What we nurture

Pictures today from the January 12 snow storm that dropped the branch onto our car. Of course, all outside now is green and blooming - much to the discomfort of my eyes and sneezing.

Mothers' Day seems an appropriate time to reference "What we nurture," this week's installment of NPRs On Being. It is an interview with "Jewish-Buddhist teacher and
psychotherapist, mother, and grandmother" Sylvia Boorstein. More
information on this particular episode, including a transcript of the
interview, is here. It
contained some words of wisdom that I think we can all learn from confronted with
life's challenges.

The first excerpt I'd like to pass along is a "Lovingkindness
meditation" that one can direct towards one's self:

"Sweetheart, you are in pain. Relax, take a breath, let's pay
attention to what is happening, then we'll figure out what to do."

The other is a Pablo Neruda poem called Keeping Quiet:

"Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still.

For once on the face of the earth,
let's not speak in any language;
let's stop for a second,
and not move our arms so much.

It would be an exotic moment,
without rush, without engines;
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.

Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would not look at his hurt hands.

Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victories with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.

What I want should not be confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;

If we were not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could do nothing,
perhaps the huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of frightening ourselves with death.

Now I'll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go."