Pursuit of happiness

These photos from an Aug. 26/2010 walk to & from the acupuncture clinic, a study in circles and a statue about to jump.

I was listening to On Being again this AM while I prepared for the day. Today's theme was "Pursuit of happiness" and in a meeting with the Dalai Lama, Krista Tippett was joined by representatives from the Buddhist, Christian, Jewish & Muslim faiths, Professor Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr of George Washington University; the Most Reverend Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori of the Episcopal Church, and Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks of the British Commonwealth.

My favorite quotation from the segment I heard "So what is Moses saying [from the 23rd chapter of Deuteronomy], "Do not hate an Egyptian for you are strangers in your land"? He is telling the Israelites that you have left the physical Egypt. Now you must leave the mental experience of Egypt. You have to let go of hate. Because if you do not let go of hate, you will never be free. If the Israelites had continued to hate their enemies, Moses would have taken the Israelites out of Egypt, but he would not have taken Egypt out of the Israelites. They would be slaves to their past, slaves to their feeling of pain and injustice and grievance. This is the line he taught them and the line we have to repeat day after day in this difficult and dangerous 21st century. You have to let go of hate if you want to be free." If you're interested, you can read the transcript.

Heading out soon for a toddle. Beautiful day again today. Huh - the forecast high is 53F & we're already up to 56F. I smell an update.