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Buddhists write stories about life. Okay? It's what they do
For a long time I was a green-sympathizer, but I had only recently started to actually care - not in the sense of "I care about Global Warming, and I care about the Whales, and I care about World Hunger, and I care about animal welfare, and I care blah care blah care blah care", but actually engaging in REAL caring, personal responsibility! Screw global warming, screw the whales, screw world hunger! I decided to quit the empty caring, and to just start caring where I could make a difference, through personal responsibility.
So I started, on fine days, biking into the grocery store instead of using the car.
One day, I just felt too lazy to bike. I was too lazy to put on my helmet and bring my bike outside and the prospect of having to lock the bike at the stores just made me go "ugggh".
So I told myself "If you're too lazy to bike, you have to walk instead!"
This was MEANT to motivate me to get on my bike, but I merely shrugged and thought "Fine. If I'm too lazy to bike, then I'll walk!". It's helpful to remember that I'm a Buddhist and I don't need no stinking logic! It makes life easier
.
As with any journey, the first step is by far the hardest to take. But today, that first step was easier than putting on my helmet, and easier than justifying the environmental impact of using my car.
The first step may have been difficult, but the walking itself was easy.
I walked along, in mild wonderment at seeing all the cars, and so few people. I saw some little dogs walking their owners, the dogs at least being wise enough to know that their owners need exercise and fresh air. I wondered why it took me so long to become as wise as a little dog.
It was a hot day but I survived the 45 minute walk to the grocery store, I bought my groceries and walked home. My knees were a little bit sore, but the chance to contemplate was certainly nice.
People would protest this idea so much! "Well it's nice for you, that you have time to walk to the grocery stores. But I don't have that kind of time! I'm always busy! blah blah blah blah blah blah".
Reality check. Everyone is always busy. Everyone finds something to do with every second of their day. And the question really is, how wisely is that second spent? Will that next hour of your life, enrich your life?
What an interesting question.
I decided to do a comparison of sorts. Lets say I didn't walk to the grocery store. What would I end up doing instead with 90 minutes of my day?
Chances are, I would waste time on the internet. I would refresh Apolyton Off Topic, maybe argue with people who are wrong, maybe refresh YouTube, see if there's any new videos. Refresh some other forums I visit. Check my e-mails. Grab something to eat or drink. Refresh Apolyton again, argue with more people who are wrong.
That could be my hour and a half. Refreshing webpages and arguing with people who are wrong. Wow. That sure sounds enticing and enriching!
Now lets look at taking a walk.
Firstly, I get exercise. This makes my body stronger. This ensures that my body will always be healthier and this benefit will last for the rest of my life. Walking for an hour today, will make my body feel and work a little bit better for months! Sure, it doesn't quite push my buttons in the same way as pushing the buttons which let me see *a new post*, but it's thoroughly good. A stronger, healither, better looking body which feels nice to be in, undeniably enriches my life.
Secondly, I get to contemplate. This is far more intellectually stimulating than internet forums. It gives my mind a chance to settle down and process thoughts free from distractions, I can daydream and reflect. This clears my head, it makes me sleep better, work better. Like exercise for my body, this is exercise for my mind. A more peaceful, clearer, focused mind, undeniably enriches my life.
Thirdly. I get fresh food! By making a grocery run every day, free from the personal and environmental expense of using an automobile carelessly, I get to enjoy fresh food every day. Fresh fruit, vegetables and mushrooms, whatever I fancy. I get more variety, it tastes better, it's healthier. If I ever desire an item from the stores, I can get it that very day and don't have to go without until a grocery run. This is certainly nice! I have less to think about, I don't have to plan for the next week or worry excessively about forgetting something - I can always just get it tomorrow. A stress free life is always nice.
Fourthly. I get to enjoy life. When you slow down, you see more. What do I mean? I get to see neighborhood life, I see kids playing on the streets, spouses arguing in the window. I see people walking their dogs, mothers pushing their strollers. I enjoy the gardens and the decorated houses, I never knew there was a themed "Chocolate House" in my neighborhood - it's called that and it's painted the color of chocolate, with bright white gravel in place of lawns and neatly tended shrubs. I never saw that house before, that energy and creativity someone put into life. In a real way, it's inspiring. Life is inspiring and you only forget that when you stop seeing it. Life runs better on inspiration than desperation.
Finally, you get to see some rare and unexpected delights. For example, at least twice I've seen teenage girls running around in wet t-shirts, engaging in a water fight! I don't know about you, but seeing teenage girls soaked to the skin running around giggling and yelling activates about every pleasure center in my body! I'm not ashamed to say, that I love teenage girls. Maybe as a Buddhist Celibate I refrain from thinking the dirty thoughts, but girls having fun still represents the very best of life - laugh, be playful and carefree, get wet! It's heartening. And even if I'm not, I just know those teenage boys playing with them are thinking dirty thoughts! That is life. You never get that on the Internet!
It's not really a fair comparison. I can only conclude that I used to be a mindless zombie. If you can stop and ask yourself, "How will this next hour, enrich my life?", you may be surprised.
Maybe you'll even find that you can reclaim the time spent slowing down and enjoying life. When you're healthier, you spend less time being sick. When you have more energy, you spend less time in bed. When you use the car less, you have more money and can work less. When you watch the news less, are more carefree and more caring, you spend less time and money drowning your sorrows. It all adds up, a paradigm shift can lead to a better life.
Remember, only the first step is hard.
-- This story is dedicated to those who ridicule me for writing it. You need wisdom the most. Take care.
