The Zen of Y2K

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Emotions are running high on our forum. This is due to the anxiety over the uncertainty of the outcome, the shameful way information has been diluted, danced upon and spun, and the genuine wishes of most of us to continue living our lives within our chosen comfort zones. Some of us are afraid, stressed, frustrated and angry. It's not always easy to rein ourselves in and remind ourselves of those thousands of small moments that can bring exquisite happiness and peace despite the overwhelming influx of bad news...Y2K related or not. Here's a little Zen story for a light moment.

One day while walking through the wilderness a man stumbled upon a vicious tiger. He ran but soon came to the edge of a high cliff. Desperate to save himself, he climbed down a vine and dangled over the fatal precipice. As he hung there, two mice appeared from a hole in the cliff and began gnawing on the vine. Suddenly, he noticed on the vine a plump wild strawberry. He plucked it and popped it in his mouth. It was incredibly delicious!

On a practical note, I believe when faced with the possibility of trouble in any form, from whatever source, it is wise to prepare. This is one of my favorites. Enjoy.

A Sufi teaching story tells of a man who prayed continually for the awareness to succeed in life. Then one night he dreamed of going into the forest to attain understanding. The next morning he went into the woods and wandered for several hours looking for some sign that would provide answers. When he finally stopped to rest, he saw a fox with no legs lying between two rocks in a cool place. Curious as to how a legless fox could survive, he waited until sunset when he observed a lion come and lay meat before the fox. "Ah, I understand," the man thought. "The secret to success in life is to trust that God will take care of all my needs. I don't need to provide for myself. All I have to do is totally surrender to my all-sustaining God." Two weeks later, weakened and starving, the man had another dream. In it he heard a voice say, "Fool. Be like the lion, not like the fox."

I wish you all, Polly, Troll, Doomer, Middlers, good fortune and many moments of happiness.

-- Casey DeFranco (caseyd@silcom.com), December 13, 1999

Answers

Very good words to lighten the mood. Thanks.

-- Rob (maxovrdrv51@hotmail.com), December 13, 1999.

How about the guy whose home was in a flood zone. Flood warnings came and his neighbors left for higher ground. He stayed because he believed that God would provide for him. Water was halfway up the side of the house when a boat came by to get him. He refused to leave because he believed that God would provide for him. Water was lapping at the rooftop on which he sat, a helicopter came to take him to safety. He refused to go because he believed that God would provide for him. He drowned. When he saw God, the man expressed his dissapointment that God had failed him. God replied...I sent the flood warning...I sent the boat...I sent the helicopter...you drowned because of your own foolishness.

-- grannyclampett (don'thave@clue.com), December 13, 1999.

grannyclampett: Does Ellie May mudwrestle?

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.cum), December 13, 1999.

Ommmmmmmmmmmmm.

-- (zenmaster@onehand.clapping), December 14, 1999.

"At this point I looked down and noticed that my Sony had stopped recording. I tapped it against the heel of my palm, rewound the tape, and discovered that I had missed the last ten minutes of our discussion. I slammed it down on the table. 'Piece of shit.' 'Machines make you angry sometimes,'he observed with a grin. 'Sure. When I can't get them to work, or they won't work, they piss me off. I yell at my computer all the time. Who doesn't?' 'Usually people direct anger towards creatures--other people, their pets, even the God they imagine in their heads. Do machines have selves?' 'No, of course not.' 'Then everything they do for you is selfless. How could you not honor and respect that, even if they fuck up sometime?'" -- from "Surfing the Indranet" (Erik Davis interviewing Lance Daybreak)

-- Firemouse (firemouse@fcmail.com), December 14, 1999.


"Man plans: God laughs" (although someone on this forum, once insisted the quote is "man proposes: God disposes", I still like my version). It's good to have a plan, but don't get so tunnel-visioned that you don't see the juicy strawberry, clinging to the vine, just to the side of your field of vision.

To paraphrase Vonnegutt, "Unusual events are dancing lessons from god".

Great thread you started Casey.

-- Bokonon (bok0non@my-Deja.com), December 14, 1999.


"Sudden prayers make God jump." -- Musrum

-- Firemouse (firemouse@fcmail.com), December 14, 1999.

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