Commentary: Mindful Lugging

After grocery shopping
I pulled my buggy
Along the sidewalk,
Heading for home.

Then suddenly
I saw below me
A big black ant
Crawling on the pavement.

In her mandible
She grasped a morsel;
I could see she too
Was transporting her supper home.

But she was about to be
Squashed under a wheel
Of my cart;
Fortunately I was paying attention,

And so I was able
To avoid crushing her,
So that she could
Continue on safely
With her load,
As I did with mine.

Comeback: There's No Misery Without Company

Dissatisfaction arises from
Satisfaction;
The seeds of the former
Give birth to the latter.

If I did not have
Some contentedness,
I would experience
No discontent either.

Whenever I look
Behind disliking,
I find liking;
It is the ground underneath,

And so too satisfaction
Emerges from beneath dissatisfaction,
Like the sun peeking out
From behind the clouds.

Miserably staring out the window
What showed through the screen,
But the most beautiful,
Fluffy white cloud I had ever seen.

‘Oh, how fortunate, am I!
To have such a gleaming
Visitor,
What a magnificent scene!’

‘Do you know how beautiful
You are?’ I asked,
‘So wonderful
And so fleeting.’

‘I must be one of the luckiest
Creatures alive
That I should have been present
To see you arrive.’

Collision: Blocked

Once again
I find no place
Else to go,
And so I re-engage

With my practice,
Wavering but persistent,
Journeying to where?
I do not know,

Aiming skyward,
Supported by the wings
Of compassion and wisdom,
Seeking ‘now.’

Nevertheless, chronic negativity
Continues unabated,
Intense ruminations arise
Like a restless flock of birds;

I make them the topic,
Try catching and stopping
These agitated visitors,
Then accepting but not feeding.

But these strategies fail
To fend off
The wretched vultures;
They only flail more,

Digging into soft flesh
With sharp claws;
Greedily grabbing onto
Whatever they can find.

Embedded in these bleak musings,
I watch and wait
For conditions to change,
But what will they be like?
Fear and uncertainty flap about noisily.