Today's Lesson in Zen

"Life is like getting into a boat that is just about to set sail and sink."

-Shunryu Suzuki Roshi

We all know that life is impermanent: the mere fact that we are born means we are going to die. Why is it, then, that we spend most of our lives in a struggle? Why can't we embrace the fact that this life--no matter what our current circumstances--is a gift? I mean, think about it: we all hear stories about people who are told that they only have three months to live so they decide to do everything that they've ever wanted to do, and they make amends with their enemies, etcetra, etcetra. We're all going to die. Just because we haven't been given a certain date and time doesn't mean that it's not going to happen. Why do we have to wait until the doctor says our time is up to really start to live?

Every time we breath out there is no guarantee that we will take another in-breath; doesn't that just solidify the fact that every in-breath is an absolute gift?

Life is precious, and short, and precious.

These are just my thoughts for the day. :)

Blessings,

Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, Zen, spirituality, Shunyru Suzuki Roshi