We all could well to remember this. It’s happened do us, and for us…

Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.

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On simplicity and life. Here’s to making the easy…easy. Or, at least try…

Irrigators guide the water.
Fletchers shape the arrow shaft.
Carpenters shape the wood.
The wise control themselves.

-Dhammapada, 6, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

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The map is not the territory. –Alford Korzybski

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I’ve been sick all weekend, and I hate being sick. I can’t move, go outside–I’m immobile. Maybe in a way it’s good to give my body a rest. Enjoy some peace and quiet. But only for a bit.

The warriors of old, when they entered enemy territory from across the sea, burned their boats, signaling their commitment to the battle before them.

The ancient Greek warriors were both feared and respected by their enemies. In battle, the Greeks established a well-deserved reputation for their unsurpassed bravery and unshakable commitment to victory. The key to their overwhelming success on the battlefield had far more to do with how the Greek commanders motivated the warriors than it did with issues of tactics or training. The Greeks were master motivators who understood how to use a “dramatic demonstration” to infuse a spirit of commitment into the heart of every warrior. Once the warriors had been offloaded from their boats onto their enemy’s shore, the Greek commanders would shout out their first order…”burn the boats!” The sight of burning boats removed any notion of retreat from their hearts and any thoughts of surrender from their heads. Imagine the tremendous psychological impact on the soldiers as they watched their boats being set to the torch. As the boats turned to ash and slipped quietly out of sight into the water, each man understood there was no turning back and the only way home was through victory.

How ready are we to burn our boats?

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Herbie Hancock, “Maiden Voyage.” Which is where we find ourselves now.

Today, this country crossed a threshold of power, of history, of struggle. Much work is left to do, but the shape of things, the shape of us, has changed.

The journey continues.

More dreams for me last night. Of friends, of writing, of traveling.

Fitting that on this day, one dream does come true.

Is it possible to become so enamored by the notion of something, that you miss the fact that the notion doesn’t exist, or never truly existed?

What will happen tomorrow in the U.S. is something I thought would never happen. I never believed the U.S. would ever elect a black man as president. That should teach me to underestimate this country, a place that can always surprise. As much as this place exasperates me sometimes, I’m glad I’m here. It’s good to feel like a very positive time in history.

To get an idea of exactly what change means this week, check out this story.

Change, indeed.

True, the national holiday isn’t until Monday. But today is his birthday. And read this story about the Rev. Joseph Lowery, and how he connects King to Obama.

At some point you may have taken a Myers-Briggs personality test, and it’s probably confirmed some things about you. I’ve taken a few before, including one for a wellness program I took a couple of years ago. Normally I flit between an INTP and an INTJ. So imagine my surprise when I went to Typealyzer and put this very blog in the box…

ENTP – The Visionaries

The charming and trend savvy type. They are especially attuned to the big picture and anticipate trends. They often have sophisticated language skills and come across as witty and social. At the end of the day, however, they are pragmatic decision makers and have a good analytical ability.

They enjoy work that lets them use their cleverness, great communication skills and knack for new exciting ventures. They have to look out not to become quitters, since they easily get bored when the creative exciting start-up phase is over.

Now, this description is for the blog. Still, it’s good food for thought.

When I discover something, big or small, I feel good. I know my mind is still open and working.

Once the barn door’s been opened, it’s hard to get the animals back in.

So I have discovered something in the past few days. A friend told me something. Or, clarified something I had known before. And things are becoming very clear. Except for one thing. I’m still gobsmacked about that one.

Take the Western, pop-culture notions of passion and attachment that you know, and put them aside.

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In Buddhism and zen, passion and attachment are not good things. From passion and attachment arise suffering, the source of much of the world’s ills. And who wants to suffer?

To be free of passion and free of attachment is to end suffering. In other words, to be free.

Think of it this way. Passion and attachment, and suffering, are clouds. Freedom is the sun. Wouldn’t you rather see the sun than clouds?

