zen master

“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” 

— Thich Nhat Hanh [1926-2022]

formal relationship with death

Wa

See volunteer perspective here.

Zen of Surfing

"Your attention is so focused in the barrel ride you can't think about anything else."
- Kelly Slater

fun

"We're all entitled to a joyful experience in life."
- Cyndi Lauper

your moment of zen

A parable referenced in Charlie Wilson's War:

There is this very rich family with a son in this village. And they get the son a horse for his birthday. A villager comes to the Zen master and says, “how nice that they can get their son such a grand gift for his birthday.” The Zen master replies, “we will see.” A few years pass and the son falls off the hoarse and breaks his leg bad and it does not heal properly and he can’t walk well. A villager comes to the Zen master and says, “too bad he got that hoarse for his birthday.” The Zen master replies, “we will see.” Later in life, war breaks out. Many of the young men in the village are sent off to war to die, but not the son because of his bad leg. A villager comes to the Zen master and says, “good thing that guy broke his leg.” The Zen master replies, “we will see.”

Hat tip: RJ 

"I learned the truth of the Zen saying that if you are willing to travel around the world to meet a teacher, one will appear next door."
- Steve Jobs quoted by Walter Isaacson