Brian’s Reflection: Thursday, May 28, 2009

Drought burns basins to dust,
Light rain is a dew of mockery.
Receive without complaint,
Work with fate.

- Deng Ming-Dao (Taoist)

I am tired. Tired of feeling as if I am at “odds with the World”. Tired of the concept of “competition”, of the sense that we are always jousting with each other to claw our way to the “top” in Life at the expense of each other. Tired of the idea that Life is a battle, a struggle – against illness, poverty, old age, everything! In fact, I discover that it goes against my personal nature in a profound way. Drains my energy – and my Peace. Oh, I have lived in a basically uncompetitive way most of my Life, but I confess that I have always felt a little ashamed of it, especially living in a society that lauds the Warrior.

Acceptance is what I prefer. But, Acceptance as Deng speaks of it: “Acceptance does not mean fatalism. It does not mean capitulation to some slaughtering predestination. Those who follow Tao do not believe in being helpless. They believe in acting within the framework of circumstance. For example, in a drought, they will prepare by storing what water is available. That is sensible action. They will not plant a garden of flowers that requires a great deal of water. That is ignorance and egotism.
Acceptance is a dynamic act. . It should not signal inertness, stagnation, or inactivity. One should simply ascertain what the situation requires and then implement what one thinks is best.”

There are lots of ways to approach Living. Every day these days I ask myself: will the aggressive policies we are pursuing in Pakistan, in Afghanistan, in the Sudan, in North Korea, in Iran, in the Economy, in the soup of World terrorism, bring about a more just, compassionate World? Something deep inside tells me No.

Just thought you might like to think about Acceptance, and “working within the framework of circumstance” a bit today! Maybe you’re a little weary of competition and struggle too?

Brian+