I know what the Western ideas of passion and attachment are. I also know how much trouble they can cause. To be free does not mean to be devoid of a beating heart, full of life. But passion and attachment can be chains around our minds, our hearts, our souls if we are not mindful.

Why do you want to be chained? Why do you want to suffer?

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Take the Western, pop-culture notions of passion and attachment that you know, and pick them up again. Do they feel different now?

It’s been said that I’m stubborn, and yeah, it’s true. But my hope in life is that I’m not so stubborn, so relentless, that I end up setting myself on fire, destroying me and others in the process. I know that stubborness can represent rigidity, in heart, in mind, in soul. The human body, like the human soul, is fragile. Too much stubborness, and they will grind to dust. And good are you, if you are dust?

Some food for thought…

Life’s easy to live
for someone unscrupulous,
cunning as a crow,
corrupt, back-biting,
forward, & brash;

But for someone who’s constantly
scrupulous, cautious,
observant, sincere,
pure in his livelihood,
clean in his pursuits,
it’s hard.

-Dhammapada, 18, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

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I think you need to have more than anything–compassion. That will see you through so much stuff in life…

Fields are spoiled by weeds;
people, by passion.
So what’s given to those
free of passion
bears great fruit.

Fields are spoiled by weeds;
people, by aversion.
So what’s given to those
free of aversion
bears great fruit.

-Dhammapada, 24, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

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Why?

I have a family member who hasn’t been feeling well. A couple of nights ago I had a dream where I saw him, and instead of the forlorn look I had seen in his eyes, I saw his bright, smiling face.

That gave me hope. For him, and for me.

What a morning of beautiful discovery…

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It’s cloudy here this morning, but the clouds can’t obscure everything.

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I understand the macro problem, and the micro problem is making more sense. The clouds part.

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Miles Davis once wondered why John Coltrane played such long solos. Coltrane said once I start playing I can’t figure out how to stop. Miles, in the way Miles could, said, “Why don’t you try taking the horn out of your mouth?”

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I know the problem.

I know the solution.

The execution of the solution is another matter entirely.

Progression never ends.

(hat tip–and yes, you read the URL correctly–I’m going to learn to snowboard this winter)

I know what I’ve written about mirrors. But new information is in…

Sometimes people hold up mirrors for others so they can see things they may not be able to see. There is no intention to hurt or harm, no agenda involved. They do it because they care and they love the person. And sometimes, love isn’t about strawberries and cream all the time. Sometimes it’s about looking out for people you care about.

It’s not that I’m not a fun-loving guy. That’s not it at all.

When I hear about something, or confront something–especially when I have seen other people go through the exact same thing–it’s going to be on my mind, and I’m going to wonder why you don’t extract yourself from it. I do it–care, love, keep bringing up the same thing–because I don’t want to see people tumble into an abyss they could have avoided.

I want to be in this world to help, not hurt.

Yes, indeed…

If you cling to an idea as the inalterable truth, then when the truth does come in person and knock at your door, you will not be able to open the door and accept it.

-Udana Sutta

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As I write this, we are about 240 hours into the new year. And kids, let me tell you, this calendar year. it’s gonna be a ride and a half. And it’s already starting that way.

One small way is in music. Most people know me as a jazzhound, but lately I’ve been diving into Somafm.com’s Groovesalad. Lush, sophisicated, chill–awesome stuff, I think. Like this one, Harmonic 33’s Extraordinary People. And this one, The Gift of Freedom by Charles Webster.

Music has always been a source of inspiration, strength and calm for me. Not the Top 40 pap on the car radio. But the obscure, the powerful, the lush, the calm, the dignified, the humane, the dreamy. I hope it always stays that way.

Kids, it’s gonna be an interesting year.

I don’t stray too much into politics here. But I need to use this article to illustrate a greater point. And it’s connected to this post.

