Somehow
there must be a way to figure
the place to stand.
Too close and I am lost
in the swirl and change of colors
becoming other colors
mutating shape and line
to a single point.
Too far and I see only
the outline of what is true,
passion surrounded by the frame
and the wall and the people
passing by.
If I sit here long enough
if I think hard enough
it will come to me
There are no easy answers–life is full of puzzles. So we must ask questions, observe details and focus. It is tempting to look for ready-made opinions, but it is in our best interest and in the best interest of the community to look harder, focus on what we see and hear, and form our own thoughts.
We live in an increasingly divisive society. But, as my brother says, the American motto used to be “united we stand.” We should be a culture of inclusion not exclusion. I could talk about the why of that change, but it’s so much more important to restore civil communication and awareness of our connections–our interdependency.
I want us to focus on the practicality of Zen, not on the common stereotypes of nirvana and naval gazing. Instead, we should listen to each other, pay attention to the details, think about what is said rather than simply repeating it.
Each post is a starting point for thought–questions and observations. Our goal should be to promote focused thinking or inquiry, to pay attention to the details, and to contribute to a greater understanding in the communities in which we live.
The questions posed in the posts may be quotations, but we will not reveal the author in the post to avoid “automatic” reaction. If you want to know who wrote the post, please ask and we will make that information available after a day or two.
