A farmer is sitting on his porch in a chair, hanging out with his dog.
A friend walks up to the porch to say hello, and hears an awful yelping, squealing sound coming from the dog.
“What’s the matter with Ol’ Blue?” asks the friend.
“He’s layin’ on a nail that’s pokin’ up from the floorboards,” says the farmer.
“Why doesn’t he just sit up and get off it?” asks the friend.
The farmer deliberates on this and replies: “Don’t hurt enough yet.”
***
A Zen student walks into his master’s chamber. The student is shocked and appalled to see that the Zen master is drinking his morning tea out of a treasured, priceless Ming-dynasty teacup belonging to the monastery.
“How can you do this?” asks the student. “This teacup is a priceless treasure. What if it falls? What if it breaks?”
The Zen master smiles and says: “I consider it already broken.”
***
The story of why I won't see Amanda Palmer play live for the first time next March in Bristol is as sad as it is beautiful. Her attitude towards life and love is remarkable and admirable and I... wish her and her friend Anthony all the best.
Fuck it, I went on Amazon and ordered Anthony's book. He sounds amazing and I can't wait to read his stories!
Love the dog story, for some reason I can relate to it!
ReplyDelete*I KNOW!*
ReplyDeleteIt's probably because you're human!
I think having someone to whisper these stories into your ear at the right times in your life could potentially save you a lot of anguish!
My family, for example, represents and propagates a completely anti-zen mind set. Always axious, always worrying, always trying to protect things that cannot be protected and plan everything that remains unforseeable. Blaming eachother for every undesired outcome.
I would like to have a Zen master.
Instead I have to try and be my own.
Which is kind of a Zen teaching in itself, no?
:)