Armchair Zen

Choose to embrace the rain, it is life-giving and cleansing.

Choose to embrace the cold, snowy winter. It is visceral. Without winter, we cannot embrace the spring.

Choose to embrace difficulty. We have no choice when it is thrown in our path, but we can choose to attack it.

Choose to be a giver and not a taker. Give to those you love, give to those in need, give to the earth, give to life, take only what you need.

Choose to be loyal. Keep your promises. Keep confidences. Be prepared to stand silently by under the worst circumstances.

Choose to wear your brave face when I need you to, and I will wear mine when you need me too. When you are scared, I will pretend to be brave. When you are in fear, I will pretend to be fearless. When I want to run away because I am shocked or panicked, I will stand still beside you and pretend to be calm. When you die, I will pretend to be glad for you, that you have laid your burden down. You do the same for me.

Choose to embrace adversity and hardship. We are often powerless when they befall us, but we can choose our response.

Choose to embrace real life. Not television and cars and cell phones and 401k’s and Starbucks and OTB. Choose clouds and children’s laughter and fish moving silently underwater and fledgling robins their first day out of the nest and the smell of lilacs.

Choose to look death in the eye without fear. It is inevitable, and doesn’t hurt once it’s over. Samurai warriors were known to race into battle yelling “This is a good day to die!”.  Choose to believe that you, too, can have a good day to die.

Lena Horne said “It’s not the load that wears you down, it’s the way you carry it.”

President John Kennedy said “Don’t pray for easier lives. Pray to be stronger men.”

Choose to love one another. And that means everyone. If this needs explanation, you have a long way to go, but be reassured,

the path is (if you so choose) Magical.

Be at Peace,

Paz