Living, Learning. . .
If you have ever spent much time with children then you know their curiosity is often limitless and they can often unknowingly ask some interesting questions. Why are people vegetarians? How do we know the chicken wanted to die? or How come you will not kill a bug? Often my answers led to more questions. If you will not get rid of a bug then how come you want to get rid of termites?
Many times their search for answers can be quite deep, such as asking Google why do people kill other people? For some answers they turn to dictionaries and encyclopedias, others us adults are left to answer on our own, and we do our best. Ultimately we may realize that what we want for them we wanted for ourself – to be able to live in the mystery itself, and trust in it’s creative unfolding. We want them to wrestle with the challenge of living with peace and integrity in a complex and sometimes violent world. We want them to learn to love the questions as much as the answers and not have their tender hearts become tough with the outcomes.
Their endless questions remind again and again of the of the joy and heartbreak that surround us at every moment and remind us to be grateful to be alive in the middle of this vast unknown. Everyday is not another day to acquire more stuff, to collect more things or dominate more silly outcomes. Instead everyday is a chance to learn, to grow, to ask questions and understand that sometimes we must find our own answers.
Long ago I kept our nieces and nephews for a weekend and as they packed their bags on their final day I overheard them saying how smart they thought I was and how they wanted to be smart like that as well. I think in the end they believed I had all the answers, but the truth is that with all their big questions they were teaching me.
Peace and Love, Jim
#live #learn #thedailybuddha
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