small satori at work

read from HH Dalai Lama today...and of course, much to think of (emphasis is mine) -  Hardship, in forcing us to exercise greater patience and forbearance in daily life, actually makes us stronger and more robust. From the daily experience of hardship comes a greater capacity to accept difficulties without losing our sense of inner calm . Of course, I do not advocate seeking out hardship as a way of life, but merely wish to suggest that, if you relate to it constructively, it can bring greater inner strength and fortitude . Conversely, one can say a life with no hardship of any kind, perhaps deprives one of a channel to develop greater capacity within oneself? interesting thought. goes with the old Samurai maxim - "a warrior is always supposed to live on the border of poverty" (I read it many years ago)...border is the key word, holds one against complacence and yet sustain with comfort. 

this last week have thought and observed a lot on the lack of punctuality in people.  always knew that traditional societies measured time in different slices, in some cases in a bracket of 4 hours, in others in a period of the day, hence, when someone said they will come at 10, they can turn up at 12 and it is fine by their standard as it is the same time slice within which they have arrived. the reasons are because their time measure was based on the interaction with nature - you did certain agricultural activities at a certain slice of time in a day and certain other activities at other slice of time. their world view and understanding was based on the natural eco-system - human interaction. modern people live in different eco-systems and their eco-systems are often self-created. their idea of punctuality is based on the understanding of the power of the eco-system, someone is more loyal to powerful forces, hence prioritizes to be punctual in front of power and not-punctual in

friend, long ego stilts holds your own pedestal tall, to hold your show of vanity dance tread mildly on the familiar land below when the stilts can't stand the wild vanity and give up holding aloft the pedestal tall its the relationship to land that will cushion the fall!