As we pulled out of the parking lot, we discovered our car tire had gone flat. We’d made a trip to the vet, a half hour from home. I did the flat tire changing dance, and discovered, I kid you not, the spare tire was also flat.
Four hours after embarking on our odyssey, we’re home. It’s easy to focus on the misfortune of the last four hours. I could whitewash it too, counting the blessings of my pleasant morning, my return to a comfy sofa; notice that “at least it was sunny spring afternoon while I changed the flat tire.”
I have a tendency to focus on one thing or the other. Decide I’m blessed or cursed. But, it’s actually both. And neither.
Pema Chödron’s teacher Chögyam Trungpa once officiated a wedding. HIs final blessing for the bride and groom was to rap them about their heads with a folded paper fan and say;
“Pain is not punishment; pleasure is not reward.”
“Pain is not punishment; pleasure is not reward.”
“Pain is not punishment; pleasure is not reward.”
Today, I could remember that.
timmyr.com 