wandering about

As Thanksgiving approaches I am spending time in thought about this rather broken world, and my place in it. What’s my life? How I am? How available I am? Like the bodhisattva walking back into the market place with open hands – “How can I help?”

Once a week I get to support a young women who’s grateful for the help. She thanks, “Thank you, Buddy,” a lot. I learned yesterday that I’m going to begin offering that same kind of support to a couple of young guys working in a hospital cafeteria close to where I live. I can use the extra money, that’s for sure. But, as importantly, it’s an offer to shine light, where it’s useful. To be of service.

I try to make it a point to go back and thank the barista that fetched me coffee. To hold doors for people coming in or heading out from wherever it is I find myself in the day. To really see people.

I believe I quoted an old Zen master here in the Blog a couple of weeks ago – “The nation is destroyed. Mountains and rivers remain.” And here’s Donovan, another ancient master – “First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is.”

Strangely enough, for me there’s the opportunity to be of service in all that. A way to say thanks: cup of coffee; swinging door; the river knows.