whatever works
December 31, 2011
Well… I feel blessed to be here at the cusp of 2012. I am sending out benisons of Tonglen today….to all I met and grew to love over the past year (and to those I only met via the bouncing electrons of ones and zeros, bits and bites)….Breathing in, we allow ourselves to feel the inevitable suffering that occurs in this life. Our heart’s natural response to this suffering, while breathing out, is compassion. We breathe in the pain and suffering of this world like a dark cloud, letting it pass through our hearts. Rather than bracing ourselves against this pain and suffering, we can let it strengthen our sense of belonging and interdependence within the larger web of being.
A Tonglen is the best blessing I can offer.
The perfect quote for New Year’s Eve is here, from Woody Allen’s “Whatever Works.” Some will no doubt look at this quote as negative. I can’t see it like that. It comes from a very negative, pessimistic character though; one who comes to this realization at the end of the movie. At the end of the movie, he chooses happiness and grace. He offers up this little speech and it shocked me. This is Woody’s way of saying Gather ye Rosebuds while ye may.
“…I happen to hate New Year’s celebrations. Everybody desperate to have fun. Trying to celebrate in some pathetic little way. Celebrate what? A step closer to the grave? That’s why I can’t say enough times, whatever love you can get and give, whatever happiness you can filch or provide, every temporary measure of grace, whatever works…”
…And this same flower that smiles to-day. To-morrow will be dying.