Demographics are working against the Republican Party. Its core constituency is whittling away, and the numbers of minorities who generally aren’t inclined to vote GOP are growing. If the GOP doesn’t adjust, make changes, they run a serious risk of being in the wilderness for a while. Or worse. The problem is, does the GOP know this? Are they willing to change?

When confronted with a situation that is not good at all, despite the spin you may put on it, are you willing to change? Are you willing to give up comfort and ease and chart a new path? Are you willing to give up what you know, what you love, see the destructive path you’re on, and blaze a new trail?

Are you willing to change? Are you willing to break the chains, before the chains break you?

I’ve been spending the past couple of days trying to figure something out. Something important. And I’ve been trying to look at it from as many angles as possible. And I still can’t figure it out.

But this much I have figured out. There are limits to what I will do for love. I have dignity, which is not going to be sacrificed so I can be in love. There is simply some crap that I will never put with to say that someone loves me. My heart, my soul, my dignity as a man are too precious a gift to allow anybody to cuff me around emotionally. And the same goes for a woman, too. If I have to be alone, so be it. I am not going to sacrifice God’s gifts to me so I can say that someone loves me.

Interesting…

Paul Tillich – “Doubt isn’t the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.”

Some answers that you get in life aren’t good enough. That’s why scientists are as good as they are–they investigate.

Luc de Clapier – “The maxims of men reveal their characters.”

Yes, you should read this. And when you’re done, read it again. And then, print it out, and keep it handy. When you think life is absurd, look at it and find out what is really absurd.

As the rain changes to snow here, I continue to try to look into something. A great mystery is why things happen the way they do. Another is why do people do the things they do, and all the things attendant with it.

Why do people do the things they do?

Every year, this website queries the smartest people around with a thought-provoking question. This year’s question is an intriguing one…

What will change everything?

“All fixed set patterns are incapable of adaptability or pliability. The truth is outside of all fixed patterns.” Bruce Lee

At some point, you have to break the pattern of negativity and energy-draining that has been hovering over you.

You’re not a hamster. Get off the damn wheel.

“A slower life . . . is more effective, more artistic, much richer than a life lived as a race against the clock. It gives you time to pause, to think, to reflect, to decide, to weigh pros and cons. It give you time for relationships.”

Eknath Easwaran

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And this…

“The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don’t have.” – Woody Allen

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A couple of weeks ago, I took off for a few days. And on my first morning of having nowhere to go, I…hoped in the car and drove three quarters of the way to the office, for no reason at all. Well, yes, for a reason–I had a bundle of energy that I had to burn away. At five in the morning. The drive was fine, most of it was in the rain.

Every so often, I have too much energy inside me, and I have to expend it somehow. A walk or a bike ride sometimes won’t do the job. Like this morning…

I was in the coffee shop, writing a little and noodling on the web, when the urge to move just came. I felt like I needed to move. Now. I left the coffee shop, dumped my computer at home and drove. I drove to Philadelphia. I don’t know why, other than I don’t get to Philadelphia as much as I’d like to. And no, I didn’t stop in the city and have lunch or anything, I just drove.

The drive did the trick. I got home, and fell asleep for a while.

Now, I think I’ll go for a walk.

I had dreams last night, of bridges in my hometown, and of a helicopter. No, I don’t know what the mean, either…

Every moment is a chance and an oppportunity to do something. That something doesn’t always have to be big, but it should be good and fulfulling.

I saw him again.

It was New Year’s Eve, and I was on my way back home from dinner in Manhattan. I was standing in the train, looking around, and there he was. Nothing about him really changed. The jacket, the bags, the expression on his face–all the same. I wondered where he’d come from, amid all the revelry of the night. How was he surviving in the bitter wind? The Path train pulled into Newark and the doors opened. Out he hustled, to some unknown place. OUt I hustled, to my train to take me home.

Last year, 2008, was an interesting year for me. Let’s see what the next calendar year brings.