There's nothing quite like a death to snap you out of your dream state. There's a wooden sign that's been hanging at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center for decades.
The sign serves as a gong as well, which why part of it is worn away, but it says "Wake up!/Life is transient/swiftly passing/Be aware/The great matter/Don't waste time."
Every visit I would pass this sign several times a day and ponder the message. I'm sure at life's end I will be thinking or saying, "Jeez that went fast."
Regular readers know that I've faced some significant health challenges over the past few years. Just last July I had a tumor on my parathyroid gland removed. It wasn't cancer, but it was causing a lot of damage to my bones, stealing the calcium particularly from my left hip. The exhaustion was debilitating and it took months for the doctors to figure out what was going on.
Then there's my heart. And my diabetes. And asthma. Good Grief, Charlie Brown. It's daunting at times to grapple with so much, but what choice do I have? Taking care of myself is Job Number One. These conditions also put me in touch with my own mortality and there are some bottom line truths I've pondered many times. It's good for all of us to think about, because we are not in control, boys and girls.
The sign serves as a gong as well, which why part of it is worn away, but it says "Wake up!/Life is transient/swiftly passing/Be aware/The great matter/Don't waste time."
Every visit I would pass this sign several times a day and ponder the message. I'm sure at life's end I will be thinking or saying, "Jeez that went fast."
Regular readers know that I've faced some significant health challenges over the past few years. Just last July I had a tumor on my parathyroid gland removed. It wasn't cancer, but it was causing a lot of damage to my bones, stealing the calcium particularly from my left hip. The exhaustion was debilitating and it took months for the doctors to figure out what was going on.
Then there's my heart. And my diabetes. And asthma. Good Grief, Charlie Brown. It's daunting at times to grapple with so much, but what choice do I have? Taking care of myself is Job Number One. These conditions also put me in touch with my own mortality and there are some bottom line truths I've pondered many times. It's good for all of us to think about, because we are not in control, boys and girls.
Here are 20 brutal truths that every single person needs to hear. From Matthew Jones.
Then listen to this moving song by Jane Siberry and KD Lang.
Then listen to this moving song by Jane Siberry and KD Lang.
I like to think there are Angels among us. I don't know if there are, but I am comforted by the idea.
I had forgotten some of the physical ailments and challenges you've faced these past few years. Yikes, Tara! So much happening in our bodies all the time, and then there's the matter of our emotional hearts. I keep thinking of the old line, "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may." Now is all we have. I hadn't listened to Calling All Angels in a while. Love this song. Thank you for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteI have marked the video to watch later...and later I will. My husband had a stroke Aug 2, 2016, then I felt FEb 12, 2018 and had three breaks down near my ankle. I developed fracture blisters...google that if you want, or it is somewhere back on my blog. I had never heard of them...but it made me way late getting back on my feet cause I got a deep wound from them.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it has brought it home to me that we are here only for a short time...I can not even begin to tell you how it was when Roger first came home from Acute therapy...life is a struggle sometimes but there is noting to do but fo forward.