The great Indian scholar (and Buddhist, possibly) Shantideva said:
"If there is a way to overcome the suffering, then there is no need to worry; if there is no way to overcome the suffering, then there is no use in worrying."
How very true. In fact, it reminds me of another song I used to listen to when I was young. Maurice Chevalier – another old favourite of mine because he looked exactly like my grandfather (or the other way round) – sang: "I don't worry; worrying don't agree!" This is exactly as it should be. The main thing that worrying stops us from doing, is to act. And action cures fear.
Here's a good writing exercise: Describe a recent journey and include all the sights, sounds and smells you experienced; even include your own thoughts and feelings. But invent one small detail about the journey that isn't true, but that perhaps could be. Let someone read the story and see if they can spot the bit that isn't true. Someone did this once and described a journey where amongst all the other details, they told of how they were passed on the road by a yellow truck with a grizzly bear sitting in the back. The obvious question is: Why would a grizzly bear be sitting in the back of a truck? Ah-ha, that must be the invented detail, you might presume. But no, for in truth, a truck did pass them and it did have a grizzly bear sitting in the back. But the truck was white, not yellow.
May those who have suffered, be happy.
How very true. In fact, it reminds me of another song I used to listen to when I was young. Maurice Chevalier – another old favourite of mine because he looked exactly like my grandfather (or the other way round) – sang: "I don't worry; worrying don't agree!" This is exactly as it should be. The main thing that worrying stops us from doing, is to act. And action cures fear.
Here's a good writing exercise: Describe a recent journey and include all the sights, sounds and smells you experienced; even include your own thoughts and feelings. But invent one small detail about the journey that isn't true, but that perhaps could be. Let someone read the story and see if they can spot the bit that isn't true. Someone did this once and described a journey where amongst all the other details, they told of how they were passed on the road by a yellow truck with a grizzly bear sitting in the back. The obvious question is: Why would a grizzly bear be sitting in the back of a truck? Ah-ha, that must be the invented detail, you might presume. But no, for in truth, a truck did pass them and it did have a grizzly bear sitting in the back. But the truck was white, not yellow.
May those who have suffered, be happy.
3 comments:
Love the writing exercise. I will use that one :)
Thank you shots - I loved your 60 words too!
Thank you. And don't worry :)
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