Ox Herding

Ryokan

At the crossroads this year,
after begging all day
I lingered at the village temple.

Children gather round me and whisper,
"The crazy monk has come back to play."

My daughter, Susie, has returned to Seattle for a few weeks. Over the last few days, we've wandered galleries and bookstores, enjoying the familiarity that comes from 22 years of shared life.

But now Susie's her own person, slightly unfamiliar. She sees the world differently and offers easy disagreement. And sometimes she sees my strangeness and plays with it. Crazy old dad.

It's not a big deal. And yet . . . extraordinary!

Happy Birthday, Old (Young) Friend!

My dear friend, Mi Jeong, has graced my life over the past several years.
And, amazingly enough, we share a birth date!

Mi Jeong honored Susann and me by playing the kayageum,
a traditional Korean stringed instrument, at our wedding ceremony.

Happy Birthday, Mi Jeong!

Obama Nation

Susie has spent the last two months registering voters in Philadelphia (this, in addition to her schoolwork). Altogether, her team registered over 5,000 Democrats - an important number in the closely-contested swing state of Pennsylvania.

Barack Obama spoke this morning in North Philadelphia and Susie, as a VIP, had front-row tickets. After the speech, Senator Obama worked the crowd and shook Susie's hand.

I suggested that she not wash the hand until after the election. You never know what might tip the balance...

Happy Birthday, Susie!

Happy Birthday, Dear Daughter!

Thank you for designing such beautiful Web sites. 

May you enjoy a wonderful day!

LYL,

Dad

Norton

We euthanized our 16 year-old friend, Norton, yesterday. Over the years he survived two rounds of cancer but this last bout of lymphoma finally stole him away.

As he passed, I remembered that death is an ordinary part of life. And yet it's so deeply foreign to the aliveness of this body, this moment. 

Although we talk of the ordinariness of death, to live the experience is extraordinary. Norton's death puts cracks in my ingrained ignorance, so deep and poisonous. It weakens the delusion of persistence.

Still, I don't see very deeply into this. 

And I do miss our kitty friend.

Kwan Seum Bosal  Kwan Seum Bosal  Kwan Seum Bosal

Kwan Seum Bosal  Kwan Seum Bosal  Kwan Seum Bosal

Kwan Seum Bosal  Kwan Seum Bosal  Kwan Seum Bosal

A Buddhist Upbringing

Recently someone asked, "How would you describe a strict Buddhist upbringing?"

A wise-ass might respond, "An oxymoron!" And I did. But the same could also be said of a lax Buddhist upbringing. A genuine Buddhist upbringing would be neither strict nor lax. That's because there's no formula capable of responding to the actual reality of a child's life.

A formulaic approach to parenting will only produce suffering -- for both child and parent. Our children ask us to meet them right where they are -- living, changing beings; always in flux; liberated in all directions; and always demanding our humanity. Of course, all beings ask the same of us. How can we give this gift?

If you are a parent, consider:

1. What ideas do you bring daily to your child?

2. When your child suffers, what experience sits behind their tears?