For a long time I was a green-sympathizer, but I had only recently started to actually care - not in the sense of "I care about Global Warming, and I care about the Whales, and I care about World Hunger, and I care about animal welfare, and I care blah care blah care blah care", but actually engaging in REAL caring, personal responsibility! Screw global warming, screw the whales, screw world hunger! I decided to quit the empty caring, and to just start caring where I could make a difference, through personal responsibility.
So I started, on fine days, biking into the grocery store instead of using the car.
One day, I just felt too lazy to bike. I was too lazy to put on my helmet and bring my bike outside and the prospect of having to lock the bike at the stores just made me go "ugggh".
So I told myself "If you're too lazy to bike, you have to walk instead!"
This was MEANT to motivate me to get on my bike, but I merely shrugged and thought "Fine. If I'm too lazy to bike, then I'll walk!". It's helpful to remember that I'm a Buddhist and I don't need no stinking logic! It makes life easier
.As with any journey, the first step is by far the hardest to take. But today, that first step was easier than putting on my helmet, and easier than justifying the environmental impact of using my car.
The first step may have been difficult, but the walking itself was easy.
I walked along, in mild wonderment at seeing all the cars, and so few people. I saw some little dogs walking their owners, the dogs at least being wise enough to know that their owners need exercise and fresh air. I wondered why it took me so long to become as wise as a little dog.
It was a hot day but I survived the 45 minute walk to the grocery store, I bought my groceries and walked home. My knees were a little bit sore, but the chance to contemplate was certainly nice.
People would protest this idea so much! "Well it's nice for you, that you have time to walk to the grocery stores. But I don't have that kind of time! I'm always busy! blah blah blah blah blah blah".
Reality check. Everyone is always busy. Everyone finds something to do with every second of their day. And the question really is, how wisely is that second spent? Will that next hour of your life, enrich your life?
What an interesting question.
I decided to do a comparison of sorts. Lets say I didn't walk to the grocery store. What would I end up doing instead with 90 minutes of my day?
Chances are, I would waste time on the internet. I would refresh Apolyton Off Topic, maybe argue with people who are wrong, maybe refresh YouTube, see if there's any new videos. Refresh some other forums I visit. Check my e-mails. Grab something to eat or drink. Refresh Apolyton again, argue with more people who are wrong.
That could be my hour and a half. Refreshing webpages and arguing with people who are wrong. Wow. That sure sounds enticing and enriching!
Now lets look at taking a walk.
Firstly, I get exercise. This makes my body stronger. This ensures that my body will always be healthier and this benefit will last for the rest of my life. Walking for an hour today, will make my body feel and work a little bit better for months! Sure, it doesn't quite push my buttons in the same way as pushing the buttons which let me see *a new post*, but it's thoroughly good. A stronger, healither, better looking body which feels nice to be in, undeniably enriches my life.
Secondly, I get to contemplate. This is far more intellectually stimulating than internet forums. It gives my mind a chance to settle down and process thoughts free from distractions, I can daydream and reflect. This clears my head, it makes me sleep better, work better. Like exercise for my body, this is exercise for my mind. A more peaceful, clearer, focused mind, undeniably enriches my life.
Thirdly. I get fresh food! By making a grocery run every day, free from the personal and environmental expense of using an automobile carelessly, I get to enjoy fresh food every day. Fresh fruit, vegetables and mushrooms, whatever I fancy. I get more variety, it tastes better, it's healthier. If I ever desire an item from the stores, I can get it that very day and don't have to go without until a grocery run. This is certainly nice! I have less to think about, I don't have to plan for the next week or worry excessively about forgetting something - I can always just get it tomorrow. A stress free life is always nice.
Fourthly. I get to enjoy life. When you slow down, you see more. What do I mean? I get to see neighborhood life, I see kids playing on the streets, spouses arguing in the window. I see people walking their dogs, mothers pushing their strollers. I enjoy the gardens and the decorated houses, I never knew there was a themed "Chocolate House" in my neighborhood - it's called that and it's painted the color of chocolate, with bright white gravel in place of lawns and neatly tended shrubs. I never saw that house before, that energy and creativity someone put into life. In a real way, it's inspiring. Life is inspiring and you only forget that when you stop seeing it. Life runs better on inspiration than desperation.
Finally, you get to see some rare and unexpected delights. For example, at least twice I've seen teenage girls running around in wet t-shirts, engaging in a water fight! I don't know about you, but seeing teenage girls soaked to the skin running around giggling and yelling activates about every pleasure center in my body! I'm not ashamed to say, that I love teenage girls. Maybe as a Buddhist Celibate I refrain from thinking the dirty thoughts, but girls having fun still represents the very best of life - laugh, be playful and carefree, get wet! It's heartening. And even if I'm not, I just know those teenage boys playing with them are thinking dirty thoughts! That is life. You never get that on the Internet!
It's not really a fair comparison. I can only conclude that I used to be a mindless zombie. If you can stop and ask yourself, "How will this next hour, enrich my life?", you may be surprised.
Maybe you'll even find that you can reclaim the time spent slowing down and enjoying life. When you're healthier, you spend less time being sick. When you have more energy, you spend less time in bed. When you use the car less, you have more money and can work less. When you watch the news less, are more carefree and more caring, you spend less time and money drowning your sorrows. It all adds up, a paradigm shift can lead to a better life.
Remember, only the first step is hard.
-- This story is dedicated to those who ridicule me for writing it. You need wisdom the most. Take care.
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