened the conversation up to comment on how much I have changed with meditation, since one friend has known me for quite some time. He detailed my excuse in the past, and I felt a defensive feeling arise inside. I noted it and smiled at the pitiful excuse I made back then, and laughed. Put the fire out on that "I" rising. That is all it is...an ego burp.

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  4. This morning, I heard "Moonlight Sonata" on the radio. My dad didn't listen to music much, but that was his favourite piece. My mother didn't play the piano very much, but I remember her playing that piece for him often. It was nice to just listen to the music and be present with a part of their relationship I had forgotten about.

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  5. Anonymous one, yes, watching for the mind's inclination to cultivate sorrow . . . which does not mean repressing either!

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  6. Pooja, thank you for gift of your sympathetic joy.

    Much metta.

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  7. Was Once, 'ego burp', I love that! Thank you.

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  8. David, love how you were able to dwell in the loving memory! Music is so powerful isn't it?

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